AP Computer Science A VS. Chemistry Honors

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>AP Computer Science A VS. Chemistry Honors<-- highest level chem course</p>

<p>Which class should I take Junior year? Which do you think will be the most beneficial for someone who is planning to apply to top UCs and Stanford (engineering/science major).</p>

<p>Here are the pros and cons that I think will help me/you decide:</p>

<p>**Both AP Comp Sci are taught by a teacher who doesn't teach at all. His tests and pop quizzes are extremely hard. His class has frequent labs that are worth many points.</p>

<p>AP Comp Sci
Pros:
-looks more "advanced" with AP label , haha.
-I'm interested (is it interesting for you guys?) I just don't want to read those BORING books.
- I want to make programs (What can you make with C++/ Java, what projects have you guys made??)
-SOME tests/quizzes are weighed. Most aren't</p>

<p>Cons:
- I should take the AP exam (I might get a 3 since the teacher doesn't teach)
-Will not taking Chem junior year affect my chances at high caliber schools?
- People say the "language" is hard to learn and understand. Is this true?
-I have no experience with Java or C++ ( I've had experience with HTML) and I don't even know how they work.</p>

<p>Chemistry Honors:
Pros
- I don't have to take the AP exam if I don't want to. If I do it will probably be to my benefit (i.e. I can cancel scores if I want, show if I want)
-Do colleges prefer seeing this taken in your Junior year or does it not matter (just as long as you take it in your high school years right?)
- I've studied SOME thermodynamics/formulas like PV=nRT, U=Q+W in AP Physics B this year. This knowledge will probably help a bit.</p>

<p>Cons:
-All tests and pop quizzes are NOT curved at all. Period.
-4 people have A's out of 70 people, most have C's. A lot fail. Even the top ranked people have gotten B's in this class.
-Harder to "self-study" than AP Computer science??</p>

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<p>Anyone have any opinions or advice?</p>

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<p>If you are taking other AP classes, take the easier one to get a high grade. If you think you can handle the hard tests and that kinda stuff, take com sci</p>

4

<p>Even though AP Comp Sci A has the AP label, technically, most of the top colleges don't recognize the A exam. The course itself is quite easy, since it does not go into advanced data structures and algorithms like AB does, but to beginners, who have never seen any Java in their lives, it will be quite hard. Other than that, if you study the concepts well and have a holistic understanding of the course material, you can breeze through it. I know for a fact because my teacher showed about 10 minutes of video clips (all humor, irrelevant to CS) each class and some people still scored well.</p>

<p>As for honors chemistry, you really should take it to get a good background in chemistry since if you're going to be an engineering major in college you'll touch on chemistry in some of your courses for sure. The ratio of how many A's there are to the rest of the class is irrelevant since its up to you to study, and you shouldn't let that figure deter you.</p>

<p>Overall, from what you said, that you want to be an engineering/science major, you should just take honors chem instead of AP CS A. Chemistry is essential to learn because it has a lot of concepts that intertwine with other areas of study and you might fall behind in college if you don't take it now. If you ever find that you need to study CS, you could probably catch up just as easily if you took an intro course in college.</p>

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<p>So AP Comp Sci is also viewed as an "easy course" or a course that isn't as big and rigorous as the other three sciences: Chem, Bio, and Physics?? Should one take those three science before taking AP Comp Sci?? I guess I will just take ap comp sci senior year then??</p>

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<p>Bump, I would really love some advice! =]</p>