I am a current junior in high school. My school requires me to complete 2 lab sciences. I have already taken biology and I am currently taking AP Physics 1. I am planning on taking AP Physics C next year, because I’m interested in physics. Do I need to take Chemistry my senior year to be admitted to top engineering schools or is it sufficient to just take physics?
Most colleges want to see 1 year of bio, 1 year of chem, 1 year of physics, and 1 of those at the AP level.
Is there room in your schedule to take both chem and physics?
Having both will benefit you in college as well.
Most engineering majors at most colleges will have to take general chemistry (chemical and biomedical engineering majors take more than that). College general chemistry will be more difficult if you have not had high school chemistry.
AP physics C will duplicate some of the AP physics 1 material but use calculus.
Chemistry is an important subject so I would try to fit both physics and chemistry in. I would advise you to take chemistry in your senior year. That way, it will be fresh in your mind when you go to college.
I think engineering is hard enough as is, without facing it with a lack of a basic science core course that virtually all of your peers will have had. Not having had chemistry at any level would be seen as a pretty glaring omission on your application (especially for a STEM student) but, worse, could create a weed-out situation taking chem for the first time in college.
If your schedule allows it, take a regular or honors chem class and the physics you want. Normally I don’t think stacking two sciences like that is a great idea, but it would give you a taste of the discipline you’ll need for engineering. If you have no wiggle-room in your schedule, I’d say just take an honors chemistry class.