<p>I am a high school junior, and course selection is right around the corner. My college advisor feels that I should take an AP science next year, just to round my courses out. She suggested AP Chemistry or AP Physics (both B and C are offered). I am certainly no science whiz, but I guess she has a point, as my other alternative is a bs anatomy class. I have taken the following courses and received straight A's and A+'s for all trimesters:</p>
<p>Sophomore Year:
AP Biology (5)
AP European History (4)
English II Honors
Pre-Calculus Honors
Chemistry I Honors
Spanish IV Honors</p>
<p>Junior Year:
AP English Language
AP Calculus AB
AP US Government and Politics
AP US History
Physics Honors
Spanish V (no honors offered :/ )
Independent Study in Creative Writing (same weighting as an AP course after being published in national journal, but the weighting probably doesn't matter anyway).</p>
<p>Prospective Senior Year Courses:
AP English Literature
AP Calculus BC
AP Comparative Government
AP Economics (Micro and Macro are one class at my school)
AP SCIENCESCIENCESCIENCE?
then probably an independent study again and some random IB course on modern conflict in Syria.</p>
<p>I am planning on majoring in Literary Arts/Comparative Literature/anything-related-to-English. I hold an A in AP Calculus AB as of the moment, but the class isn't really rigorous and I'm not feeling so hot for the exam. I received an A in Chemistry Honors last year, but I had a teacher that had some really whacked method of teaching, so I'm not sure I'd have a good foundation for AP Chemistry.</p>
<p>So the question is: what AP science should I take? I'm leaning towards Physics B, but would this seem to be a cop-out if Physics C is offered? I am FAR from a math and sciences person, and putting the two together in a course like Physics C sounds a little intimidating. I am aiming to apply to Ivy League schools next year, my top choice being Brown. I am willing to take any of them should it be necessary and I will certainly work extremely hard in order to maintain a good grade, but I just want some input. Help, anyone?</p>
<p>Physics C is basically just the Mechanics and E&M topics of Physics B, plus rotation, but a lot more in-depth and with quite a bit of calculus mixed in. </p>
<p>Physics B gives you a great foundation for Physics C, so I would suggest taking B before C if you're not a math/science person.
Physics C isn't exactly HARD, but it could be if you don't have the foundation.</p>
<p>Would you say Physics B is more challenging than AP Chemistry, or are they too disparate to compare? Would I be able to take on the class without a foundation in chemistry?</p>
<p>You could probably take AP Chemistry without taking a previous chemistry class, but you couldn't do the same for AP Physics C. It doesn't matter, though, since you seem to have good foundations in both.</p>
<p>How would you describe your physics class. Was it challenging? And did it cover the 5 main branches of physics (mechanics, electricity, optics, modern physics, thermodynamics)? If yes, go for Physics C. If not, do Physics B. I can't really say I see the point in taking Physics C, though, if you're majoring in something English-related. So I recommend taking B.</p>
<p>I haven't taken AP Chemistry though, so I can't really say anything about the exam. I'd just recommend you pick whichever subject you like more.</p>
<p>I personally think physics is far more interesting. And chemistry is probably equally difficult compared with Physics B, maybe slightly easier than C. It's really subjective though.</p>
<p>Since you already took honors physics, I don't think anything should be a big hassle for you.</p>
<p>That being said, senioritis has hurt many people taking AP Physics C in my class. 1 person dropped the course. However, this one person did not take ANY physics course before taking AP Physics C.</p>
<p>AP Physics B is almost the exact same thing as honors physics from what I can tell by its curriculum.</p>
<p>AP Chemistry is either extremely easy or moderately hard depending on your preferences and your teacher. I found it extremely easy (but I love chemistry).</p>
<p>AP Physics C is hard no matter who you talk to. The mixed-in calculus just confuses the heck out of you.</p>
<p>Would you rather
1) dimensional analyze the crap out of everything, balance redox equations, do titrations, calculate acid/base potentials, and work with all those nasty electron charges
OR
2) learn fast, learn much, but not be required to have much depth in each of the topics
OR
3) learn a crapload of formulas and methods to solving problems, and then receive homework assignments that are extremely challenging, but after several hours of slaving away, find that the answer is nothing more than setting up a complex system of calculus equations, and that you actually understand it perfectly?</p>
<p>1) is AP Chem, 2) is AP Physics B, 3) is AP Physics C</p>
<p>I'm a Physics C student, and while it's extremely challenging (I'm concurrently enrolled in Calc AB and I haven't taken Physics B), it's one of my favourite classes ;)</p>
<p>and I think you can guess that I hate chemistry.</p>