Best high school science courses for nursing

College Majors Nursing Major
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My D is currently interested in pursing a BSN. She is only a rising sophomore, so obviously things can change. But at this point, she is wondering about the best science courses to take in high school in order to be a competitive applicant. Thought I would reach out to this very informed group for help.

Unfortunately, there are many requirements in our District (not just the 4 core classes, but also PE, health, driver’s ed, computer science, 2 arts, civics, foreign language, etc.). Plus, AP Bio and AP Chem are each two-period classes so they take up double space in a schedule. With only seven periods per day per year, choices will have to be made.

Here are her two main options:

Option 1
Honors Bio (freshman year - done)
Honors Chem BC (sophomore year – the BC things is something unique to our school for students who tested high on an internal math placement exam. Honors Chem BC is more math heavy than regular Honors Chem, and supposed to prepare for AP sciences)
AP Physics 1 (junior year)
Anatomy/Physiology (junior year elective)
AP Chem or AP Bio (senior year)

Option 2
Honors Bio (freshman)
Honors Chem BC (sophomore)
AP Chem (junior)
AP Bio (senior)

Option 2 would mean no high school physics at all – Is this a problem? Also, if she goes with Option 1, does it matter whether she picks AP Bio or AP Chem?

And, before anyone asks, her high school requires Honors Bio before AP Bio, and Honors Chem before AP Chem – so no chance of taking those any earlier than junior year.

Also, not sure it matters, but she will likely graduate with 6-8 non-science AP classes, on top of whatever science AP classes she picks.

Thoughts are appreciated!

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I would talk to the guidance counselor and take a look at admissions requirements at a few schools. Is Physics required would be my question.

I’m thinking it really wouldn’t matter much. I like the option with anatomy. Tougher subject than people think. Then AP Chem senior year.

As long as she takes a challenging schedule and does well she’ll be fine.

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Thanks. I am thinking that Physics must be required (she will meet with her guidance counselor in the fall, so I’ll remind her to ask). In that case, her choice is really just AP Bio vs. AP Chem.

She and I have looked online at several BSN programs and haven’t found any with specific guidance regarding science classes. If anything is listed at all, it tends to be something vague. For example: “four units of science (including two units of lab science, one of which is chemistry)” – and I imagine her Honors Bio and Chem BC classes would count as lab sciences. Of course, we were just randomly looking at programs. She’s not as far as making a list.

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I would also add to look at both the admission requirements for the college and the BSN program. There can be additional requirements. I’m assuming math is covered? I didn’t see it in your original post. Good luck.

Look at direct admit nursing programs first. Clinical experience nearby is a bonus. Going to a top school for nursing isn’t required. Get clinical experience and pass boards. You’re all set.

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Math will be Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2/Trig, Honors Pre-Calc, and AP Calc AB or BC depending on where she is at. Not a lot of flexibility to change that path, but I assume it will get the job done?

I’ll have her check out more websites this summer – thanks for the tip about checking the nursing page too.

I know her goal is to find a traditional college campus (for her, that means D1 sports and school spirit) with a direct admit nursing program. Seems to be a somewhat limited and competitive pool. She will definitely have to keep her grades up (right now 4.8 weighted/3.8 unweighted). Luckily she tests pretty well on standardized tests, etc.

She has been searching for some volunteer or shadowing opportunities, but those do not seem to be readily available in our area (which is weird bc we are in a big city).

This nursing major section has been super informative overall. Thanks again for responding to my original question.

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I think you’re well informed and her schedule seems pretty rigorous. Find some shadowing opportunities and you’re all set. Don’t forget to remind her to have some fun too.

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My daughter was an exercise science major who was not counseled well. She only took honors bio and honors chem, and no physics (but did take 9 AP classes and a couple DE). She ended up with a VERY hard earned B in her first college chemistry class (second B in her life), which tends to be a weed out. Take AP chemistry.

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I would favor Anatomy - will affirm early that it’s something you want to delve deeper into, and it will give you a head-start later. Bio over Chem - a lot of AP Bio is Biochemistry. Again, a good way to figure out if you can stand dealing with all those organic compounds, and the depth to which they take that.

See if there are any volunteer Ambulance or Fire Departments in the suburbs. Little will come remotely close to taking the EMT classes (sponsored/paid for by the volunteer department), and riding as an EMT (even in probation), in knowledge, scene management, on college application (actual patient contact hours) - and in gaining understanding of the unseen (major!) parts of these jobs: laws, regulations, charts – and whole lot of prepping/cleaning/decontamination.

