Im in 9th grade and my worst subject (by far) is honors bio. I am barely passing the class (well hopefully 71 is passing). And even I consider myself to be science oriented. All my grades in sciences in middle school were good. The last science I took in middle school was in 8th grade and called Physical science. I loved that class and i was a couple tenths of a point away from making an A (and i took the advanced version of it).
But I’m talking about Biology here… Is anyone else struggling in honors bio? I hear a lot that its super easy… not for me though.
I was really exited when my teacher recommended me for that class. But he said he could have gone either way for recommending me or not. I should have thought about it more (but even then i might have researched the class and found that people say its easy).
Some things i hate about this class is the large number of written answer questions on tests and the amount of work she gives us almost every day for homework.
She recommended me for Earth systems when i wanted standard chemistry. My math grade told her that i could do the math portion of chemistry, but she said it was the workload.
I think i should sign the waiver so that i can get into standard chemistry next year. I think i can do it. If i did good in advanced physical science and liked it, then i think physics and chemistry is my thing.
I’m somewhat struggling in AP Bio (75). Might sound like bad advice on this website, but waiver into any class that you are interested in, and believe you will do well in. Throughout HS, my GCs (i’ve had 4 so far because they kept retiring) have doubted me completely in the classes I am currently taking and I am doing just fine.
Biology was by far my worst science class. I easily passed chemistry and physics, but I struggled through Bio. There were some quarters that my final quarter grade was an F. It didn’t help that our teacher was lazy and never gave deadlines until things were almost due.
I was lucky to take Honors Bio when I did. I took it in 8th grade last year because it’s the science you have to take if you’re in 2-year advanced math. It by far wasn’t easy but I got good grades in the class. I say I’m glad I took it then because this year, a lot of my friends are taking it as freshmen and it’s ridiculously harder. In all honesty, it doesn’t sound like the class I took, even though it technically is. Good luck this year and if you’re good at physical sciences, I think you should try and take chemistry next year. It’s completely different from bio (I’m in chem right now).
Chemistry and biology don’t have much in common, and I think Chem will be much more challenging and look better on your transcript than earth systems. At my school at least, earth systems is not regarded as a good class. I took honors bio and struggled (I literally knew nothing), though I pulled through and did pretty well in the class, and I decided to drop to onlevel chemistry instead of honors. Though I suck at science, I enjoy math and am good at it. This sounds like you, too. It was an easy class for me, and I probably would’ve been fine even if I hadn’t waived out of honors. HS Chem is definitely pretty math based, and if you’re up to it, do it. Also, I wouldn’t compare hs and middle school science. They’re completely different, but you seem confident in your abilities and I’m sure you’ll do well in Chem.
I know what you mean. Class difficulties–for any class–varies between schools. Honors Bio at my school was actually easy at my school, but other classes like Chem Honors were absolute nightmares (like Bio is at your school). I BARELY passed Chem with a B and I had a C most of the semester. I also was good at science stuff in middle school so Chem was a shocker for me. Don’t worry about it though! Bio is probably just one of those classes that happens to be really hard, there will be plenty of other opportunities to raise your grade. Just get by the best you can.
I was just notified that she would most likely deny my waiver for chemistry unless I make a huge turnaround. I still don’t want earth systems, but I guess I could live with it. After all I have 11th and 12th grade to do honors chemistry and AP chemistry. And since earth systems is super easy, I would get a high grade and get into chemistry.
I probably would not be able to take physics now. But maybe physics isn’t something I need.
Earth systems will be a waste of my time.
I don’t know any other way. I guess I’ll have to take it.
That’s my situation too. I hate Honors Biology and I really want to drop out of this class so much but unfortunately, there’s no damn regular biology class offered for freshmen (smh). And the thing is everyone else like my friends or group seems like they’re having fun and I feel like I’m the only one who’s failing in class. I heard chemistry is a lot easier so I hope it gets better when I take Honors Chem next year
UGH HATED THIS CLASS!!! Teacher put way too much pressure on us as freshman! I dropped as soon as I could to regular level, and get straight A’s in it now. I also was a jump-recommendation into Honors Biology (in eighth grade I took Science 8, which is Physical Science at my school). I wanted to do chemistry too, but I was recommended for Earth Science and am more than happy with it, partially because my algebra grades are poorer, but because I don’t want to go through the whole swapping science classes thing again…good luck to you, and since your math grades meet the chemistry standards, I hope your teacher realizes you can handle chemistry!!!
