Next year, I’m entering my sophomore year in high school. My current biology teacher recommended that I take both AP bio and honors research chemistry as a sophomore. My pre Ap world teacher said that I would do great in AP world history, but she also said that she wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because I’m more interested in the sciences. I have a 4.5 (weighted) GPA at the moment, but I’m not sure if I could handle both AP classes, given that AP world is a notoriously difficult course. Any advice from students who have taken both (especially as a sophomore) would be appreciated:)
If you plan on majoring in STEM, I definitely think you are better off with AP Bio and Honors Chem instead of AP World if you do not plan on taking AP World. However, I strongly encourage waiting off AP Bio and taking it junior or senior year. This is because at my school, Chemistry is required before entering AP Bio, and I think there’s a good reason for that.
I am a sophomore in AP World currently, so if you have any questions, I can answer them. I will let you know that it is very different from other history classes you’ve taken. It’s mostly not memorization, like usual. It’s rather very conceptual, deep thinking, and analytical. Most multiple choice questions are synthesis based, meaning that you have to argue for an answer based off of data, hard reading passages, maps, etc. Most multiple choice answers are usually all correct for the answer, too, but you have to pick the answer which is the most correct, which can be very challenging, depending on the question it is asking. There’s also lots of writing. I have wrote as much in AP World as my English 10 Honors course, which I currently am in. (I am a sophomore.) You will write SAQs, LEQs, and DBQs. While SAQs and LEQs are straight up memorization questions, DBQs require a lot of thinking, as you must take seven documents, analyze them, and create an argument and support it using at least six of the documents while bringing it outside evidence to earn as much credit for evidence as possible.
Overall, if you do decide not to take AP Bio this upcoming year, I recommend checking out the syllabus and talking with your AP World teacher on what the experience is like and taking it if you think you can handle it. It is very challenging, but it gives you a lot of tools you need for other APs you will take in high school, even ones that are not social sciences.
I can not provide any info on AP Bio as I am not in the class, so I apologize. However, from upperclassmen friends who have done it, they’ve told me that it’s very similar to Honors Bio. I don’t know how much this is the case in your school, but if it is for your school as well, I’d only recommend doing AP Bio if you’re passionate about the subject and did very well in Honors Bio.
Feel free to ask me any more questions if you wish!
Best of luck and have a good day!
I’m going to be a sophmore next year. At my school AP Environmental is offered as the AP science class for freshman year. So it is the norm to take that and then take AP Biology sophmore year for many kids. I wouldn’t stress it much.
Last year, as a sophomore, I took AP Bio and AP world and Chem honors even though I am more STEM related too. I didn’t think it was bad at all. It was my AP world’s teacher first year teaching so we didn’t do much; just a lot of busy work but I still managed to pass with a 3.
I am a current sophomore taking AP Euro and AP World, it is very manageable but you will need to put forth considerable effort.
I think you will be fine, as long as you are doing well in your current honors bio and honors world classes! I took honors bio and honors us history freshman year, went on to take AP Bio and AP USH sophomore year as well as honors chemistry and got As in all my classes! AP Bio was at my school, extremely similar to honors Bio. I really think its a matter of the amount of work you’re willing to put in - especially in AP World. Believe it or not AP history classes are some of the tougher APs. Good luck 
Thanks for the information!
Look up sample assignments for the classes to see for yourself.
If you take AP Bio sophomore year, what would you take Jr and Sr year as far as science classes?
Are you doing well in your current bio class? Are you getting enough sleep (9+hours)?
What other classes would you be taking?
I get 5 hours of sleep a night lol- bad habits
@theinvokingsyndicate: Ok, you’re harming your growing body and brain by having less than 8 hours a night. It IS very dangerous to your health. SO, if you don’t have a normal night of sleep right now, reduce your schedule next year. No college expects AP’s from sophomores anyway and the law of diminishing returns hits after you have 6-8 TOTAL. So, pace yourself.
@stressedstudent6:
Take Honors Research Chemistry but don’t go overboard.
It’s not my schedule though. I just stay up either reading articles online or simply looking at memes or jokes. I need to better my habits.
I usually get about 8-9 hours of sleep, and I have an A+ average in every class (except for one, where the average is a 97). The other classes I’m planning to take next year aren’t too difficult from what I’ve heard, which is why I’m taking challenging classes in science/history:
Algebra II/Trig
Health/PE 10
English 10 Honors
Spanish 3
This is my first year in public school (coming from a competitive private school), so it hasn’t really been too difficult, and I’m trying to challenge myself more next year.
For junior and senior year science, I’m planning on taking more AP classes (AP chem and AP physics).
You’re doing well then. Then, AP Bio and chemistry research honors sound like the most manageable load.