I’m currently taking chemistry at a community college and this coming year I will be taking 3 APs: AP Chem, AP Spanish, and AP World (hopefully self study AP Psych) as a sophomore. I would like to go to a UC or a private college (in hopes of an ivy league as well).
My Chemistry class at the community college has been a bit harder than expected… I think that more likely than not I’ll be getting a B in this class. Is it worth transferring my credits from the college if I get a B? Is there a way to not transfer my credits but still take AP Chem? (I don’t think that Chemistry is a set prerequisite of AP Chem at our school, but I think that if I told them I took Chem at a community college they would ask for my transcript…)
What classes should I take Junior year? I was planning on taking 4 or 5 APs or at least self study some of them.
I know that I want to take AP Lang, APush, and AP Bio. Any other suggestions?
Am I doing enough as a Sophomore? I would definitely like any input on what I should plan to do (be honest!).
I’m sorry this is a really long post, but any advice is much appreciated. Thank you soooo much
You should probably be able to take AP Chem. You are doing PLENTY! I’m going to be a rising sophmore and am taking AP Physics I and AP World. Only thing I would add to your junior schelcule might be AP Calc AB or BC, if you are feeling ambiguous.
I definitely think that you’re doing enough!!! Personally, I would send the college chemistry class grade. Most sophomores aren’t taking college classes, so I think sending it would make you look more competitive once you start applying to colleges. You don’t have to transfer your credits if you want to take AP Chem. For junior year, I think you have a couple different options. You could take AP Statistics as a junior, and then take AP Calculus AB as a senior. Or you could take AP Calculus AB as a junior, and then take AP Calculus BC as a senior. These two options are the most popular at my high school. What are you planning on majoring in? This will have an effect on what AP classes you should take. I can’t think of any other AP classes that you should add. Like I’ve said before, I’d transfer your credit and still take AP Chem if it’s possible.
You’re doing enough for a sophomore. Taking three APs is more than most sophomores do, even for the ones who really excel in school. I would take AP Calc BC in your junior year/senior year because it covers all of the material that AP Calc AB does plus a bit more.
I think it’s cool that someone else is taking chemistry at a cc because that’s exactly what I did this summer, although my school’s AP Chem class didn’t have enough people sign up so I can’t take it.
Thank you guys so much for responding! About the AP Calc - our school allows us to double up on AP Calc AB and BC senior year so I was just going to wait until then. Unfortunately, my school doesn’t offer AP Stats. I would like to major in biology (or something along the lines of that) and go to med school to become a pediatrician of some sort. I haven’t worked out the exact details yet, but that’s the general idea The APs I was going to take in senior year are:
AP Calc AB/BC
AP Lit
AP Environmental sciences
I’m not sure if there’s any other APs I can fit into my schedule… But open to suggestions!
Make sure to have each of Physics, Bio, and Chem, plus at least one of those at the AP level. CC classes are super-intense AP classes (ie., except for Calc BC and Physics C, they cover the same amount of material as an AP class, but in 4 months instead of 10… and for a summer class that’s even more intense!) A B in a college class as a rising sophomore will look pretty darn good.
Roughly, make sure that you have 1 each of English, Math, Science, Social Science, and Foreign language every year, then if you have space, one “fun” class, like progamming, orchestra, cooking, or shop that’ll help you distinguish yourself from everyone else.
The Ivy League (and, I believe, the UCs) consider that after 8 APs for HS (total), academic rigor has been demonstrated. The law of diminishing returns applies. You’re better off trying to take the next level at a CC, for instance (if you took AB+BC junior year, take Calc3&4 senior year rather than AP Stats for instance. If you took AP US H, take a sophomore-level history class. Etc.)
Biology is a major with few prospects, since the majority of Bio majors who didn’t get into med school flood the market and there are few job openings without a grad degree. You can major in anything, preferably “traditional liberal arts”, to get into med school, as long as you’ve got a high GPA and take all the required classes with high grades too.
The APs I was going to take in senior year are: