Junior Schedule, Seeking Advice

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

I’m in 10th grade right now and I’m having a hard time deciding between a couple of classes to add to my schedule for junior year. We have 6 classes in my school and the ones that I have set in stone for next year are:

  1. Spanish 3
  2. AP US History (currently taking AP Euro and it was THE ONLY AP CLASS OFFERED IN 10TH)
  3. AP English
  4. AP Calculus (taking pre calc currently)
  5. ?
  6. ?

As you guys and gals can see, I haven’t decided on 2 classes yet. I have 3 courses in mind right now:

  • AP Computer Science (first year it will be offered at my school so kinda scary)
  • AP Chemistry (I am taking Chem Honors now and its pretty easy but I've heard otherwise about AP)
  • Physics Honors

MY PROBLEM: I don’t know which of the two classes above i should take next year. I don’t really know what I want to major in college but definitely something in Math and/or Science.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

  • AP Computer Science
    +I have interest and I’m already familiar and good with computers generally
    +I can also take this class senior year as there isn’t really a prerequisite for it
    -first time that my school is offering it and first time that this teacher will be teaching this class
  • AP Chemistry +Chemistry Honors was easy +This AP Chem teacher has years of experience
    • I have interest but not as much as physics and comsci
    • people have warned me about how hard the course is making me feel a little nervous
    • I cannot take this course senior year because the one year gap is awkward and I'll forget most of the info
  • Physics Honors
    • I have interest
    • I am taking Calc and I've been told that there are many correlations between the two
    • will make my time in AP Physics senior year a lot easier
    • not really a con but I've heard that taking this class isn't really necessary for success in AP Physics(idk if this is true) so I was considering doing some independent studies over summer or something

SOMETHING I’M CONFUSED ABOUT: Are colleges more impressed at taking a course in 11th grade vs 12th grade or did I just pull this idea out of my head? Is AP comsci a class that gets a lot of respect from colleges or do they not care as much? Is physics honors necessary for AP Physics?

I would really appreciate any help I could get with this situation. I just want to make the right choice so that I can get into good colleges. I am a hard working student and I don’t back down or shy away from challenges. I am willing to do some studying outside of school if necessary as long as it doesnt cost money lol. I currently have a 4.1 or something GPA if that is of any use. I usually don’t slack off in school because I know how important an education is.

                       Thank You to all who help. (P.S sorry if this is kinda long, it is my first time doing this)
2

Physics and APCS.

3

Thank you but could you state your reasoning behind that please?

4

Many colleges require Physics and you didn’t have any solid cons for it.

APCS is almost invariably easier than Chem, and your current workload is VERY heavy.

5

oh I see. Thanks for the help. But what do you think about taking ap physics in 12th grade without taking physics first?

6

AP Physics I is fine without a physics background. I’m taking it and don’t have any. I think it would be pretty easy for you took honors, or at least that’s how it is at my school. In honors physics, I can’t imagine you’d use any calculus. In fact, you won’t use any in AP Physics I or II, so you’ll most likely only use it if you do AP Physics C.

I’d say you could probably do AP Chem senior year if you wanted to. It’s not uncommon at all to have a year when you don’t study a specific science. If you really nervous about it, you can always review a little outside of class.