<p>Hi there! I shall officially become a junior in high school in a little less than two weeks, and as I've been trying to ignore the horrid, squelchy feeling of alternating terror and joy that has been occupying the place where my stomach used to reside for the past few weeks, a question came to me: Should I really have signed up for Honors Chemistry?</p>
<p>See, while I'm an above-average student and consider myself at least okay in all academic areas, science is definitely my weak point. In both freshman and sophomore year I took honors science courses (Biology and Physical Science (basically, basic physics + basic chem) respectively) and received a B in each. </p>
<p>I'm not planning on going into any sort of science-intensive program post-high school. I was thinking more along the lines of something history or art related. I'm almost definitely dropping science my senior year, to free me up for more history and art classes. </p>
<p>I know the teacher who I think will be teaching the chemistry classes next year at my school. He was my Physical Science teacher, and I like him, but he is a hard grader and does actually expect honors level work from his honors students. (GASP) I regularly brought home Cs and Ds on tests and especially lab reports. Physical Science wasn't a horribly straining class or anything, but then again, it was directed towards freshmen. I was the lone sophomore, which is a long story, and this story is already getting too long.</p>
<p>So anyway, if you're still here after my background-info spew, should I drop down into CP (college-prep) level Chemistry instead of going Honors? This year will be my first experience with an AP level class (APUSH), so I don't know how rigorous it will be (especially with a full schedule), but I feel like Honors Chemistry alone will definitely take a large amount of work. I don't mind it as long as I can pull a B without going insane or losing time for my other classes or myself, but if my grade will dip below that, I just don't feel like honors is worth the extra effort considering my level of interest. I don't actually care enough about science to get deep into it post high school level, so should I bother with honors? Will the colleges I'm considering (pretty much public schools in CT and IN, and they all have an average 60-70% acceptance rate) care if I drop down? Will I still end up decently prepared for general college science courses (as in, the types you'd have to take as a history or art major)? How hard did you feel Honors Chem was, if you took it?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance, sorry for the word vomit, have a lovely day!</p>
<p>-Jen</p>