Hi, I’m a freshman currently and am trying to map out possible course paths for hs…
At my school physics is a prereq for AP Bio, but I was wondering if it’s absolutely necessary
I will have already taken honors chemistry and biology, so does anyone think it would be possible to take AP bio without a physics course if I appeal it?
You should not need any physics background for AP Biology. There is pretty much no math in AP Biology except for graphs and finding average.
Why is physics a prereq for AP Bio? That’s quite weird if you ask me.
AP Biology requires absolutely no physics knowledge. I don’t know how your school works though… I do know that the College Board curriculum of Biology does not have any physics. You should be fine if your teacher teaches to the curriculum.
You don’t need to know any Physics to succeed in AP Bio. It’s probably a only a prereq to bar underclassmen from taking it. If you made extremely high grades in Biology and Chemistry then maybe you can appeal it.
Colleges would rather see a year of physics than 2 years of bio with no physics.
If you’ve already taken honors biology and chemistry, you should take a physics course (either honors or AP Physics 1) next year, and possibly double up with AP Bio, leaving AP Chem and AP Physics 2 or C for junior and senior year.
physics is really important for competitive colleges; it gives you well roundedness and breadth; especially if you are interested in engineering or any of the sciences for that matter, physics is essential.
but I agree, AP bio doesn’t require physics. At my school, physics is required though, and so you either take physics before AP Bio or you take it at the same time. AP Bio is just bio though. And some stats and chemistry thrown in, but just a little and nothing you really need a class for. Maybe they’ll let you take them at the same time; at my school it is allowed if you’ve taken bio and chem and are currently taking physics. It’s not too bad I hear to double up. Just don’t double up AP Physics C and AP Bio…well, you can, but that’s a whole different level of difficulty!