<p>My 9th grader hears his friends complain about biology class and does not want to take it next year (some of his classmates are doing bio in 9th but most are taking earth science.) He loves science and will probably make it his career, but wants to do only physical science. Next year (10th) would be the normal time to take biology at his school. But, he wants to go straight from earth science in 9th to chemistry in 10th, then physics, then take some advanced science electives his school offers. It seems unheard-of to me to skip bio. Isn't that the science course everyone takes? I must admit, the way it is taught at our school seems kind-of boring. His brother took honors bio in 9th and later AP in 11th. Brother liked AP (cool research projects), but honors was just a lot of drudgery of note taking. I think brother burned out on bio altogether from the experience, and is through for life.</p>
<p>Has anyone's science-liking student skipped bio? Are there any disadvantages? (Is biology on the ACT?)</p>
<p>The ACT science section is more about being able to interpret something that they give you rather than testing your knowledge of particular science fields. That said, skipping bio because it might be boring is not a valid excuse. In New York State an Advanced Regents Diploma requires the biology regents exam.</p>
<p>I think some level of biology is required at our HS. I don’t know anyone who skipped it, nor would I let one of my kids skip. Can he take both Earth Science and Bio next year if he wants to take lots of science courses? That is what some kids do here; my kids all skipped Earth Science but my D did take both Honors Chem and Honors Physics soph year.</p>
<p>I skipped Bio back in the last century and it was never a problem. Years later when I needed general college bio because if a career change, I aced the class.</p>
<p>If bio is not a school district or state graduation requirement, your son can safely skip it for now. He should look ahead to see if any colleges he is interested in do require it.</p>
<p>oops, I misread your first post. The science-y kids all take bio in 9th here. Perhaps this is a good question for college admissions offices, see if they prefer bio on a transcript.</p>
<p>I think it would be wise to pick it up before he applies to college but whether that is sophomore or junior year probably doesn’t matter. I do not think it is wise to skip it completely. It probably won’t impact the ACT and hopefully by junior year when he takes the ACTs that will count he will have had some biology if not an entire semester or two. YMMV depending on how your school structures science classes e.g. trimesters, semesters, full year. Most of the kids in our neck of the woods go with at least a partial year to full year of bio, chemistry and physics then either Anatomy/Physiology or Earth Science or advanced AP type classes in bio/chem or physics in lieu of Anatomy or Earth Science. Again, your mileage may vary dependent on what your school offers. You could certainly ask the guidance office what they recommend for a college bound student.</p>
<p>Sylvan, several of the very highly regarded districts in Westchester do not give Advanced Regents diplomas at all. I do not think it is a credential that means a lot. That being said, if biology is anywhere in the kid’s future, he should take it. I skipped it and went to Ivy (but took advanced physics and advanced chem)</p>
<p>Actually I would take it one step further : Earth Science is a complete waste of time ( unless you are entering that field ) Advanced bio should be offered to eighth graders followed by chemistry in 9th and physics in 10th. Now the student has 11th and 12th grade to takes two AP science courses in bio, chem, physics or an earth science course if necessary! IMHO Earth science is given far too much importance in NYS and in their infinite wisdom, a student who wishes to take AP physics, does so without ever taking an introductory physics course ( mind you arguably the most difficult of AP course is taken without an intro course). Does that make any sense?</p>
<p>This is what CA Dept of Education says says for science requirements:</p>
<p>For HS graduation: Two years, including biological and physical sciences. </p>
<p>For UCs: Two years with lab required, chosen from biology, chemistry, and physics.
