<p>Ok, so I am currently looking into being a chemical engineer and am having some trouble with deciding what classes to take. I am a sophomore going to be a junior, and have already selected by junior year classes. I don't know if anyone is familiar with it, but should I be taking the PLTW engineering courses? Also, should I consider some type of computer programming or extra math course?</p>
<p>Freshman Year:
3D Art / Computer Applications
Freshman Biology
Honors Geometry
English 9
Spanish II Honors
Principles of Biomedical Sciences
Geography and History of the World</p>
<p>Sophomore Year:
Health
Chemistry I
Honors Algebra II
Honors English 10
Medical Terminology
Human Body Systems
Spanish III Honors</p>
<p>Junior Year:
AP Biology
Chemistry II (will take AP exam with)
Honors Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry
AP English Language and Composition
Physics I
Medical Interventions
AP US History</p>
<p>Senior Year (I know that I at least am required to get these courses in):
AP Calculus AB
AP Government / Economics
AP English Literature and Composition
2D Art / Personal Finance
(I will have 3 open spots but will need at least one science class)</p>
<p>Does anyone have advice of what to do with the last 3 spots on my senior schedule?</p>
<p>I was planning on AP Physics most likely, however my school doesn’t offer AP CS, and usually only 2-3 people ask for AP Stats a year. I could try and get a group of people to ask for it or I could consider Advanced Mathematics. Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>Looks like your high school does not have calculus BC.</p>
<p>Its AP physics is the B version (non-calculus), so no subject credit for engineering in college. Think of it as a probably better high school physics course.</p>
<p>Perhaps continue with Spanish IV since you have schedule space?</p>
<p>Since it looks like you are close to exhausting the advanced academic courses at your high school, what about courses like these that relate to engineering?</p>
<p>Intro to Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics
Intro to Manufacturing
Introduction to Engineering Design
Principles of Engineering</p>
<p>I’m also in a similar situation as a sophomore (rising junior) looking to become an engineer. I’m contemplating whether to take AP Biology or Physics Honors next year. </p>
<p>Here are my past and future math and science classes (All other classes are honors/AP):</p>
<p>Junior
Pre-Calculus HH*
Physics Honors or AP Biology? </p>
<p>Senior
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry</p>
<p>*HH = high honors, which is more advanced than honors but not an AP class</p>
<p>Having already taken biology in freshman year, I’m thinking about just taking Physics Honors and self studying for the AP Biology Exam. What would be the best decision for a future chemical engineer?</p>
<p>You do want to have physics in high school, as it is sometimes listed as a prerequisite for physics in college (and less commonly listed as a prerequisite for chemistry in college).</p>
<p>I have a D with a ChemE degree, and a S who is a current freshman in ChemE. </p>
<p>Rec #1. Physics and Math is much more important then biology for a ChemE. My kids took Feshman Honors Bio, but not AP bio. They did take AP Chem and AP Physics. </p>
<p>Rec #2 - I think you can drop the AP English Lit - It will free you up to take another math or science course. </p>
<p>Rec #3 - My D told my S not to waste his time taking HS Engineering / Engineering Design - use the time for more Math or Science. </p>
<p>I am in a sort of similar situation. I am a freshman, going to be a sophomore, but I want to do computer engineering. Avice from all of the seniors and alumni from my school: don’t waste your time taking electives. Do core classes like math and science (as nugraddad said) and save the electives for college. High school electives don’t help much with anything and are not even comparable to college level. If you find that you’ve exhausted much of your academic core classes at your school, consider graduating early or dual enrollement. Thos are the two options I’m considering. Also, don’t be afraid to double up in math and/or science. Here are my math and science classes:</p>
<p>(Pre-AP is basically honors for math, it’s the highest level besides AP at our school–only for math)</p>
<p>Freshman:
Geometry Pre-AP
Algebra II Pre-AP
Biology Honors</p>
<p>Summer:
Pre-Calculus (Online–it’s basically a review of Algebra II)</p>
<p>Sophomore:
AP Calculus BC
Chemistry Honors
Physics Honors</p>
<p>Junior (Dual Enrollement):
Calclulus 3, Differential Equations (or possibly Discrete Math)
Chemistry I + Lab (or possibly Physics I and II)</p>
<p>Senior (Dual Enrollement–unless I graduate a yr early):
Discrete Math
Physics I + II</p>
<p>Just wondering, if you’re planning on going into ChemE why all of the bio and medical classes? They aren’t very relevant for ChemE…</p>
<p>Well if you did look at my school’s curriculum guide, it doesn’t quite have a very extensive list of subjects…however, the medical classes do, believe it or not go quite in depth into chemistry and explore a lot of molecules and their interactions with body systems (which I believe could eventually become relevant depending on what I would do with my ChemE degree). I have taken a lot of biology classes, because before recently, I was undecided about what I wanted to do, but my chemistry teacher recommended that I look into ChemE, and I found that it was exactly what I was looking for. I have asked student within the engineering classes at my school if the classes would be relevant to ChemE, and every one of them replied with a “no.” They said that they were supposed to do a project with ChemE and the teacher skipped it instead of learning more about the field. </p>
<p>@ucbalumnus I would consider the Logistics classes, however, I have the teacher for these classes for my advisory period, and he told me that they are very basic classes and wouldn’t satisfy anything that I would want to learn. </p>
<p>@nugraddad What an amazing family you must have! I do think that the AP English classes are important though, my school does <em>require</em> English for all four years of high school, so even if I do drop AP, I will still have a regular English class that will fill that spot. </p>
<p>I am strongly considering dual enrollment, however, I have spoken with my counselor and she advised me against taking a math class that would be higher than Calc AB, because my school would be unable to offer me anything else. I will continue to try and think of different paths that I can take, but thanks for all of the input and helpful advice everyone! :)</p>
<p>The purpose of PLTW or other engineering design type classes in HS is not to teach you anything you would use in college or get much, if any, college credit for. It is to help you decide if Engineering (or whatever) is a good fit for you.</p>
<p>I recommend you learn a little more and take the AP Calculus BC exam.
AP Calculus and Chemistry are the two most important classes for ChemE, followed by Physics. Statistics and electives are also nice, but that’s not as important.</p>
<p>Okee dokee! Thanks everyone! I will most likely self study Calc BC and AP CS. If AP Stats is not available for a year I will include that also. I will most likely be considering dual enrollment in college math and chemistry courses during the school year and next summer.</p>
I do think that the AP English classes are important though, my school does <em>require</em> English for all four years of high school, so even if I do drop AP, I will still have a regular English class that will fill that spot. </p>