Hey, @PlayWithPropane. I know how you feel. I am a freshman as well in Biology Honors, and I really dislike it as well. While I love ecology, genetics, and thinking of how life exists, I feel as if the rest of the class is sometimes pretty slow, and my teacher is really unsupportive of the students and does not teach. Most of the time, she tells you to go search the answer on Google if we don’t know the question, gives questions on tests that she’s never taught us, and never gives us the answer keys to homework, review packets, etc. after completing the work, no offense to her. I feel all your pain. It’s pretty difficult for me too. It’s my worst grade, and I have a B+ right now. We’re so close to ending Biology! Hang in there!
P.S. I recommend signing up for Chemistry anyway because Chemistry is an important subject, especially if you are going to STEM. Almost all people not going into STEM (like me) still have to take Chemistry.
Im a biochem nerd, but I’m not so great at physics (i still like it, but compared to my ap bio and honors chem classes rn, i do somewhat worse in ap physics. Im taking all three right now, so i can kind of compare them.)
Here is my advice on doing well if you are not doing as well as you like:
Here are suggestions:
Read the book before class and again after.
Go to Teacher’s office hours early in the semester and Ask this question: “I know this is a really difficult class-- what are some of the common mistakes students make and how can I avoid them?”
If you have problems with the homework, go to Teacher’s office hours. If they have any “help sessions” or “study sessions” or “recitations” or any thing extra, go to them.
Form a study group with other kids in your class.
Don’t do the minimum…for STEM classes do extra problems. You can buy books that just have problems for calculus or physics or chemistry whatever. Watch online videos on line about the topic you are studying.
If things still are not going well, get a tutor.
Read this book: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less by Cal Newport. It helps you with things like time management and how to figure out what to write about for a paper, etc.
For tests that you didn’t do well on, can you evaluate what went wrong? Did you never read that topic? Did you not do the homework for it? Do you kind of remember it but forgot what to do? Then next time change the way you study…there may be a study skills help at your guidance office.
How much time outside of class do you spend studying/doing homework? Is it what other sdo?
If you run into any social/health/family troubles (you are sick, your parents are sick, someone died, broke up with boy/girlfriend, suddenly depressed/anxiety etcetc) then immediately go to the guidance counselor and talk to them.
At the beginning of the semester, read the syllabus for each class. It tells you what you will be doing and when tests/HW/papers are due. Put all of that in your calendar. The teacher may remind you of things, but it is all there for you to see so take initiative and look at it.
Make sure you understand how to use your online class system…Login to it, read what there is for your classes, know how to upload assignments (if that is what the teacher wants).
If you get an assignment…make sure to read the instructions and do all the tasks on the assignment. Look at the rubric and make sure you have covered everything.
If you are not sure what to do, go EARLY to the teacher’s office hours…not the day before the assignment is due.
Take advantage of any “re-do”…your teacher wants you to learn the material. Future material depends on it so you need to have the foundation. By explaining what went wrong you really understand it. Take advantage of this.
I remember taking honors bio, piece of cake. Just kidding, according to my peers taking bio this year it sounds brutal. Good thing I took it in middle school
Once again, your personal experience at your own school does not equate to everyone else’s experience at one of the thousands of high schools and middle schools in the United States or the world. Your opinions are not fact, so it’s silly to tell people they should be doing this or that based on what some kid on the internet says.
Teacher put way too much pressure on us as freshman! I dropped as soon as I could to regular level, and get straight A’s in it now. I also was a jump-recommendation into Honors Biology (in eighth grade I took Science 8, which is Physical Science at my school). I wanted to do chemistry too, but I was recommended for Earth Science and am more than happy with it, partially because my algebra grades are poorer, but because I don’t want to go through the whole swapping science classes thing again…good luck to you, and since your math grades meet the chemistry standards, I hope your teacher realizes you can handle chemistry!!! 