Doubling Up Science Courses Sophmore Year?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

To provide context, I am currently a freshman at a public high school. At the moment, I am taking Honors Intro to Physics, and am wondering whether it would be a good idea to take both Honors Biology (which I am on track to take next year regardless) as well as CP Chemistry (Not Honors due to Mathematics Prerequisite). So far, I have an A- in Honors Intro to Physics, but the course is unusually tough, even from an Honors perspective according to fellow peers, so I don’t see that as a reason not to possibly double up next year. I mainly want to do it so that I can qualify for AP Environmental Science and AP Biology by Junior Year. I know Chemistry is quite math intensive (mathematics being my Achilles Heel), but I somewhat figure that since it is not an Honors course, I won’t be too overwhelmed with it.

Any thoughts? Anything would be appreciated.

2

What’s the rush? What science would you take senior year? If math is challenging for you then maybe wait for chemistry for the usual year and in the meantime get more math under your belt.

3

If I Doubled Up, then probably AP Bio. If not, then it would be AP Environmental Science. The thing I am somewhat concerned about is that if I wait to take Chemistry Junior Year, it will have to be CP no matter what due to the system of prerequisites set up at my high school. I worry that it would look strange to admissions for me to go from taking an Honors science course in Sophomore year, then a CP course Junior year.

4

Go ahead.

5

I think you’ll be fine. I took AP Biology and Honors Chemistry my sophomore year, and while my school doesn’t do minuses I only got a 91 percent in Honors Biology the year previous.

6

Keep in mind that two science classes also means two sets of labs, which are pretty time consuming.

7

You should do it if you have a passion for science. If the math looks like it’s too challenging though, then you should probably wait and build up your math skills.

8

My D20 doubled up this year. Last year she took H Bio. This year it’s H Chem and APES. Reason is to make junior year less stressful by spreading out the harder AP classes. Next year she’ll take H Precalc (a killer class) and APUSH, AP English language, and either APHG or AP Gov (those are easier APs at our school). We were looking for balance.

9

Make sure you take Bio, Chem, Physics at the highest level you can, and then an AP version of one of those.
Unless you are totally into environmental studies, I would not worry about AP ES just because it is AP.
AP Bio is challenging course and is valued by colleges.