<p>I just moved and got enrolled at a new school. I met with the guidance counselor to create my schedule and chose to take AP chemistry without a previous chemistry class. </p>
<p>I have a basic understanding of chemistry; in my 7th grade science class, we did a chemistry unit which introduced me to very basic chemistry (atoms, balancing chemical equations, etc), and in 8th grade, I took physical science, which largely focused on atoms, the elements, reactions, etc. Additionally, the school I attended in 9th grade did not have set "Algebra I" and "Algebra II" courses, but algebra has always been easy for me to grasp.</p>
<p>However, I have been reading posts about cases such as mine where taking this higher-level class without an introductory class is considered "GPA suicide", and many advised against it.</p>
<p>I am a straight - A student and anything below an A would devastate me, but I've loved what little chemistry I have previously touched on, and I would like to take this class. If it comes down to it, it's not too late for me to change my schedule. </p>
<p>I am in over my head? Is this truly GPA suicide? </p>
<p>Are there any people who have chosen this pathway and succeeded? I would really appreciate some advice. </p>
<p>Thanks, everyone!</p>
<p>All I can say is good luck.</p>
<p>My son took this course in 10th grade and like you, he had little chemistry background. He ended up with an A- in the course, scored a 5 on the AP exam, and a 760 on the subject test. That being said, he spent about 3 hours a day on just chemistry. It also certainly helped that he had a FANTASTIC teacher. The.Purse was online as my son is homeschooled so I don’t know if that makes it easier or harder. </p>
<p>@davenmame do you think I would have time in the afternoon for any ECs or sports? I plan on being very involved this year, and I’m unsure as to how this class will affect that. </p>
<p>I’m sure it’s possible to do well in AP without taking honors and others have done it before, but it’ll take a ton of hard work. The problem is that you won’t have that strong Chemistry foundation from honors, so you’ll probably have to do a lot of extra outside studying, maybe even get a tutor or go to your teacher for help often. Also, AP is usually a really fast-paced class and you won’t have time to catch up if you fall too far behind, and most of the other students will probably have already taken honors so they won’t be that lost. Obviously the amount of extra time you have to put into the class depends on how much/if you’re struggling to grasp the concepts, but it might be too much to handle with EC’s, sports, and on top of that other classes (especially AP’s if you’re taking any more). If I were you I would try to take honors before taking AP, because that way you won’t struggle/possibly harm your GPA with a class that would otherwise be much easier (although definitely not easy) if you took honors first. </p>
<p>@imaginethis the problem is that if I do take the honors class instead, I would have to take honors physics next year, and taking two more difficult science classes at the same time won’t leave me time to do anything else. So that leaves senior year for me to take AP Bio, AP Chem, and AP Physics, which I definitely don’t want to happen.</p>
<p>What math will you be in next year?</p>
<p>Could you take AP Physics instead of AP Chem next year? Here strong math science kids don’t take an honors physics and instead go directly to AP physics as long as they are at least concurrently taking precalculus honors. They need to be strong in math though.</p>
<p>Then you would still spread out the APs a bit.</p>
<p>Also, I just wouldn’t plan on taking all three sciences as AP. Pick one or two of them and the third just take the honors class.</p>
<p>
Assuming you mean AP Physics 1 or 2. You need calculus for AP Physics C.</p>
<p>Yep, in my school you can also skip honors Physics and take AP Physics 1 instead. It’ll probably be easier to take AP Physics 1 or even AP Bio without honors than it’ll be to take AP Chem without honors. </p>
<p>@skieurope Yes, AP Physics 1 next year. </p>
<p>@imaginethis That’s what I was planning to do. I took honors bio last year because my school didn’t allow me to skip to the AP class, so I want to take AP Chem this year, AP Physics 1 next year, and then AP Bio senior year. </p>
<p>@connermoody My son did play varsity soccer that year. He also ended up with a very bad case of mono and had to go to emergency room! Personally, I think the stress of the course and the physical demands from soccer were just too much. In fact, I had tried to persuade him to drop the AP Chemistry. He refused and continued to plug away. When asked if he would do it again, he says yes; Mom says no! lol! </p>
<p>I think if you have the right mindset you can do it. At my school, we take introductory chemistry sophomore year, and then most people take AP chem senior year. On the first day of AP chem, the teachers tell you that they don’t expect you to remember anything from sophomore chemistry, so I think it’s definitely doable to take AP without remembering/having a strong chem background. However, this does mean you will have to put in some extra time.</p>
<p>Basic chemistry should be covered in summer assignments and/or in the first few weeks of class. That’s how it was at my school, at least. As long as you can balance chemical equations and know basic chemistry, you should be fine. The math part might be a little difficult since you haven’t taken Algebra II, but it shouldn’t be too bad as long as you practice. You might want to study a little over the summer on your own time so you have a basic understanding of some of the concepts. The class was awful for me only because it was my teacher’s first year doing AP and we got really far behind. Just work hard and you’ll be alright. Good luck! :)</p>