is it ok to take ap bio and ap chem instead of ap physics? or do colleges look for physics?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

I’m a sophomore in hs and i’m looking at what classes to take my junior year. The normal sequence for advanced students is bio in 9th, honors chem in 10th, ap physics 1 in 11th, and an ap science course in 12th. However, I found out that I could technically skip physics. (not many people do this). I would take AP chemistry my junior year, and AP Bio my senior year. I am looking to get into top, competitive colleges (under 15-20% acceptance) and am interested in pursuing a medical career. Would it hurt my application if I do not take physics in high school? Or would it still look good to take 2 different ap science courses, even if I do not take physics? I am definitely more interested in chemistry and bio than in physics. Thanks so much for the help!

2

Competitive colleges want to see Biology, Chemistry and Physics on you HS transcript. They do not have to all be AP level classes but the higher rigor the better. A year of Physics in College will be a required course for Medical school applications, so having prior exposure in HS will be to your benefit.

3

Agree, take physics.

4

Wesleyan, for one, specifically includes in their class profile the percentage of the entering class that took all three of biology, chemistry and physics. It is over eighty percent.

5

Definitely take Physics and at least one other AP science next year.

6

Absolutely you need to take physics. Additionally, if you want to major in any life science (biology, genetics, biochem, microbio, etc) you will be required to take college level bio, chem, and physics. It is much better to get an introduction in high school to all three topics than to be thrust into college level without an introduction.

7

Take AP Physics 1. If you’re really good, perhaps take Honors Physics and AP Bio or AP Chem together, but you should take Physics. Senior year, take AP Chem (between inorganic, organic, and biochem, you’ll have 5 required chem classes in college, v. 2 require biology classes - as part of your premed pre-reqs.)
Remember that as a premed you’ll have to rank top 10-20% in every class you take - and how do you think you’ll fare when you take a class with students who’ve taken AP Physics 1 and you’ve never had physics?