AP Environmental Science senior year after having exhausted other AP sciences?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hey guys,

I have been a lurker on this forum for a while and have gained some useful tips from it. I am currently a junior, taking the highest level AP math & science classes available at my school. My schedule is:

AP English Language
AP US History
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Physics C:M (E&M isn’t offered at my school)
Symphonic Orchestra 3 Honors

Aside from AP Biology, Chem and Physics C:M are the highest level science classes at my school. My planned schedule for next year is:

AP English Literature
AP US Government & AP Macroeconomics (each are 1 semester, combined in same period)
AP Computer Science A
AP Environmental Science
Research Honors (required)
Symphonic Orchestra 4 Honors
DE Vector Calculus at University of South Carolina

Yes, I can take AP Bio, however there are a few of qualms I have about this. I hated Honors Bio when I took it freshman year and forgot everything I learned in it. Also, the AP Bio teacher at my school is both really bad and really strict and the class will probably kill my GPA/class rank. Furthermore, I want to major in computer science when I get to college and have found that AP Chemistry will satisfy largely the same Gen-Ed requirements that AP Biology would also fulfill; if not I will probably take some GPA boosting class like “Biology in the News.” Finally, and most importantly, AP Bio is 2 periods and and I would have to drop APCS or orchestra to take it, things I do not want to do. So as a result I will take AP Environmental Science as it is the only AP science I have yet to take besides AP Biology. Since APES has a reputation for being a blow-off class, will colleges see that the other classes I am taking are also rigorous and be fine with this?

Thanks for your advice, CCers!

2

You should be fine. While you shouldn’t slack off senior year, it doesn’t have to be as rigorous as junior year since you’ll be dealing with college apps and stuff for the first semester or so. As long as you take the classes that interest you while maintaining good rigor and satisfying graduation/college app requirements, you’ll okay.
IMO, your senior year schedule looks rigorous to me :smiley:

3

It is unlikely that AO’s will delve into that much detail on your schedule. If your GC marks your schedule as “most rigorous” on the Secondary School Report, it is unlikely that AO’s will question it. Just because a school offers an AP class does not mean that you have to take it.