<p>Someone told me I should be taking Ap Chem next year (junior) along with AP Bio if i want to do premed because colleges want to see that I can do well chemistry and want to see my subject tests. But then I found out uc's dont require subject tests but then I looked on UCSC's website and found this: </p>
<p>Also, SAT Subject Tests will no longer be required for admission, although you may still submit these scores for consideration as part of your application, as with AP scores.</p>
<p>Which UC's will take subject tests for consideration and how helpful would they be? And do I really need to take ap chem junior year or can it wait till senior year?</p>
<p>You’re mixing things here. You have two goals. 1) be accepted at a great college that will prepare you to be a competitive Med school applicant and 2) be accepted at a Med school.</p>
<p>Your decision should be to attack no. 1 first. I’d advise taking AP Chem as a Junior just to see if 1) you’re a solid science student and 2) to look better to your potential colleges. If your target colleges don’t require SAT subject tests, then don’t take them. Take the AP exam instead.</p>
<p>Again, in my experience, AP Chem was really a weeding class for people who would be serious science majors in college and beyond. You should do this for your own knowledge. It might be a breeze – it might be laborious. If so, then you’re still early enough in the cycle to remove pre-med from your plans.</p>
<p>Considering the fact that everyone applying to UCs will ignore the “not required” and send in Subject test scores anyway, you should probably take the Subject Tests anyway to be more competitive.</p>
<p>Also, depending on what major you’re going to, Subject Tests are “recommended” which usually means required.</p>
<p>On the other hand…taking AP Chemistry and AP Biology together might be pretty dangerous. But if you’re able to take both at the same time, I’m assuming that both are only one period each? AP Biology and AP Chemistry tend to have a lot of homework and are pretty difficult classes though, so I don’t think that you should take them together. Wait until senior year (unless you’re fine with taking two AP science classes at the same time).</p>
<p>when i apply to college do i have to tell them what i’m majoring in or can i decide my major when i get into college because if i can decide my major later then colleges wouldn’t care if i did great in ap chem and i could take different subject tests right?</p>
<p>Having AP chem is not necessary to be admitted to a science major. Having AP courses including possibly chem and doing well in them will however be a definite plus for admission and that is regardless of what major you will pursue or even if you apply undecided (which you would do if you don’t want to choose a major).</p>
<p>UCs ceased requiring subject tests beginning this year; however two are still recommended and if you apply science or engineering some of those UCs are specifically recommending that you have math II and a science (UCs do not accept math 1). You should assume having two subject tests can help for admission to any UC.</p>
<p>Pre-med has absolutely nothing to do with being admitted. It is not a major but instead an advisory program which any UC student can be a part of. That you check (or don’t check) pre-med on the app so you can be part of that program will have no impact one way or the other on whether you will be admitted.</p>
It depends; you should spend some time reading thru the websites of colleges you are considering to see their policy. At UC schools for example, they don’t take your intended major into account when making decisions for Letters and Science admissions, they do for Engineering, Arts, etc.</p>
<p>Yes; if you don’t have the opportunity to take AP Calc, AP Bio, AP Chem and AP Physics, you can take the subject test for any one or more of them to show that you will be strong in pre-med classes. Chemistry, especially, is seen as a subject that weeds out weak pre-med students from prospective strong medicine students.</p>
<p>If you can take AP Bio and AP Chem in HS I would highly recommend it for premeds. (Many students in your college courses will have done so.) But there is no reason to take them simultaneously, unless you are are applying to a 7/8 year early admission program. You could take one as a Jr and one as a senior. Or, goose your schedule a little and double in Bio & Enviro Junior year. Enviro is nothing but a subset of bio, and taking both will ensure a strong Subject Test score.</p>