Hi. I’m new to College Confidential. I’m going to be a Junior next year and I’m going to a new school, so I’m just now choosing my classes for Junior year. So far I have taken the most rigorous course load available to me, but there are a lot more options for me next year with regard to the classes I can take. Up until now, I have only been able to take advanced math and science classes (they’re the only advanced classes offered at my current school for 9th and 10th graders) and I have done very well. Next year, I will definitely be taking:
AP English Lang
AP US History
AP Calc AB/BC (the new school combines AP Calc AB and AP Calc BC into 1 class - this is their most advanced math class before Honors Multivariable Calc, which I’ll take Senior year)
Honors Latin IV
I’m debating between taking AP Physics 1 or taking AP Environmental Science as my science class next year. I want to continue taking the most rigorous course load I can. I think AP Physics 1 is a harder class than AP ES, but AP ES is only open to Seniors at the new school I’m going to (they take Physics Freshman year and Bio Junior year, but I took Physics in 8th grade and Bio in 9th), so I can take AP ES. Of course, I could take both AP Physics 1 and AP Environmental next year, but I’m worried that it might be too much to go from taking 2 advanced classes to jumping into 5 AP classes. I know that colleges will see AP Physics 1 as the harder class, but will it be more impressive that I’m taking AP ES as the only Junior in the class? This is my dilemma. Any input would be really appreciated. Thanks
It depends on the major you wish to pursue in college. Don’t just take AP classes for the sake of taking because they have an “AP” label. Take the ones that interest you and apply to your intended major.
Thanks. I don’t really know what I want to do yet, though, so I am just looking at classes that interest me. I actually am interested in both these classes, so that makes it even harder to decide.
Talk to current seniors: is APES taken senior year because students are expected to be busy with college applications, or because it’s taught as a hard class?
Considering how tough your current schedule is, I’d take the easier class between APES and AP Physics 1.
I think AP Physics would be the better option. That way senior year when you have to do college apps you can relax by taking apes, which is an easy AP and an easy A.
Don’t underestimate AP Environmental Science though, if you’re not familiar with both the biological and physical sciences the course will be hard. I will agree with the rest though, take Physics 1 first and then ES senior year - it will be much easier than vice versa.
College Board even recommends 1 year of biological, 1 year of physical, and 1 year of algebra. Earth science is wished although not mandatory. Also, 52.8% of individuals who took ES did not pass the exam for the 2014 exam, so don’t take it as a joke.
The school only offers AP Environmental Science to seniors because they take Biology in 11th grade and Biology is a prerequisite for AP Environmental. I took Physical Science in 8th grade and Bio in 9th grade. @elefish92 I took earth science in 7th grade. I am eligible to take AP Environmental because I already took biology, but no other juniors have already taken biology, so they can’t take AP Environmental until senior year, which is why I’d be the only Junior in the class. I still don’t really know which class I should take
take physics if you’re good at/interested in math and have the free time to learn the concepts; physics 1 math tends to be a breeze for kids who are already enrolled in calculus, but it is a lot of information and requires good study skills.
if you’re not up for that, take APES.
I took AP Physics 1 this year and I genuinely liked it. Though the class was tough at times, the AP exam wasn’t too bad and physics is quite interesting. Don’t worry too much about difficulty because if you enjoy it you won’t mind difficulty. Take AP physics 1 junior year as when college applications come out you will also want some easier classes so you have enough time to do everything.
AP Physics is generally considered the more rigorous and more impressive course, although APES has been a fascinating and in my case eye-opening course of its own. Take the one you’re interested in, but if all else equal physics is generally a challenging and interesting venture
Thank you all! I guess now I’m kind of leaning towards taking AP Physics 1
Take Physics AP. You are taking a rigorous math class and should enjoy the physics course. If Physics C AP is offered senior year, take that if you like physics; otherwise, take the AP ES as a senior.
Don’t think colleges would directly ask your school that you were the only junior in APES. Lol
And you never know how much you may like a class. Everyone told me I was going to hate physics and I ended up liking Physics 1 and will be taking Physics C as a senior. But APES is definitely the easier class (as my friend says who took both physics 1 and es the same year) but of course colleges know that. Unless you really enjoy environmental science, if you’re aiming for upper tier colleges, don’t take APES as a senior take AP Bio or AP Chem as colleges do know about different levels of difficulty.
And Calculus aligns with physics so that will be a big plus for your junior year
There’s actually something to be said about taking apes senior year, when you have the equivalent of an extra class preparing your applications.
thank you so much @supercool101 and @MYOS1634 !
I took AP Enviro when I was a freshman. It was an easy course, but I was extremely unprepared for the exam. A lot of people at my school (including me) got 2s on it. Maybe it was because I had a bad teacher, or maybe I just didn’t study enough, I don’t know.