AP Physics C or AP Bio

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I am very interested in Biomedical Engineering but am not sure of it yet (if not BME, I'd go Biochem). This year I took AP Physics B at my school. Next year, I have the option of taking AP Physics C or AP Biology. My dilemma is that the AP Physics C teacher is the same as my Physics B teacher, and frankly he is not the best teacher for my style of learning. Plus, not many people can get an A in that class. I did do well in his Physics B class, but it was an uphill battle. The only reason I'm worried is that I know engineering requires an understanding of physics and thus Physics C might be seen as a "plus". </p>

<p>Side note: will AP Comp Sci be helpful for engineering?</p>

<p>So my schedule options are:</p>

<p>1:
AP Bio
AP Comp Sci
AP Gov and AP Comp Gov
AP Lit
Multivariable Calc
Spanish
Advanced English</p>

<p>2:
AP Physics C
AP Comp Sci
AP Gov and AP Comp Gov
AP Lit
Multivariable Calc
Spanish
Advanced English</p>

<p>3 (not sure I can handle this one):
AP Bio
AP AP Physics C
AP Gov and AP Comp Gov
AP Lit
Multivariable Calc
Spanish
Advanced English</p>

<p>So my question is should I take AP Physics C with a teacher that doesn't mesh well with me or take AP biology.</p>

2

<p>FWIW: My daughter took AP Bio and thought it was the most difficult AP she took in high school because of the sheer breadth of material needed to master. Assuming the grade distributions on Wikipedia are correct, that may be why fewer students receive a 4 or 5 on AP Bio than AP Physics C:
[AP</a> Biology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_Biology]AP”>AP Biology - Wikipedia)<br>
[AP</a> Physics C: Mechanics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_Physics_C:_Mechanics]AP”>AP Physics C: Mechanics - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Forgetting the teacher, or the grade you might receive on the test, which course do you think you would enjoy the most?</p>

3

<p>If you are interested in Biochem and/or BME, seems like it would make more sense to take AP Bio than another AP Physics course. (Have you already had AP Chem?) Especially if you are not a fan of the physics teacher. But as Gibby asks, do you enjoy bio?</p>

<p>Also curious: Why are you taking both AP English and Advanced English simultaneously? If you choose not to do AP Bio, is there some bio-related elective that might interest you instead of one of the English courses?</p>

<p>Or, if you choose to do both Bio and Physics, maybe dump one of the other APs? I mean, why AP Gov – is an area of interest, or do you just want to load up on APs? I know that this is blasphemy to some CCers, but you really don’t have to take 4 APs a year. Better that you focus on what you really care about, IMO. </p>

<p>There is no one right or wrong schedule. Pick the one that will best prepare you for the things you are interested in pursuing in college, without driving yourself to an early grave, and keeping in mind that your interests may change. I think that if you are not 100% sold on engineering, a second AP in physics is not as good a choice as bio if you like bio.</p>