Issue with science classes

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

I am a dual-enrollment student who only does a technical program at school and goes to a local CC to take classes (I am a senior). I recently found out that I cannot take AP Bio, which I had planned on taking as my senior science (and my DE science if I were to pass the exam), so I decided to look at the local CC for science classes. The issue is, with lab, the classes are 4 credits (bio and chem), and if I were to add it to my schedule with three other classes, I would have 14 credits, but I have a 13 credit limit per semester. So, I have a few options:

  1. Take a lab science and drop a class to now have three DE classes and my tech. (the issue with this is that I will be eliminating a core class for it). This schedule would be the same for next semester.
  2. Take a non-lab science (intro chem & bio class for each semester respectively), which is three credits, and have four DE classes for each semester.
  3. Take no science this semester, keep my schedule the way it is with four classes, and do a lab science next semester along with just two other DE classes (I would only be able to take Chem 1/ Bio 1, instead of finishing the sequence).

I completely skipped science last year, so that is why I have been trying to take a difficult lab-science class as “compensation”, instead of just taking a normal 3-credit science class. Also, I am not a STEM student, if that changes anything. DE is my supplement for AP classes, being that my school does not offer much APs, so I am not really worried about credit-transferring (unless I stay in-state). I just want to make sure my schedule is as strong as possible, but also make sure I am not making some stupid decision and having an overkill of a schedule for no reason. Thanks in advanced!
(and no, I cannot do physics; it is not offered at school, and for DE Physics I’d have to take trig this semester and I cannot fit it into my schedule)

2

Thought this scenario looked familiar… :wink:
I would do the second one, even though you’re an IR nut. Or maybe 3, if your workload this semester is already pretty high.

3

Scenario 3 is the best a since it takes into account the extra time you’ll need for writing college apps.
In addition, if you’re not a stem student do NOT take the biology or chem sequence for majors, take the “one off” class for non majors.

4

Hello @MYOS1634! Do you mean by “one off” as in just the common non-science major course? Because, in my case, it would be BSC 1005, compared to General Bio 1, which is BSC 1010. Or do you mean to not take chem 2/ bio 2, but rather just chem 1/ bio 1 (which are both for science majors)? But, scenario 3 would still have me taking four DE classes, so it is not much different from scenario 2, besides the fact that I would not be taking a science class first semester for scenario 3.

5

Yes, I mean the “science for non science majors” class - so, BSC 1005 for you for instance.
Having one less class in the Fall is wiser in my opinion. You’ll be very busy with applications.

6

@MYOS1634 gotcha! I enrolled in 1005. Intro to Environmental Science (EVR 1001) seems to be by next best bet for my science next semester. You think that would be fine?
Yes, I do agree that having three classes would make things a bit easier, but my schedule is quite flexible and I see myself having a good amount of time this semester to work on apps/ study for standardized tests etc, thankfully! If I see that it may not be as conventional as I thought, then I may drop a course. Thank you for your help!

7

Yes, Environmental Science is an excellent choice.