I’m a sophomore and it’s time for course selections again at my school.
I am currently taking Precalculus Honours and I have an A. I only have space for one math class next year and in my senior year, and I want to take both AP Stats as well as AP BC Calc. Should I take AP Stats next year and BC in senior or BC next year and AP Stats in senior year? I am also taking classes such as AP Bio and AP Chem (and more) next year and AP Physics senior year.
Thank you!
Calculus next year could give you the option of more advanced math at a nearby college, or prepare you better for AP physics C if offered.
I’d take calculus right after pre-calc.
BC, but not both bio and chem in the same year.
If you’re taking AP Physics C senior year, it will be better the have Calc completed by then, rather than taking them concurrently.
I do not think my school offers AP Physics C, only AP Physics 1. In addition, what are your guys’s views on taking AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Comp Sci., and maybe BC in the same year? I tried to work with my schedule but I am unable to take any of those classes this year and have no space in senior year as well. Thank you so much!
Don’t take AP Bio and AP Chem in the same year. In addition to the time commitment required by virtue of being AP’s, each requires a lot of time for labs and lab reports. For many schools, these classes are either double-periods, or require additional time before/after school. Maybe you are the 1% of the 1% who can handle these 2 together without your grades tanking, but that’s something for you and your GC to confirm.
Physics 1 is algebra based, not calc, so it doesn’t matter whether you take that in junior or senior year. I’d echo other advice not to try to do both AP Chem and AP Bio simultaneously as they are both time intensive and the likelihood is that one or both would suffer. Overall, Calculus is more important to colleges than the algebra based statistics represented in AP Stats - it’s a nice extra if you’ve got time in your schedule, but Calculus is considered a foundation class and should be the priority.
I wouldn’t take a whole year off between precalculus and Calc BC. I would take Stats later instead.
I agree with mom2twogirls. And, I think your schedule sounds quite rough unless you are a math whiz, extremely fast reader and great memorizer, and a very fast worker, and want to sacrifice ECs…
We have 1 who went precal to BC and 1 who went precal to AB. AB goes so much slower than BC. Going straight to BC, you should have much more work and the class whizzes by. If you’re great at math, this class alone wouldn’t be too hard, and same with AP Chem. Our mathy kid (in BC as sophomore right now) says AP Chem is “just math.” (Math/science isn’t my thing so don’t know if this is entirely correct). AP bio, at least at their school, is a ton of reading and memorizing. I think our current sophomore might have been able to pull off that combo only because he’s not up late with homework. That said, it would add an extra set of labs and so much more reading. I think it would have impacted his ECs. Aren’t you also taking history, English, and foreign language? (Core classes). Sounds like way too much to me.
Definitely take Calc AB or BC. I would not suggest taking more than one lab science at a time.
Some of the other classes I’m taking next year include normal English, pre-AP Latin, Physics Honours, and I’m not takin ss next year. I also want to take the genetics course offered at my school, but I’m guessing I really need to cut down. I’m not sure as to what to cut down though. Also, most of my EC’s are in school with the exception of science fair and volunteering. (I’m horrible at sports oof).
Thank you guys so much for your help! I really appreciate it! <3