Help! I have no idea what AP class to take Junior year...

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Ok so I’m currently a sophomore with a class schedule of:
-AP Bio
-Orchestra
-Japanese 2
-AP Calc BC
-PE
-CWS H
-English 2 H
And I think I am doing pretty ok with all my classes this year, but next year I don’t have to take PE anymore and I have no idea what my elective should be, right now my planned out schedule fornext year looks something like:
-AP Lang
-Multivariable H
-(APUSH or USH, but leaning more to APUSH)
-Japanese 3
-(AP Physics 1 or C)
-Orchestra
-(Biotech 1-2, AP Stats, AP CompSci)

The classes in parenthesis are the ones that I am most unsure about, as I’m unsure about the APUSH workload, unsure about how hard AP physics C will be, and what my elective should be. Here are some questions I have:
-How much harder is APUSH from a normal USH class?
-How hard is AP physics C to someone who loves math? I want to take a physics class over the summer as well, so would that be enough for the class?
-I don’t know what elective to take. would AP compsci or Ap stats be better for me to learn? im interested in biotech because besides of an interest in biotech, there is a really good teacher for that class that I want to get a letter of reccommendation from. I just have no idea what to do.

If you are curious about something ask me! any judgement or advice will be extremely helpful. I’m not to worried about how many AP classes I take, more on the courseload I would be required to do.

2

I’ll give you my daughter’s experience with AP Stats.

My daughter did Calc BC last year (5 on the exam) and took AP Stat this year. She finds it interesting but it is very simple compared to Calc. She finds herself having no challenge. You will write more in AP Stat than in English class. Personally I would read an interesting book about statistics and take something else. BC was the hardest level in her school and because of a long day of sports she did not want to take any math at the community college. It’s just not doable to my daughter this year because of athletics. Again, the topic for her is very relevant, it’s just not challenging.

3

Have you taken Physics? AP 1 is usually a first course and AP C a second (following either 1 or Honors Physics in school that don’t have 1/2).

Which Comp Sci? CSP is a good intro class. CSA is more rigorous and you should have a previous programming class or some experience. Both are probably better than Stats.

AP USH, Physic C and Lang are all heavy workloads. Physics 1 and Stats, not so much.

4

I haven’t taken a physics class but I am planning to take a physics summer course at a nearby community college. I am thinking physics C because I enjoy calc right now and math has always been my strongsuit. In my school, there isn’t too much hw, but what makes it difficult is the concepts which are hard to grasp. I’m just curious if anyone else has made the jump to Physics C and has been alright.

It would ideally be compsci A, and I have some programming experince with Java, but that’s about it. I was thinking of taking it because of the fact that careers in ap comp sci are needed and it could potentially be something that I would pursue in the future. Another question I have is if soemthing like computer science is possible to start pursuing in college? Or should I start right now? I just think it’d be a good skill to start developing now.

I guess one more question I have is: which class would be most beneficial for me? For getting into college and just a skill I need to know?

5

Depends on future career aspirations and, to a lesser degree, college choices. Don’t take a class simply to impress colleges - they won’t be impressed by a single course. Rather, they will look at the schedule as a whole.

In general, AP Physics C is geared to future physics/engineering/CS majors. A prospective premed or Russian major will find AP Physics C to be overkill.

6

For someone leaning to be a math major, would this class help me at all in college (in terms of credits)? I don’t know if I want to major in physics.

7

AP credits depend on the college. In general, for private colleges, AP Physics C is more likely to earn credit than AP Physics 1. And I will point out that 60% of the test takers fail the AP Physics 1 exam.

8

Why not take AP physics1 Jr year, then AP physics C senior year?

Same idea: why not explore the hole field of CS junior year (csp) and then take CS A senior year?

APUSH is a definite"rigor marker" for college admissions but it’s not mandatory since you have other “markers”. It IS quite a high step or two above regular ush.