<p>I thought I might get a more useful answer on these forums. I'm considering taking AP Chemistry but the only feedback I can get from my friends is "Chem is HELL; take something easy." So, I'm really wondering if I should take it or not. </p>
<p>I believe I have a fairly good background in chem because of the regular high school course I have taken; I generally like sciences; I just took the SAT II Chem and came out with a 730 after cramming with a prep book. When I read the syllabus for AP Chem, there are a few things I haven't seen before, but I have -at least- general knowledge about most of the subjects there.</p>
<p>The real problem is that I have a demanding schedule next year, so I'm already going to be stressed and working hard. I'd really appreciate feedback from anyone who has taken the test/a course-- just how hard is this class anyway?</p>
<p>you'll do just fine. Your SAT II score is amazing, considering you haven't even taken the AP, so I say your general knowledge of chemistry is strong. The workload can be tough because you'll be dealing with a lot of challenging labs (definately challenging than AP bio labs). But I think the workload depends on the teacher, so I can't really say a lot about it.</p>
<p>AP Chem is a challenging class, but it is not impossibly challenging. And you'll be amazed how much you've just learned just by taking this class. As long as you have a strong math background, you'll do fine.</p>
<p>And for the test, get Princeton's Review prep book. I think that book's practice tests are pretty accurate.</p>
<p>You'll do fine, let me give you some perspective. I took AP Chem, and 6 months after that year, the SAT II in chem. I also got a 730 on the SAT II, but a 5 on AP, don't even worry about it.</p>
<p>Yet another testimony: I took AP Chemistry, got A's both semesters, got a 5 on the AP exam. However, I only scored 720 on the SAT II. :p go figure. Trust me, you'll be fine.</p>
<p>Yeah, for our class our teacher burned two students in a lab so we had no teacher all year, and I self-studied and I ended up with a 5 and a 770 so possible to do it independently, so good luck with, just put in effort and you'll reap the rewards :)</p>
<p>No, having a good teacher is obviously a very helpful thing to have though obviously not mandatory, just go for it and put in as much effort as you can afford to give to chemistry and you should do fine.</p>
<p>Umm...I slept through chem class, but having a good textbook is really helpful; I skimmed the chapters and was able to get a 5 and 800, but a lot of people thought last year's AP test was easier than past tests.</p>
<p>nameless, what is a good chem textbook? I'm taking AP chem next year and we used zumdahls (I think simpler version) for honors chem. Personally I wanted to learn chem instead of just get an A in the class, and I didn't feel like the book did just that.</p>
<p>I had AP Chem 2 years ago and I took 2 university general chem courses the summer before that and both my HS and UD used Chemistry: the Central Science by Brown, LeMay, Bursten, and Burdge. It's an excellent book. My teachers basically taught straight from the book and assigned problems straight from the back of the book. We did nothing else for the entire year. With that preparation and nothing else, I got a 5 on the AP and 800 on SAT II (both of them ridiculously easy). </p>
<p>You can get the book on amazon and it comes with the odd (or is it even?) answers in the back so you can check yourself, you can also buy an answer key for the rest of the problems. </p>
<p>The key to doing well in chemistry is practice, practice, practice, and practice. We had about 1-2 hrs of problems a night and we read the book front to back. Actually, I practically ate the book and digested it. At the end of the year, everyone of us could like look at the table of contents and know exactly what each chapter is all about, we were so familiar with the book.</p>
<p>So besides, a bit of hard work, chem is cake</p>
<p>my school uses zumdahl for ap chem...but also another book but i dont know who the author is...its an all white textbook...actually more like an ivory color i guess.</p>
<p>snipez90, what was it you didn't like about the Zumdahl book. We used that book for part of the class and I thought it was fine...well...I never actually read that book, only the online chapter notes...:p</p>
<p>Ok I guess having a chem prof who really knows his stuff, can engage and hold your interest, does random cool demonstrations, and publishes his exact class notes (the ones he teaches verbatim from) so that you can buy them does wonders for learning chem. But, it helped that he taught from the brown/lemay/bursten book tho :D</p>
<p>Wow...I'm pretty sure you'll do fine. I got an A both semesters of AP Chem and got a 710 on my SAT 2. I passed the exam with a 4. You should do fine.</p>