Alright, I have a big decision to make by tomorrow because our schedule forms are being turned in at the end of the day. I am class salutatorian and have a 4.0 unweighted GPA.
I am contemplating between taking AP Chemistry or AP Physics C. I am currently a junior taking AP Physics B and doing very well (106 at the end of last semester and 108 currently), and I did well in Gifted/Honors Chemistry sophomore year. I am looking to be some type of engineer, but I am not sure what kind. I am swaying towards mechanical engineering, but chemical engineering is still definitely on the table. I am currently taking AP Calculus AB and doing very well, and I plan on taking AP Calculus BC next year.
The AP Chemistry teacher is super nice apparently, but I haven’t heard the best things about the AP Physics C teacher. My teacher for AP Physics B right now also taught my Gifted/Honors Chemistry class last year. He is super awesome, but he has a very unique teaching method. I’m scared that the transition to the other Physics teacher would be jarring. Many of my friends are also taking AP Chem next year, so they are all pressuring me to take it as well.
Any help would be nice, especially since I need to decide by tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for any help!
I had a 96 in the class and then a 106 after the ten points were added. Sorry, I didn’t realize some other school systems might do something different, haha.
If both teachers were of equal standing, I would definitely recommend AP Physics C, since it is an integral subject for just about every engineer. That alone would make me pick it.
However, it seems that your AP Chem teacher is the better of the two, according to you. If you’re worried about your GPA, or feel like the other teacher would be a bad fit for you, then, by all means, go ahead and choose AP Chem. You can knock it out of the way right now if you decide to go with Mech. Engineering, or get a leg up if you decide on Chem. Engineering.
Just a quick side note, however. I have found that taking AP Physics C in HS has been invaluable to helping me out in the college environment as a physics major. I can only imagine that for an engineer, it would be equally helpful.
I can’t say for other schools in the country, but I’ll use my school as an example.
Here, pretty much all engineering majors have to take a physics class sequence of 1-4 (or 5, for some). On the other hand, most only have to take the first two or so chem classes, unless you’re chemical engineering. The knowledge from AP Physics C covers much of what one would learn for the first 2 or 3 general physics classes for engineers, or even all of them, if you took both Physics C classes. However, my school decided not to give credit for AP exams, so their purpose is simply to give you an edge in conceptual understanding.
Because I didn’t take AP chem, I can’t really say how much of it is useful for the chem series here. I have been told that AP Chem makes it easier to understand, but since the guy who took AP Chem was in the same lecture as I, I assume passing the AP Chem exam doesn’t grant units either.
While both classes could be useful for an engineer, I’d have to say that physics gives engineers (at least, in my school) a more helpful start than AP Chem does. Just my two cents.
