<p>My D in high school plans on studying either electrical, computer or aerospace engineering. As a sophomore in high school, she plans on skipping AP Chemistry and wants to focus more on Physics & AP Physics + AP Calc and AP Programming through her senior year and then take general chemistry in college. </p>
<p>I suggested this is not a good idea and it would be better to take AP Chemistry, and even skipping the exam, but be ready for it in college. Is this a good idea?</p>
<p>It is a lot better to be exposed to the higher level Chemistry in high school, even if she does not take the AP exam. I personally love Calculus and Physics and hate Chemistry, I’m sure many engineers do, but it is a necessity to take general chem at most universities so you might as well take it in high school.</p>
<p>If chemistry is a peripheral requirement for the major, it is possible that at some universities that AP credit can be used against it.</p>
<p>Intro to chemistry is definitely going to be there in your engineering study. Depends on the major, one may have to take several chemistry courses.</p>
<p>I’d say do chemistry in high school, and you don’t have to have AP chemistry. You see… not everyone needs to have all these fancy AP credits.
Pick the one you feel more comfortable with. I think AP chemistry is a killer - that you have to memorize hundreds of substance names. In my general chem study I barely had to memorize any name. Well, depends on your professor too.</p>
<p>Well, I agree with all of the comments here. She has had the 1st year of general chemistry in high school, and I’ve suggested if she skip AP Chemistry or the 2nd year of general chemistry, then in college she should take 2 semesters of quantum mechanics, 1 semester of solid state physics, and 1 semester of nuclear physics as a substitute. :)</p>
<p>I am not following you, AG2014, sorry.</p>
<p>So she had high school chemistry already. She wants to skip AP Chemistry so she can focus on physics?
She needs AP Physics C credits to skip at least the introductory mechanics. Most likely a 5. Some schools allows score of 4 too. Depends on the school.</p>
<p>Nuclear physics? What is this course for???
I think we are thinking too much ahead. Whether she takes AP Physics C or AP Chem, the final outcome of whether she can skip General Chem / Physics 1 in college is up to that college’s AP credit policy.</p>
<p>Does her HS even offer Physics C? My HS only teaches Physics B, but my teacher was willing to help us with Physics C materials. You can take Physics C even if you are enrolled in AP Physics B course. You are just getting an extra examination booklet during the AP exam.</p>
<p>Even if she gets a perfect score on the exam, it’s worth nothing since you need to take higher level chemistry in college that needs calculus as at least a co-requisite. If I were her I’d still take the class for the experience so it will prepare her for her college Chemistry and it will be a piece of cake when she takes it.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’ve been away from this thread for a while. </p>
<p>For the engineering disciplines of EE, Comp. Eng, and Aerospace, not more than general chemistry is required. So, AP Chem can be skipped in high school, but is not advisable. </p>
<p>Physics C material is offered in D’s school as an extra-curricular activity after school. The point being, D does not like chemistry and we, her parents, are forcing it on her. She does like other math based subjects and has the aptitude for them.</p>
<p>At our local HS the AP science classes are not as desirable as the honors courses. Yes, you can potentially earn college credit and get a bonus on your weighted gpa. But, the classes are taught more rigidly and can be boring for students. </p>
<p>Any chemistry class in HS will help when your daughter has to take engineering chemistry at college. If the HS teacher for AP Chemistry is not good then I don’t think you gain anything by forcing her to take the class. On the other hand if she knows that the teacher is really good she might discover that Chemistry can be quite interesting. We don’t have the option of taking an AP class but not testing at our local HS.</p>
<p>For her proposed majors I think she may have to take only 3 credits of Chemistry + lab at college. But there should be many more required Physics classes. I think her plan is fine as long as she takes honors Chemistry in HS.</p>
<p>Chris,</p>
<p>Thanks. I think that is good plan. My D’s high school doesn’t have an honors science program, its just regular chemistry, biology and physics followed by the respective AP course. For those who don’t want the AP course, but want to follow on in the subject, they do have a 2nd year of those science courses, but they are not designated as honors. However, the AP teachers are good compared to the standard science teachers and that is worth considering.</p>
<p>Let her do what she wants. It’s not really that big of a deal.</p>
<p>The only real advantage I’d see in taking AP Chem over Physics C is that often times a 5 on chem can get you out of an entire year of chemistry plus a lab science course. I know with my 4 I got out of the first semester of chem plus the lab, and then I took the second semester, slept in class every day, and still wound up with one of the highest grades in the class (I figure the AP test day was just a really bad day, I missed a bubble, or something).</p>
<p>With Physics C you’d only get out of a year’s worth of physics if you take both Newtonian and E&M, and then manage to get 5s on both of them.</p>
<p>I agree with ziggy</p>
<p>You definitely should. Chem might come in handy later, especially if your D decides to change.</p>
<p>You can’t run away from the Chemistry; it’ll have to be taken sooner or later. But the same can be said for Physics and Calculus.</p>
<p>Check to see college’s AP policies. AP Chem credit will get a student 2 semesters, where some Physics is only one course, and some engineering schools (UIUC comes to mind) doesn’t accept all Physics for engineers.</p>
<p>I would recommend taking both Chem and Physics, for any engineer will be proficient in both, but taking Physics and not Chem shouldn’t be too big of a deal, especially if she’s passionate about Physics or struggles and wants the extra experience.</p>
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<p>Woah, that’s totally untrue.</p>
<p>Anyways. AP Chem is very similar to general chem in college, which is why success in AP Chem allows you to skip the course. If your daughter has already taken a lower level chem class in highschool is not interested in skipping general chem in college, I don’t see any particular reason to take AP Chem rather than AP Physics or Calculus. Personally I think Chem is far easier to keep up with than Calculus or advanced Physics; in my opinion, taking calc/physics ahead of time is far more advantageous than taking chem ahead of time.</p>
<p>Why doesn’t she skip another class? For example, I plan to pursue engineering as well, and also plan to take AP physics and BC calc by senior year, but in order for me to fit AP chem (as well as my other AP’s) I will finish the required level 3 in a foreign language, and for junior and senior year I won’t be taking language and will instead focus on other subjects.</p>
<p>Also, I agree with Ziggy. It’s not that big of a deal. Engineering is primarily focused on physics and math (except chemical E, biochemical E etc…)). If she want’s to take it, let her. If she doesn’t, don’t force her. If my parents forced me to specific classes I know I would unappreciated them. My parents simply make sure I have a decent plan for later and do well in school, and I decide the classes.</p>
<p>Even ChemE is heavily focused on physics and calculus.</p>
<p>Can she skip physics 1 and go straight in to AP?</p>
<p>^how would that work?</p>