<p>Hey guys! I'm thinking of taking AP Chem at Northwestern this summer (CTD Program), which lasts about 5 weeks. I heard AP Chem is really hard and 5 weeks seems really short. I'm just curious about what other people (hopefully people who have taken this course at CTD) have to say. How much is the work load? Btw I've only taken IGCSE Chemistry [Extended] because I was under the UK Board before I moved back to the US.</p>
<p>You’re in luck; I took this course my junior year! Although back then it was 3 weeks, not 5, so my experience might have been more rigorous than the one they’ll do this year. In short, AP Chem was 3 weeks of hell. But a fun sort of hell, like the burning sensation you get after running sprints. The workload is pretty hardcore; I would start homework 10 minutes after class ended (around 2) and sometimes finish past lights out (around 11). I actually had to hang a flashlight from the sprinker pipe in our dorm so my roommate and I could work in the dark. One night I was so focused on my work that I forgot to go to dinner, and ended up going room to room asking for food (eventually cashed in on some ramen from a friend across the hall). My testing partner, who was first in her class (and is now going to Yale), got her first B for the first “semester” of AP Chem there. But not everyone goes HAM on the homework - only about a 3rd of the people there are actually looking to get credit for the class, so a lot of the people are fine with getting B’s and C’s.</p>
<p>The teacher, Mr. V, is one of the best I’ve ever had. He could really make 4 hours of lecturing entertaining. And he gives you a big ole review packet that really helps you understand what’s happening that day.</p>
<p>When I took the course, we covered 2 weeks of material in one day, meaning we had a new test on a new concept everyday during the 3 weeks. I imagine the 5 week program will be much more merciful. I have no idea what IGSCE Chem is… I came in with a year of honors chem and didn’t have much trouble with the concepts. AP Chem isn’t that hard (except Acid/Base, that’s hard), it just takes a lot of practice. I ended up with a 5, and that was after a week of reviewing (after many months of no chem at all).</p>
<p>Besides the overloaded weekdays, CTD is SO MUCH FUN. You can explore most of Northwestern’s campus, you can go into town on the weekends, and they have small activities during the week (going to to beach, frisbee, basketball, etc.) and big ones during the weekend (Second City, kayaking, trip to museums). All in all CTD was one of the best experiences of my life - I worked hard, I played hard, and I met a lot of cool people I still keep in touch with. Hope this helps.</p>