Senior Year Scheduling Conflict

Applying to College
1

Hello all,
So I recently was told that there was a conflict with my schedule for next year. Originally I was taking:
AP Literature
AP Bio
AP BC Calc
AP Spanish
AP World History
Honors Chem II
Honors Philosophy

But I was just told that BC Calc was being offered the same block as both honors and AP Chem. My options would be to take AP Psych in place of chem altogether or to drop to AB Calc and take some level of chem (if I did this should I move up to AP Chem to increase rigor and make up for the decrease in math rigor?)

Some info about me to help: I am currently class valedictorian and would (ideally) like to stay that way (not necessarily for college admissions, I know top 10% is all that’s really needed, but I just really want to speak at graduation). I am shooting for very selective schools (top choices include Columbia and the like, don’t have any expectations but a boy can dream). My SAT scores are 2380 superscored and for SAT II I have an 800 on US History and 720 on bio (awaiting two more scores). I want to go pre-med in college as well, so the not taking chem thing is really scaring me, will I be at a disadvantage if I don’t take it?

Please help!

2

If you even non-honors chemistry should give you enough background to take general chemistry once you get to college. Don’t worry about that.

3

No. If you were planning on taking Chem II, that implies that you already had chem I. It’s fine. If need be, the GC can mention it on the Secondary School Report.
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It is highly unlikely that this would effect your GC’s rating of course rigor. There is no category called super-duper extra demanding; as long as your schedule is marked “most demanding,” no college is going to microanalyze the components.

4

so I talked with my gc and basically my options are:
BC Calc with AP Psychology or
AB Calc with AP Chem

Which should I go with? Which will help me the most with being pre med and hoping for an ivy? For clarification, I’m leaning towards a neuroscience major right now.

5

Flip a coin. Ask Magic 8-Ball.

Assuming you know who will be teaching the courses, pick the combo with the best teachers/have better results on the AP tests. For college admissions there is no advantage to one over the other.

6

For pre-med, I would take AP Chem. It would be good to have that background.
You don’t need as advanced math for pre-med.

7

I would say do AB Calc and AP chem, since you want to be pre-med. AP Psych is seen as a very easy AP by colleges.

8

While I agree with you both @bopper @yonceonhismouth I think I’m gonna go with BC Calc and AP Psych because AP Chem at my school is known as absolute hell because the teacher is terrible. I’ve talked with several kids that took it and all of them have strongly urged me not to take it. This won’t work to my disadvantage in college as a pre med will it?

9

If you have had high school chemistry, you should be ready for chemistry in college.

10

Okay great, I’ve already taken 1 year of it, I was just scared that I wouldn’t be ready without the second level at my school.