<p>So you know how there's always that one not-so-good teacher in each subject that all the high-achieving students don't want to get because he or she doesn't teach? Well this year, I got that particular teacher for first-year Chemistry. Now, I am worried about how I will fare next year in AP Chemistry. For the past month and a half, my teacher has been teaching only Stochiometry and Balancing Equations. The other month and a half before these topics, we learned only Group/Periodic Trends, Lewis Dot Structures, Ions, and Metallic/Ionic/Covalent Bonding. I'm worried because the other teachers teaching first-year Chemistry have gone through ALL of these topics PLUS Solubility, Polar Bonding, and a hell of other stuff. Will I be prepared for AP Chemistry next year? Here is a calendar that my teacher prepared showing all the topics we will have throughout this school year.</p>
<p>September - Atomic and Molecular Structure, Nuclear Chemistry
October - Chemical Bonds, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
November, December - Balancing Equations, Conservation of Matter and Stoichiometry
January, February - Gases and their properties, Solutions, Chemical Thermodynamics
March, April - Acids and Bases, Reaction Rates, Chemical Equilibrium </p>
<p>There's even a day on the calendar in May where it says this:
Stuff I Haven't Covered that (Insert Name of AP Chemistry teacher here) Wants For AP</p>
<p>I think that you’ll be fine. In my AP Chemistry class, we’re basically going over everything we learned last year and then expanding on them. For example, wheres last year for the gas laws we learned boyles, charles, avogadros, pv=nrt, this year we did stuff like root means square speed, variations of pv=nrt using density and molar mass, etc.</p>
<p>My AP Chem class already went over all of this in almost half a semester. Just putting that out there.</p>
<p>You should definitely take AP Chem. If it’s the year after Chem, then that’s even better. I was in a similar situation. Horrible teacher, horrible explanations, horrible results. I just had to accept the concepts rather than understand them. I’m taking AP Chem 2 years later and I’m doing very well in the class. It goes much more in-depth, and while that does mean “harder” concepts to understand, it also means that you’ll comprehend the concepts much better. And my AP Chem teacher isn’t even that good of a teacher. </p>
<p>You should take it. You go over everything you learned in Chem, so there’s nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Don’t rule AP Chem out so quickly. At my school of the 60 kids enrolled this year, 52 are sophomores (myself included). This means that 52/60 kids are taking AP without having ever taken another chemistry class. Whatever background you’re gaining this year is significantly more than any of us had to start with. This being said, not everyone has an A, or a B, or even a C. It isn’t an EASY class, but it’s doable if you’re willing to work hard, read the book, work ahead, and pay attention. The 10 kids who dropped didn’t do any of these things. Also, keep in mind that my teacher doesn’t teach, answers questions with questions, and present blatant misinformation to the class. Despite this, last year almost everyone got a 4 or a 5. Don’t worry so much, it isn’t impossible, and hopefully your teacher will be better than mine.</p>
<p>Yeah I have that teacher for AP Physics C. He’s a genius but he doesn’t teach, and the fact that he has two classes my hour only makes it worse.</p>
<p>Needless to say, I’m most likely not getting an A.</p>
<p>Never took AP Chem but if it’s anything like my AP Physics C experience I would probably avoid taking it.</p>