I’m a freshman this year, and I take two science classes. One is “Principles of Biomedical Science” which is basically what the title says, and I got an A first semester and will almost defiantly get an A the next semester. The other class I have is Honors Earth Science. The teacher is honestly horrible, but I’ve been nice to him and he seems to like me enough. I need his signature to get into AP Biology. First semester I got a B, and I’m trying really hard to get an A this semester. Will the B in my Honors Earth Science stop me from taking AP bio? Is it wise to even take it with a B?
Oh and I won’t be able to take any other AP classes that year, though I’ll be taking honors pre-calculus and possibly honors english (I haven’t decided yet). The only world cultures class at my school freshman year is AP European History, and you can’t take both AP classes (taking AP bio also requires taking chemistry, leaving no room for AP European History).
I can’t tell you if the B is going to prevent you from taking AP Bio. Only your teacher can tell you that.
Ask both your science teachers (and your friends) about the difficulty of AP Bio as it varies greatly from school to school. Judging from their descriptions of the class and recommendations, you should be able to make an informative decision on whether you can handle the rigor so early on in your high school career.
Also, make sure that Biology interests you. There is no point in taking AP Bio if you don’t like Biology.
Can’t you just override a teacher recommendation?
Only take AP Bio if you are willing to put in lots of time reading and studying each night. Regardless of how easy some people make it seem on here, it is a demanding course. Lots of studying and reading on your own.
Honestly though, if this is the only AP you’ll be taking next year, I’m sure you’ll do just fine; you seem like a dedicated enough student, considering you’re even on this website. (:
If you’re passionate about biology (which you’d have to be, if you were to take AP Bio) then you should take your learning into your own hands. Go to Khan Academy or grab a textbook, and start reviewing and going farther in-depth with the material you’ve covered already (especially from last semester).
If Honors ES doesn’t equate to Honors Bio, you’ll either have to do a lot of self-study or consider another class; I’m unsure whether the class will prepare you for college-level biology coursework by itself.
However, if you do pursue personal studies, don’t keep the teacher entirely out of the equation. I feel you should find alternative ways of learning with them, engaging one-on-one if you can. If you’re polite and make good discussion, they might take a real shine to you!
You also might find they sometimes leave curriculum elements untouched, since they can’t move the class along fast enough to teach them all- dropping them for time’s sake. This is bad for any aspiring AP Bio student, given the class’ speed and depth, so filling these gaps is important.
Also- reconsider how you’re taking notes! I can’t tell you whether or not the teacher is bad- I’ll just take your word for it- but consider whether or not they’re really at fault. More thorough notes (or different paraphrasing strategies) might help you during lectures.
Good luck! I hope you end up where you want to be. 