I am in a little bit of a situation. In senior year I’m trying to decide whether I should take AP Bio or the Human Anatomy and Physiology. I would like to do Biomedical engineering as a pre-med, but I’ve heard that it’s better to take bio in college if you’re going to go the pre-med route. The other APs I would be taking are AP Chem, AP Spanish, AP English 12, and either AP Comp Science A or Principles. I would also be dual enrolled in Multivariable Calculus for 1st semester and Linear Algebra and Differential Equations. Thanks!
Since you’re trying to go for a biomedical engineering major, if I were you I try to take both and drop one or two of the other classes you have since it won’t be needed much for your major. Your schedule already looks rigorous enough so toning down one AP won’t be much of a big deal. Tough decision though
Thank you so much! I probably will drop AP Comp Sci if I take both both.
You should defo take AP Bio for colleges but please tone down on your overkill schedule. CSP is a joke free period and CSA, while easy imo, will actually require a bunch of work. Classes you should defo keep: AP Bio, AP Spanish, Multivar/Linear/Diff; try and tone down on the others. Here is an interesting option: keep your current schedule but swap AP chem with anatomy and take CSP; this way your schedule won’t be too overkill (chem be hard) and you can still take medical classes. I am assuming you have completed physics? No social studies, have you taken gov, econ, us history, and world history?
Thanks for your insight. I’m currently taking AP Physics, Calc BC, AP English, and APUSH. I’ve been able to handle all of these classes pretty good (along with Honors Spanish 4 and other classes). I would be taking regular gov and psychology because the regular gov at my school is 1 semester and we have to take a gov class along with a psychology or econ class. And I can’t fit AP gov along with another semester class since AP gov is 2 semesters.
Here’s my tentative schedule
AP English 12 (probably might drop so it isn’t overkill)
AP Spanish
AP Chemistry
Government/Psychology
Required 2 semester senior class
Human Anatomy and Physiology
AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A (AP Bio might replace it)
Dual Enrollment: Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
I am also interested in AP gov, but I don’t think I can fit it in. Which class could I replace it with?
You could try and swap it with either chem or comp sci but I don’t know if that is the best of choice. If you were to try and take ap gov, you could possibly do multivar first sem and psych/econ second (I personally would never do this because I am much more into math but it is a viable option).
@XtremeBlaze777 I’m also more into math and the math classes would be after school at the local university in my state since my school doesn’t have Multivariable Calc or Linear Algebra and Differential Equations so it won’t affect my high school classes
I definitely wouldn’t take AP Bio and AP Chem at the same time, but you should take AP Bio if you want to be pre-med. So maybe swap Chem with Anatomy. But idk. Taking essentially two biology classes sounds a bit odd not even because there’d be too much overlap in content but because bio is one of the most memorization heavy subjects so two bio classes might be overwhelming. But that’s up to your own judgment.
I also wouldn’t drop AP English (unless you really want to). Your schedule is pretty STEM heavy so English kind of balances it out. But AP Gov could do the same thing so you could replace English with Gov. (And from what I’ve heard, AP Gov is generally easier than AP English).
Gosh, I didn’t even notice the DE class. I know that your taking a lot of challenging classes right now and managing well, but this is a really rigorous schedule. I’d talk to your counselors and parents to make sure you can handle all of this, especially senior year while you’re filling out college apps.
@BundleaBees thanks I definitely will talk to my parents and counselors and friends who have taken those classes. I’m trying to find the balance between hard classes but still enjoying high school. I’ve heard that AP Bio in my school is relatively “easy.” Human Anatomy and Physiology and the computer science classes are 2 years old and I’ve heard that they are also pretty manageable compared to the notorious hard classes at my school (AP Spanish and AP English 12). The sad part is that my school added a requirement to take a psychology or Econ class which prevents a lot of people from taking AP Gov since there’s no space in people’s schedules to change it around.
I forgot, of course dropping English isn’t an option (almost all colleges will require four years). Given what you’ve said, I think it makes the most sense to swap AP Chem with Human Anatomy and swap AP CS with AP Bio. So my suggested schedule would look like:
AP English 12
AP Spanish
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Psychology
Senior classes
Human Anatomy and Physiology
AP Bio
Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
But again, those around you will know best. And you should also consider your own personal interest, beyond strategy. If you really like Chem or CS, then go ahead and take them!!
@BundleaBees it’s going to be a hard decision since I’m really interested in both chem and CS, but I’ll talk to some friends who are in those classes and see how they are doing in it.
If you really are deadset on taking both chem and cs, you could consider dropping AP Spanish. Colleges generally recommend 3-4 yrs foreign language which you have accomplished. If you are taking it to test out of foreign language reqs in college, you could see if your intended colleges offer a placement test or let you use the Spanish sat subject test. I don’t know if taking three sciences in the same year is a good idea though. Here is my suggested schedule:
Multivar/Diff Eq
Bio
English
gov/psych
Spanish
CS
Chem OR Human Anatomy
@XtremeBlaze777 yeah I thought that that many science classes was crazy too. Thanks!
Okay I’ve made 2 different options. Which one do you guys prefer? (I added band to the second 1 because at first I thought I wouldn’t be able to find a way to work it in but I did.)
Option 1
AP English 12
AP Spanish
AP Chemistry or AP Biology
Government first semester/Psychology second semester
Senior Class
Human Anatomy and Physiology
AP Computer Science Principles OR AP Computer Science A
DE: Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Option 2
AP English 12
AP Spanish
AP Chemistry or AP Biology
AP Government
Senior Class
Human Anatomy and Physiology OR AP Computer Science
Psychology first semester and band second semester
DE: Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Thanks
^I’m leaning more towards option 2 and chem over bio, but I’m still undecided on human anatomy and physiology and comp. Any suggestions?
IMO AP chem will help you more for any engineering discipline than bio
I am guessing you really enjoy band and have been involved with it for several years now. It would be nice to finish your senior year with your band friends and I assume get to play a song at graduation etc. Your schedule is plenty rigorous to have a 1 semester band class if that is what you want.
@momtogirls2 yeah I’ve been playing trombone since 4th grade and violin since kindergarten so I was really sad when I couldn’t do the class but I’m super happy I found a way to include a semester of it!
I think AP Bio is more beneficial for college apps than human anatomy but you seem to want chem and you have the course rigor so its prob fine. I prefer option 2, and take comp sci principles to lighten the course load. If you want to study comp sci in college then it might be worth to take CSA instead but CSP really is a free class.
If you are a pre-med, remember that grades in those college (dual enrollment) courses will count toward your college GPA when you apply to medical school. So prioritize earning A grades in those courses.
Medical schools typically prefer college courses for pre-med course requirements. After AP credit that your college allows in place of introductory level courses, taking more advanced courses in the subject area would be needed. Alternatively, lots of pre-meds repeat their AP credit, but that can mean having to list the college courses as “repeat” on their medical school applications.