I’ll be a senior next year and we’ve started choosing classes. I’m torn between AP Chemistry and AP Biology. I really wish I had taken one of these classes this year so I didn’t have to make this decision, but unfortunately I didn’t. I talked to one of my teachers and she said for my particular intended major I should take AP Bio because although they’re both difficult classes, it would be better to take all of chemistry in one fell swoop all in college. I do realize I’ll have to take both classes eventually (and different variations of them as well) whether I’m still in high school or college, but I just want to know if taking one of them in high school/college is better than the alternative. Thank you!
What’s your past science sequence?
Biology Honors, Chemistry Honors, and currently Physics Honors. I also took a semester of Anatomy & Physiology Honors online.
@snowfairy137 forgot to tag you, sorry
I would take bio since its been longer since you last took it so it would be a good review before college.
I’d take bio. From what I’m hearing by talking to students. Gen bio (freshman bio) is considered a “weed out” course. That means that it’s ridiculously hard for no reason so that the kids who ultimately won’t be able to handle being a bio major-- I’m assuming your major will fall into this category as well-- at that school will drop out. That being said, I haven’t heard that is also true for chemistry- especially considering chem isn’t as much a part of you major as bio. The stronger background you have in biology, the easier gen bio will be for you and you’ll save yourself a lot of stress by taking it.
@snowfairy137 @a20171 thank you both very much, I really appreciate it. I think bio is what I wanted to do in the back of my mind anyways and this kinda solidified it for me. Thank you again!
I was talking to my counselor and she was saying that it is better to take AP Chem in high school because you’re going to have to take more Chemistry courses in college and they tend to be harder.
Luckily I was able to take them both.
@zbthsjunior Actually for a biomedical engineering major at UC Berkley for example takes 2 semesters of chem and about 7 semesters of biology not including courses specific to biomedical engineering. Maybe for your intended major, you need to take more chemistry but certainly not for biomedical engineering
Sorry lol. Didn’t pay attention to your major.