Hi, I am a high school student going to major in chemical engineering in college. Would colleges rather see me take 2 years of chemistry (Chem Honors + AP Chem) and 1 year of physics (AP Physics C), or two years of physics (Physics Honors and AP Physics C) and one year of chemistry (AP Chemistry)? Also, which SAT Subject tests should I take? I already took SAT Bio and I plan to take SAT Math 2.
Tests: Math II and one or both of Chem and physics
The class question seems to depend more on preparation – can you hop into AP Chem or AP Physics C without the honors version first? What do people at your school do?
Yes, you are allowed to hop into the AP classes. Of course, you will have to do prior preparation during the summer, but it is possible to do so.
Whether you can hop into AP courses or not may depend on whether your high school allows it. My kids’ high school does not. At our high school you must earn at least a B at the Honore level before being allowed into an AP course. You cannot take the AP course without first taking the Honors level.
As for what Subject tests to take, I would check with the school you are applying to. Many strong engineering schools do not require subject tests at all.
The school won’t care as long as you get good grades in either option.
If you want to do Chemical Engineering I would do the two Chemistry classes and one Physics. But if you did it the other way around that would be fine too
Since you’ve already taken bio once you take math 2 there will be virtually no need for you to take any more subject tests (most schools don’t require them and almost all that do only require two).
But to answer your question, for a potential ChemE I’d say two years of Chem and one year of physics with the SAT Math 2 and either Physics or Chem (preferred) subject tests.
I would do the two years of Chemistry and the one year of AP Physics. Physics is just as important because it’s engineering but you’re talking about chemical engineering here. So chem is more important. For SAT Subject tests, SAT Math 2 and Chem are good. You can take physics if you need a third test or if you feel like you need to prove your proficiency in physics.
Please check requirements of the engineering programs you expect to apply to. Many will want SAT2 for Chem or Physics–Bio is not good enough, and a few might specify Physics.
Plenty of schools won’t care about SATII scores at all and plenty will. That question is best directed to the admissions websites of the schools to which you intend to apply.
Thanks guys for all the responses! Most of the schools I’m applying to (the UCs, Rice) recommend that I take SAT math 2 and a science test related to my intended major. The problem is, I don’t know whether Chemistry or Physics test is more relevant to chemical engineering, or which one they specifically prefer. It will be difficult for me to take both as the only physics class I’m taking is AP Physics C mechanics
Thank you so much! I will take the SAT Chemistry and if I have time, I will take SAT physics.
Both are highly relevant for chemical engineering.
High school chemistry or AP chemistry should prepare you for the SAT chemistry subject test.
High school physics should prepare you for the SAT physics subject test. If you take only AP physics (without high school physics), you would need to take both parts of the series to get better coverage of the topics (and the C series does not cover all of the topics even if you take both parts).
Definitely take a Math I/II (either one) and Chem SAT subject test.
If you are confident you can do well in AP Chem, you should take it before senior year to display your aptitude to colleges.
Math level 2 is the preferred math subject test for a student who completes precalculus and trigonometry in 11th grade (or earlier).
saif235 do you mean that sat chemistry is preferred?