Hi,
Next year, as a junior, I plan on taking AP Bio and Chem at the same time. People have told me this is a terrible idea, but I find both subjects really interesting. I’m doing really well in Honors Chem right now as a sophomore and found freshman bio fairly easy.
Any tips?
Thanks!
P.S. I will also be taking AP Chinese, Honors PreCalc, Honors US History, & Honors English III too.
You might be able to do it, but AP Chem is considered one of the hardest AP classes out there. AP Bio really depends on your school and teacher, but it is a lot of work to do well on the exam. Take one or the other, imo.
I agree. I think it should be one or the other. You don’t need to overexert yourself, and both will be very intensive. At my school, AP Chem and AP Bio are nothing compared to their honors versions. Both are lab sciences. Do you need 2 periods for each class at your school? How does the lab work?
Yes, those are typically listed as two of the six or so hardest APs. As with many things, it might be difficult for a lot of students, but it has been done, and has been done successfully. One of my D’s classmates took AP Chem and Bio together, another took AP Chem and Physics C together.
Three AP courses Junior year doesn’t seem excessive. Most of the top students at my D’s HS only take one of those, but also have at least two of APUSH, AP Lit and AP Calc, if not all three, all in the top six.
Much is dependent on your personal abilities, historic success in Honors and AP courses, etc., which we don’t have. The fact that you did well in the predecessor courses, and aren’t overloading in other areas, makes me inclined to think this isn’t a huge challenge.
As noted, they are lab sciences - I assume you’ve worked out that this is feasible. In our school, students who do this typically take them two periods apart, with the intervening period having two days a week of lab in each of the two.
At my school, AP Chem and AP bio were both a breeze since the teachers didn’t care too much … I would say it really depends on your school and teacher more than anything else
AP Chem and AP BC Calc is the hardest AP classes at all.
There are kids at my school who are taking AP Chem, AP Bio, and AP Physics C Mechanics at the same time. We really don’t know what your work ethic is like, how scientifically inclined you are and how the teacher are at your school, so it’s hard for one to tell you. It’s definitely doable, but whether or not you want to suffer is up to you.
At my school, your schedule seems pretty doable. AP Chem is supposed to be really hard so expect work for that and Bio has so much reading. I think the main concern is whether your school requires extra periods for lab science. If sciences just take up one period like any other class then I think you are fine but otherwise it could be tricky to fit in your schedule and limit the electives you could take.
Take AP Chem this year and AP Bio next year.