<p>Hi, I'm going into my senior year of high school. I'm a little indecisive on which course to take, given that i want to maintain my 4.0 GPA for my college application. </p>
<p>I heard that APES is easier than AP Physics. BUT if I do take APES, then I would have never taken a physics course in high school. Would this look bad on college applications? I'm planning to apply to some Ivies, and will most likely be a business major. </p>
<p>I can’t speak for every single college out there, but I know that William & Mary likes to see physics on a transcript, whether it’s AP Physics or honors. Also, a previous math teacher of mine said that college admissions like to see either physics or calculus on a transcript if possible, and preferably both. In your case, I think taking AP Physics would be a smarter move, but taking AP Enviro won’t be the sole reason you’re rejected/accepted to any colleges.</p>
<p>You don’t need a Physics course if you want to be a business major. I would take APES if I were you. It isn’t easier than Physics. It just examines different and less conceptual ideas. Difficulty is subjective and colleges know that. They view all APs with the same rigor and you will be fine with either one. But for you, APES is better because you don’t plan on applying to a college for STEM.</p>
<p>Lilaznswimma, I think it’s important to have a well-rounded curriculum regardless of prospective major. However, you are right in that OP should worry more about essays and leadership roles at this point. </p>
<p>Most Ivies don’t have business programs, maybe your need to explore further. Extremely competitive colleges look for students that take rigorous curriculum and challenge themselves. Missing a core science class to take an easier one is pretty transparent. So you will have a hole in your curriculum as well as looking like a cutting corners type of person or grade grubber. They don’t want people in strong colleges that are afraid to take hard classes for gpa protection, seriously. Middle school isn’t counted for hs transcripts btw.</p>
<p>He/She might be taken other challenging courses that aren’t listed in the OP. For all we know, there’s only a list of the science courses that has been taken in the past 4 years. Taking physics is probably viewed as a better idea, but college admissions will not be solely be decided on that one class the OP doesn’t take.</p>
<p>APES difficulty honestly depends on your school. At my school, it’s a harder course than AP Biology and AP English, and maybe even AP Physics 1/B.</p>
<p>I think colleges like to see Bio-Chem-Physics. At our community HS no one can take AP without taking a regular or honors version of that science first, so it’s not possible for most to get AP versions of Bio-Chem-Physics, but most kids do get the three, at least.</p>
<p>So I like the honors physics idea bopper posted.</p>
<p>Most top colleges like to see the bio-chem-physics core. APES on top of Living Environment and Earth Science looks like the easy way out to may, and I suspect admissions officers would think the same.</p>
<p>Are they both equal to you? If so, taking AP Physics might not be a bad option. Some colleges grant credit for APES, but almost all grant credit for physics. Simply because the curriculum for APES can vary at every school. However, depending on the type of student you are, you may find it more difficult.</p>
<p>In my senior year, I took both APES and honors physics. Physics had some interesting concepts and I could see why it is one of the fundamental sciences, but things I learned from APES I enjoyed much more. I wouldn’t say it was the easy way out though</p>
<p>@topaz116 So many CC posters talk about “lite” APs, and cases like yours show why that argument is bogus. If an AP was “lite”, it wouldn’t be an AP at all. If APs are taught with the proper rigor, none of them are “lite” or an easy way out. College admissions officers know this, and would never say “Oh, this student only took APES and not Chem. S/He didn’t challenge themselves”. An AP class is an AP class. Difficulty is subjective, so calling one AP harder than the other is ridiculous. When I was in high school, I struggled to grasp freshman Bio, but I absolutely loved Physics and Calc as an upperclassman. It’s all subjective.</p>
<p>Many of the AP courses considered “lite” are those which attempt to emulate semester-long college courses over a year in high school, and the emulated college courses are not the most difficult ones to begin with (or are less likely to be given subject credit by colleges).</p>
<p>@ribbonroad224 or anyone else: Does conceptual physics count as a physics course? I took that class as a freshmen and have taken Chemistry and AP Biology. For senior year I’ll be taking AP Chemistry. I want to major in biology and environmental science so I’m thinking c-phys covers the physics sector…?</p>