I was wondering how feasible it is to take both AP Chem and AP Bio during my junior year. I am not taking any other AP’s for my junior years. Other courses include honors eng11, academic physics, french 3, academic us hist, honors math analysis for my junior workload. I took bio honors and chem for my sophomore year, and I thought I might as well take the APs for them since those courses would be fresh in my mind. My intended path is premed, if it helps.
I already have a decent GPA, and I don’t what to ruin it when it matters most.
Save one of them for Sr yr. You risk lowering your GPA in your all important Jr yr. with too hard a course load.
As long as you will have taken both by the time you graduate you will be fine.
I’m currently taking AP Bio. In my school, it’s double period so there’s a lot of work. I wonder how your teacher is able to fit the curriculum in just one class period.
How many AP classes have you taken so far?
if the answer is 0 then take 2 your Jr year, since your Jr year GPA is SO important, and then more your sr year.
But remember- as far as college admissions offices are concerned- there is NO race to see who can take the most AP classes.
@menloparkmom thanks for your advice! I haven’t taken any APs yet and I will probably take 2 AP exams for my junior year. I just need to figure out which AP to take.
Not very, considering that you are also taking physics. Both AP Bio and AP Chem have very time consuming labs and, as a result, many schools teach these classes at least partially in double blocks.
Yes. It really does not matter which one you take junior year (bio vs. chem) although personally I would tkae the class that I could do better in junior year.
I am currently a junior and am taking both AP Chem and AP Bio. It is very tough but doable. I would ask upperclassmen at your school about how the classes are at your high school. did you take chemistry sophomore year or are taking it now? If that is the case, I would take the AP Chem your junior year so you don’t forget the chemistry background in your senior year.
@ec2017 During my sophomore year, I took both Honors Biology and Chemistry (we didn’t have Honors chemistry).
Which of the two courses do not rely alot on the prerequisites course? For example, is AP Chemistry greatly related to normal Chemistry (so then it’d be a better idea to take it right after my sophomore year etc…)
Also, how difficult is normal Physics? If I push back AP Chem/AP Bio, I will have to take it with other APs I would like to take in my senior year, such as: AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP Economics/Psychology, etc…
Is is still feasible to push back AP Bio or AP Chem to my senior year?
“I will have to take it with other APs I would like to take in my senior year, such as: AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP Economics”
What about my suggestion that you take AP Economics your JR year along with AP Bio?
T
hen take AP Chem your SR year. I’d skip AP Bio. I think it do you more good to have a really sound understanding of Chemistry and Physics before taking on Pre-Med classes in college, especially since Organic Chem is a well known, difficult pre med weed out class,.
I haven’t taken physics yet. I plan to take that next year. But considering you also plan to take physics your junior year, I agree with the above reply. It is also better to have Chem fresh in your mind right when you go to college.
AP Physics isn’t really necessary because the amount of physics you need to become a premed is very general. Its up to you if you want to take both AP Bio and AP Chem in the same year
Well, a premed student will need as much biology (2 semesters) as physics (2 semesters). The hardcore science will be chemistry ( 2 inorganic chem, 2 organic chem, 1 biochemistry).
There’s different kinds of physics. According to what other premed students have told me, they only needed the general based physics (not the engineering/calculus) kind.
Correct. At colleges that offer two tracks, premeds only need to take General Physics, not Physics for Engineers. But even in that configuration, Physics can be a stumbling block - the typical sequence of honors bio, honors chem, honors Physics or AP Phys1, + 1 of those AP’s (perhaps 2) is better. At some colleges, there won’t be a special track for premeds so they’ll be taking the first two classes for Physics majors. Essentially, premeds shouldn’t underestimate any of their classes, whether science core or premed core or gen eds.
OP is taking regular physics junior year. I doubt OP is getting any college for AP Physics 1 and 2 if op decides to go to a competitive school. General physics and physics for engineers are two different animals. Don’t take a hard physics class and affect OP GPA, especially on the amount of emphasis on GPA for premeds.
did you take chemistry sophomore year or are taking it now? If that is the case, I would take the AP Chem your junior year so you don’t forget the chemistry background in your senior year.