<p>I just wanted your opinion on which high school course sequence would be better.
I want to major in Math/ Computer Engineering in college, so I want to focus on Physics. However, a lot of people recommend taking Chemistry as well, so should I do: (By the way, Physics C: Mechanics is the only AP Physics class our school has)</p>
<p>The reason I'm asking is I was wondering if colleges would look down on me if I go to highest level courses like AP Physics C in junior year, and then drop down to regular Chemistry in my senior year. But on the other hand, you apply for college in late junior year/early senior year and if I took Physics C in Senior year, colleges would only get a mid-year report and not see how I did in the entire course (which I want them to see). What would be a better course sequence? Thanks.</p>
If your HS gives more weight to your GPA for honors and AP classes, taking Physics Honors and AP Physics C earlier can boost your GPA. Your GPA at the end of junior year is most important.
There is some overlap with calculus and physics, so it’s nice to take them both in the same year.
The “typical” sequence is bio, chem, phys. If you take chem senior year, you are likely to be in a class with mostly sophomores. Does that bother you?
I doubt “dropping” from honors/AP physics to regular chem would be a deal-breaker for any college. (although at the most selective colleges I guess ANYTHING could be a deal-breaker) More of a deal-breaker might be not taking chem at all. But since you seem to have an aptitude for math and science, why not take chem honors?</p>
<p>The reason is that Physics is more math-oriented than Chem, so I’d prefer taking regular Chem over Chem Honors because I’d understand more in regular chemistry and I don’t want to screw up my GPA if I mess up in Chem Honors. (More of a math/physics person.) My high school does not give weight to AP/Honors Class (It sucks.) Also, because I’m taking Calc BC in 10th grade, and Phys. Honors is a prereq for AP Physics C at my school (And Biology in 9th is mandatory), there’s no way I can take Physics C and Calc in the same year (I can, however, take Physics Honors with Calc BC). Taking classes with sophomores wouldn’t really bother me, what matters more is the course itself.</p>
<p>So, after hearing all that, what would you recommend?</p>
<p>Please don’t put too much weight on my advice. I’m a mom of a HS senior who is not pursuing science in college, so I don’t have any special knowledge or authority on this subject. That said, I think the second sequence, with chem senior year, might be best, especially if you do well in the physics classes. This will demonstrate your math aptitude to colleges and will also show you are pursing rigorous courses. But do take chemistry. Also, it does sort of suck that your school doesn’t weight honors and AP classes. But some colleges will recalculate your GPA using their own weighting system, so you may still get “extra credit” for your honors and AP classes.</p>
<p>Take Chemistry Honors in senior year. Trust me, the theoretical stuff in chemistry is basically physics. If you can hack Calc BC as a sophomore, Chem should be no problem.</p>
<p>“Physics is more math-oriented than chem”
Lol. They’re both math oriented. Of course, they both have a lot of logical reasoning too. If you can handle AP Physics, there’s no reason you couldn’t do AP Chem. This is coming from someone who took AP Chem (got a 5 on the test) and took Physics w/ Calc.</p>
<p>If you really want to specialize in math/science, I suggest this</p>
<p>This is a somewhat hefty course load, but will give you a huge leg up on other people through weighted GPA calculations and the strength of your academic schedule. You may want to consider dual-enrolling for your English credits too, since you get a year of credit for a semester course there and they are often easier than their AP equivalents (though I make no such claims about math/science at college)</p>
<p>Also, if you do what I suggest above, you’ll have more flexibility when you actually have to decide what major you take later on. Believe me, even if it seems concrete right now, you may still change your mind later and you’ll want to have taken the classes to be able to do whatever you want.</p>
<p>Also, I suggested Physics w/ Calc rather than AP Physics because the DE course will actually go over electricity and magnetism while the AP mechanics course will not.</p>