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Thanks for the tip. Guidance counseling at my kid’s high school is not great, which is why I threw the question out here. (All three of mine attended a huge, public, inner-city, test-in high school. In the counselors defense, their case loads are crazy big so individualized attention is hard.)

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Great feedback. Thanks!

And I never thought about EMT volunteer opportunities – or looking out of the city and in the suburbs. I’ll pass both of those suggestions along to my daughter.

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I’d pick option 1: the combination of courses is the best for her chosen major. Before you choose between AP bio and AP chem senior year, look into the curriculum and admission recommendations her top choices for direct entry (* ) and adjust accordinly.
AP Stats (instead of, or, preferably, in addition to Calc AB - BC is not needed at all) would be a good idea. She’ll need stats for nursing.
She will also need fluent Spanish (AP Language level) or another world language spoken where you live (French&Creole, Russian…Ukrainian… Somali… Hmong…) This will make a lot of difference to her practice and could come from Community education, reinforced by use in a health setting (for instance, if she works the front desk at a local clinic.)
AP Psych would also help if she’s not already decided to take it.
(*) I agree this is the best solution but also quite competitive.

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Thank you for responding!

Interesting re: Stats vs Calc. I don’t think it is possible for her to do both AP Calc and AP Stats given the restraints in her schedule, but she could certainly pick AP Stats over AP Calc if that’s the better choice.

I certainly wish I had posted earlier, because she probably could have switched tracks for social sciences to allow more flexibility (i.e., taking AP Psych). At this point, she’s on an AP history track that would pretty much preclude her from taking AP Psych. Would have been a great class though!

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I have my BSN and the class on your list that would be most helpful would be AP Chem. You don’t need calculus at all. I’d honestly take AP Stats if it’s an option over AP Calc because you DO have to take stats and it would have been nice to not have to do that.

Anatomy and phys would be a nice elective if she has room.

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Because of the lack of individualized guidance counseling at our school, it seems that students pretty much get tracked based on perceived ability to handle the course load. In the case of my D, I wish we had thought more about which classes make sense for her. At this point, freshman and sophomore classes are set in stone.

I greatly appreciate everyone taking the time to reply. Hopefully this will help others out in the future too!

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Thank you!

Do you think there is any perception that AP Stats is “easier” than AP Calc from an admissions rigor perspective?

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I don’t think it matters honestly. There are many schools where nursing is not direct admit (you’d get admitted to the school and apply later). In those cases it really only matters what grades you get your first year or 2 at the school.

Remember a nursing degree is a nursing degree. It really matters very little where it comes from as long as you pass the NCLEX. I went to a very small college (600-700 students in the entire college, about 25 in my graduating nursing class) and I had offers from all over the place including the Mayo Clinic.

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She does not need any AP science or AP math or frankly AP anything for a BSN program. If her school offers anatomy, physiology, a CNA or Med asst class for certification, she should take them, so that she can start doing some nursing asst type work, to see if she likes the field. If she likes science, and is able to do well in the AP classes, then yes, she should take them for the sake of education, along with any APs she wants. But she can get into a good bsn program with a nice GPA without APs.

AP stats is less rigorous than AP calc, but stats would be better for nursing, to understand stat analysis of data in studies. But really, rigor is not as big a deal for nursing school. All she needs to do is get good grades in the classes that are right for her, be they regular college prep, honors, or AP, and she will have her choice of BSN programs.

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I disagree depending on the school. Pitt nursing is a competitive program. If your school offers AP classes and you opt for Honors classes I think admission will be difficult. Same for other top nursing schools.

Direct entry schools are competitive and getting more competitive every year.

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She doesn’t need any AP classes to get her BSN, unless of course she wants to go to a competitive college where applicants take AP classes.

There are also direct entry BSN programs where applicants might not take AP classes.

It depends where she applies. Direct admit programs are generally very competitive.

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Penn’s School of Nursing is considered the best in the country, acceptance rate 25%. Duke arguably 2nd best, accepts one third. Pitt School of Nursing 64%. Her in-state flagship is very likely to have an acceptance rate of 65% to their BSN program.

The fact is that nursing is not that competitive, and a BSN from the public college is just fine for practically all purposes. There is no need to compile a record of AP chem, bio, physics C, BC Calc, etc. The young woman should take the classes that she wants, at her level - if that level is AP, great. If it’s college prep or honors, that is fine too.