Three years recommended. </p>
<p>For CSUs: Two years, including one year of biological and one year of physical science with lab. </p>
<p>That said, at my kids’ schools, the science sequence is physics–chem–biology for 9-10-11 grade, with the idea that biology after chem and physics can be taught at a more sophisticated level. Perhaps he can take a more advanced bio class in 11th or 12th grade.</p>
<p>University of Michigan says 3 years of science including 1 year of biology for LSA and for Engineering 4 years of science including chemistry, biology and physics. I don’t think Earth Science is a waste of time, but I think it secondary to bio, chemistry and physics core classes either as regular classes or as AP-branded or honors or some such designation as would Anatomy & Physiology, or Astrology or any of the other add-on science classes high schools have these days. College pretty simply look for core competencies.</p>
<p>You can notch it all the way up. MIT, recommended: one year of high school physics, one year of high school chemistry, one year of high school biology, math, through calculus.</p>
<p>Somewhere in there, APs. For a different tier, you can just go hunt the info for some likely colleges he might be interested in, see what they recommend.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really don’t know which way he’ll head in terms of college. He’s still only half way through 9th grade. I could just as easily see him at a LAC as at a purely tech school (he likes robotics, etc.). But I do appreciate the college requirements that have been posted. Makes me lean towards my gut instinct that bio is best not avoided.</p>
<p>Didn’t MIT require bio for all of its own students for a while, to take at while MIT? I am not sure they still have that requirement, but they did for a while, on the philosophy that educated people should understand biology, genetics, human health.</p>
<p>Nouve55 – my kid is absolutely jazzed about earth science. Because of climate change, I would argue its something all students should have, and not a waste of time. I would much rather he take courses he is enthusiastic about rather than become a little mini professor before he even enters college. Education should be fun.</p>
Not in our school district. Biology, chemistry, and physics all require an intro course first before the AP course. The student who wants to take AP physics and who has taken earth science would probably double up the science courses at least one of his years.</p>
<p>^^ I agree with your statement about earth science. My oldest preferred Anatomy & Physiology, but my second loved earth science and is graduating college at the end of a year with a BS in Environmental Science with a water concentration and a minor in geography and is currently the student representative for a regional water symposium. His 9th grade earth science class WAS the class that spurred the rest of his education so far. Core classes should not hinder college bound students from pursing things that interest them, but core classes are core for the simple reason they are foundational for the college experience. Also I wince when I hear people make blanket statements…my kid who loved earth science disliked chemistry both in HS and the few classes he needed to take in college. Another son loved physics (and was good at it) but disliked bio and chemistry…so it’s not really a one size fits all with the sciences. Just because you can play a violin doesn’t mean you can sing. Just because you can dance doesn’t mean you can act.</p>
<p>[MIT</a> Course Catalog: Undergraduate General Institute Requirements](<a href=“Welcome! < MIT”>Welcome! < MIT) says that at least one biology subject is required. (MIT uses “subject” to mean what most other schools refer to as a “course”.)</p>
<p>Other requirements include a semester of chemistry, a year of physics, a year of calculus (which is accelerated to cover what most other schools over in three semesters), eight HASS subjects, two communication subjects in HASS, and two communication subjects in the major. Note that these requirements apply to all majors, including HASS majors. (HASS = humanities, arts, social studies)</p>
<p>In our district the advanced kids take biology in 8th grade which kind of insures they get it out of the way. Most take AP Bio junior year after taking chem in 9th grade, and AP physics B in 10th. Bio is pretty basic, though I suspect you could take AP Bio without the basic bio course.</p>
<p>Someone upthread alluded to the fact that some Westchester districts didn’t follow the NYS Regents exam requirements. Historically Scarsdale was one of these districts, but looking at their website it seems clear they expect you to take biology in some form. I had no idea that the Regents would count a 3 on AP Bio as equivalent to passing a Regents exam. Probably too arcane for most readers, but of interest if you happen to be from NYS.</p>
<p>My son took bio in 9th grade. It was required at his public hs. AP Bio he would not take, in spite of the reputation of the teacher for being fabulous, the reputation was also a ginormous amount of work. He was already taking other AP courses, submitting college apps and doing ECs. I tried to nudge him toward AP Bio, but I wasn’t going to be the one doing the work. He did force himself to take AP Calc. He was accepted to all of his colleges.</p>
<p>It is likely that the OP’s question is unusual because students who do not take all three of the main sciences tend to skip physics, rather than biology. For regular non-AP courses, biology is usually seen as the “easiest” one to be taken first (usually 9th or 10th grade), while physics is usually seen as the “hardest” one to be taken later (usually 11th or 12th grade).</p>