I was wondering if it would be possible to self-study AP Chem and AP Bio? I’ll be taking Honors Biology and CP Chemistry this year, in addition to an actual AP class of AP US History.
I self studied AP Bio this year, after taking a class last year in it. My advice is to only do it if you are very self motivated and determined. There is a huge amount of knowledge you need to know, so it’s very easy to fall behind, especially with some of the more complicated topics. I really wouldn’t recommend self studying both AP chem and bio at the same time because both are very time intensive (as far as I can see from chem pre work aha I’m taking it this year). Good luck!!
Are you good in science? AP sciences have some of the hardest tests and material out of all the AP classes. Self-studying any class requires a lot of time set aside (with exception to the extremely easy classes) and good retention if you are studying long-term, especially dense courses like AP Chem and AP Bio. AP Chem is one of the hardest courses to self-study. Unless science is your forte and your teacher is very good, I would highly encourage you not to self-study (especially two dense AP science courses in the same year).
I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone, first because those are meant to be lab courses, and what would be the point of just taking the AP test? Secondly, those are two of the hardest APs. And in your case, you aren’t even in honors basic chem. Bad idea all around. Do well in your science classes this year and just take them at your school. If they aren’t offered at your school then maybe think about one of them for next year, only if you are particularly interested in science and not because you think this will wow colleges, because it won’t.
I would not recommend self-studying AP Bio. Taking the course at school was brutal enough, and I can’t even imagine what self-studying for the course would have been like.
Thanks for all the responses! @mathyone I’m only taking CP Chem because for some reason bc my high school doesn’t let people take AP Chem before taking CP Chem, and I would’ve taken AP if that option was open to me. I’m leaning more towards CLEPing out of Biology, and maybe dual enrolling for Chemistry after a little more research.
" because for some reason bc my high school doesn’t let people take AP Chem before taking CP Chem," The reason would be because AP chem is one of the hardest APs and they don’t want their students to flounder.
Most high schools seem to require a year prior to AP–it’s not unusual. The problem arises in high schools which only run 6 classes–they seem to be more likely to allow students to jump straight into AP because it becomes harder to fit in all the prerequisites. But taking only 6 classes also means that their students also are getting more instructional time, or else more study time, and have fewer other classes to study for, so they can be expected to work a little harder.