Hello, fellow comrades in College Confidential. Today, I am looking for advice on how to study basic chemistry over the summer. While I am aware that a year of regular/honors chemistry is required, in my school, there are no honors, and since my school isn’t exactly academically competitive compared to other schools, a year of regular chemistry will most likely be a waste of time. So, does anyone (especially former or current AP Chemistry students and teachers) have some advice on how to self-study the basics over the summer?
I’ve been considering buying, “Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide”, and self-studying it over the summer. I have also pre-ordered the AP Chemistry 2018 Edition review book from Princeton Review. I am also aware that this class will take utmost priority and will concentrate and study from the first day of school to the AP exam. In addition, there will also be summer homework to refresh basic chemistry and to preprare incoming sophomores (yes, there will be quite a bit of sophomores taking this, pronably 10 - 20). My goal is to get under the Top 20 Leaderboard for sophomores next year, and since I’m interested in science and for sure majoring in the scientific field, I am VERY excited for chemistry.
First talk to your GC…I am not sure if you can self-study for a lab science and get credit in college…obviously you are not doing the lab portion of the course.
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But is it possible for your school to provide access to an online AP Chem course and you could do independent study for the lab portion with the science teacher?
If I’m reading correctly, the student is looking to self study regular chem over the summer in preparation for an AP Chem class next Fall, so the point is moot.
I am currently a sophomore in AP Chem, and never took honors chemistry or any prior chemistry classes before. 25 days to the exam! I found the first semester to be fairly manageable, and barely got an A. Second semester was conceptually heavy, and am settling with a low B for now.
I did not review over summer (as I should have), am a fairly lazy student, and an expert procrastinator. However, what got me through the class was my extremely competent lab partners, a great teacher, and Youtube. Bozeman Science and Tyler DeWitt have been life savers when I am confused with a concept. Just be ready to do more studying to compensate for the lack of foundation and background.
First, I would like to thank everyone one of you for responding, I truly appreciate you taking your time to help me. My school does not provide online courses over the summer, or even summer courses to advance ahead, and credit for a pre-requisite isn’t always necessarily required as I’ll be taking AP Chemistry, without any prior chemistry and only Honors Biology.
Thank you to “AroundHere” for the suggestion for a textbook/workbook to review, and thank you to KSanders24 for the message, as well as to everyone else.
Although I know this varies by school, are there any course outlines I can use to study basic chemistry (if not, I’ll just ask the teachers in my school. I’m pretty sure I can get the basics done in about a month, and for the rest of my time, I’ll be studying Geometry/ Algebra 2 and Trig., as well as, summer packets for Pre-AP Language Arts and possibly AP European History.
Note: Not sure if it really matters, but the last day of school for me is in June 1st, and I return back in August 17th.
My school uses Zumdahl’s AP edition for Honors Chem (I don’t get it either, just roll with it) and for AP we use Raymond Chang’s. Just in case you need some extra considerations of books to self-study from.
I would say go for it. I took Honors Chemistry in 10 th grade and I self studied and prepared for AP Chemistry over the summer before I entered 10 th grade. So, as my teacher taught Honors Chemistry to me, I self studied AP on the side and now it is my favorite subject.
