Hey there! Im currently a high school senior and just recently moved across country from an IB school to an AP School. Unfortunately, the IB Chemistry Curriculum didnt’t match up properly with AP Chem, and I am 5 chapters behind. I want to go to school for Biomedical Engineering so obviously Chemistry is important, but I am also taking AP Lit, Ap Psych, AP Environmental Science, and AP Calculus BC. Additionally, I have never taken any chemistry class before, but due to teacher reccomendation was placed into advanved chemistry classes. I have taken AP Biology in the past and it was a breeze, and I got a 5 on the exam, but biology is my passion. I guess my question here is do i try to catch up in AP Chemistry, or take a regular chem course through my high school or the community college down the street? Given my schedule as is and working a full time job, I could lighten the load a little bit but is it worth it in the long run? Is it possible to get caught up in this class? I am a 4.0 student, and I really would prefer not to kill my GPA the year I am applying to colleges. Thank you for taking the time to read and respond, I appreciate the help!
Have you talked to your teacher about how best to catch up to your classmates? 5 chapters might sound like a lot, but it is possible that they are so far ahead because they skipped certain parts or some things could be very easily learned. You should make an appointment at lunch or after school one day to go through your schedule with the teacher and ask their opinion on hoe best to manage everything. That should help you make the final decision on whether or not it is worth it.
If you end up deciding that it may not be best to take AP Chem, I would say that is still okay since you are already taking one AP science (APES). This might even be for the best, as working a full time job + 4 other APs + trying to catch up in AP Chem may leave you little time for applying to colleges or scholarships.
Thank you! I hadn’t thought of that, but I will definitely meet with her. I am in APES, yes, but I have heard it is not the most impressing AP science class to be taking. However, I did take AP Bio last year which I hope colleges think highly of.
Our family happens to live near one of the best community colleges in the country. I have been advised by a parent of who has four older children to skip too many A.P. classes and instead, just take the class at the community college. All CC classes transfer whereas with A.P, some schools take them and some don’t and the student is also not tied to success on the final exam. Taking the CC class still shows academic rigor. Food for thought.
However, bouncing off of the last post, CC classes are NOT standardized and are not viewed as highly as an AP class. You could pass an AP course, but that doesn’t mean you’ll pass the AP exam. In CC courses, everything depends on the professor: grades, coursework, material, and it isn’t the same everywhere else. If you have a professor who sits around all day and doesn’t give a final exam, you’re going to have an easy time.