High school subject for engineering?

Don’t know where to put this but:
I am planning to do engineering in college, my parents think it is important for me to take AP Bio senior year (already took AP Physics, Ap Chem, both AP Calcs, AP Comp Sci, and Computer aided design) but this would mean I wouldn’t have time to take Pre-Engineering. I’d rather take pre-engineering, but which is more important if I’m applying for engineering, AP bio or pre-eng?

Have taken any type of Biology course during HS? If so, then I would go with the Pre-Engineering course. If not, then I would take Biology your Senior year.

My daughter had honors bio and then opted to do a pre-engineering sequence instead of AP bio. She LOVED it. Her course was taught by an engineer and was structured like a lot of college intro engineering classes. Unless you are planning bio medical engineering, or have had zero bio, I would say follow your gut and take the pre-engineering sequence.

In terms of assessing your interest in engineering, a pre-engineering course may be more helpful than a biology course. An AP biology course may be helpful if your interest is in biomedical or the biology-related subareas of other kinds of engineering. If you have not had any biology in high school, it is generally a good idea to take a biology course, though it does not necessarily have to be AP.

You don’t take Bio as an engineer (unless you are a biomedical engineer maybe?) I would take the pre-engineering but make sure you take some kind of science.

Doesn’t really matter. Bio isn’t that important though. Pre engineering is good to get a head start for college and have some background. It shows colleges you know what engineering is like as well.

Very few schools offer a course in pre-engineering. It might be nice to get a taste, but is in no way a required course for admission or success.

Agree. But the “taste” of engineering is the valuable aspect of such a course in high school, since high school seniors often have to decide whether to apply to a college’s engineering division or major.

Take the pre-engineering class. It shows you have an interest and some colleges might question why you didn’t take it if it was available to you. You can also use it in your essay that you are taking a year to explore and research different engineering disciplines through this senior class.

Especially if you don’t have any other exposure to engineering. Some kids like my son did engineering programs in the summer then a yearlong Ace Mentoring program in his junior year that exposes students to different phases of engineering.

“…some colleges might question why you didn’t take it if it was available to you.”

It’s just as likely that they’d ask why you didn’t take the AP class (more rigorous) if they’re going to play that game. I’d take the one you want to take, not the one you THINK might be beneficial in someone else’s eyes.

@eyemgh. I totally agree with you. It really doesn’t matter which he takes. It seems he wants to take the pre engineering. When I took my son looking at schools for engineering, it seemed the theme was if your school has a stem program or pre-engineering that the student should take it to show interest.

Perhaps more important than showing interest is determining whether s/he is really interested in engineering, which is what taking the high school pre-engineering course will help with.

I’d take the engineering class, but…what I’d really recommend is you take a dual enrollment class that would knock off a requirement in English or government. Most ABET programs require about 15 credits in general ed, including a writing course.

Personally AP physics is the best indicator of you’ll like enginerring. That’s pretty much what the degree is. Pre engineering at many high schools is a more advanced wood shop/robotics/machining type class. You can’t really do “engineering” without advanced physics and mathematics. Like Calc? Like physics? You’ll prob like engineering.

I’d say:

Like math? Like physics? Like solving design problems? If yes to all three, then engineering is probably a good fit.

OP has had AP calculus and AP physics, so the high school engineering course may give him/her a taste of solving design problems.