<p>Hello,
I will be a senior next year, and here is my dilemna:
My schedule is conflicted, I have to choose what to do. Currently, here are the classes I want to take:
-AP Chem
-AP Bio
-AP Calculus AB
-AP French V
-English 12 H
-Gym (school requirement)
-Band (a huge part of my life, non-negotiable)</p>
<p>We have 8 'slots' in my school, and I have too many classes (Bio and Chem take up two slots each). For some background information, I am an all A's student (at least in junior year), motivated, and interested in what I am learning. Doing homework for bio chem french and calc wouldn't be a chore, it would be mostly interesting. I want to be a biochemist when I grow up, so keep that in mind.</p>
<p>Here's my possible options:
1) Drop Bio, everything else works out
2) Drop Chem, everything else works out
3) Drop French V, everything else works out</p>
<p>I love my french teacher, so I would be hesitant to lose her, but I also love both sciences and since I want to be a mix of both, so it makes sense to me to take both. So, my question is, would two sciences would be worth it? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Ouch, out of many of the HS course conflicts on CC this is, by far, one of the more difficult ones. </p>
<p>I highly agree with your decision to stay in band, and it’s something I see rarely on CC. Enjoyed EC courses often fall wayside for random AP’s. I was a four year choir and four year gym student myself. (by choice) sucks your district forces four year gym. The elective gym courses for upperclassmen were extremely enjoyable for me. </p>
<p>Both Bio and Chem in the same year is difficult, but not impossible. However, most students, regardless of where they are going. Often take their universities Intro Course in Bio or Chem even if they get the 5 on the exam. </p>
<p>Embrace French, study it in college. It might make you that much more valuable in tomorrows world. As for Bio v. Chem, check which teacher you’d prefer. Learning how to study complicated science material, at the collegiate level, is the reward for the AP bio or chem. Far less is the actual information from Bio or Chem.</p>
<p>Thanks for the quick reply. My bio teacher will be new to AP bio, the past one retired after 40 years of teaching this past year. My chem teacher, on the other hand is a PhD chemist but honestly, I’ve heard that they are both teachers.</p>
<p>thanks again man. one other question, maybe as a side note, would it be possible to self-study for the french AP exam? we are one of the most competitive high schools, so my french 4 H class was probably at the same level of some French V classes. I would consider myself pretty good at french (got a 650 on the SAT 2 without studying at all)</p>
<p>The only reason I would recommend that you stay in French is because colleges like to see four years of a language. I’m not sure that this always holds true but that’s what I was told. As for bio v. chem, it might be more advisable to do chem only because the teacher is more experienced. However the ultimate choice comes down to which you feel most comfortable with taking as a science. </p>
<p>That’s solely my suggestion. I also agree with that which has been previously mentioned, that language opens new doors into the world. It has many benefits in that regard. Talk with your guidance counselor and see what he or she has to say on the subject. They are probably a good source of information as well since they know much more about the context of the school and can point you in the right direction most of the time.</p>
<p>It really depends on what you want to go into. Bio is the easier class, so that is kind of a default go-to. As Wynter said, you can take an easier AP like AP psych in your final slot. This also gets a required college class out of the way.</p>
<p>I personally think you should take ap French … At the end of the day colleges like ap classes so whether its chem bio or French they still like it and if you drop chem or bio you still have a science class and it’s ap … So take French nd than you’ll have sorta best of both worlds ap science nd ap language whereas if u drop French you just have 2 sciences … Plus French would be 10 times easier than 2 science … And also I personally never took ap Chem but I did take ap bio and ap calculus AB and if your interested in biology the class is definitely manageable and I loved the class, the exam is also more like a reading comphresion that just so happens to be about biology I say drop Chem or bio</p>
<p>I will add that if you’re looking for college credit from your ap science class and you need a 5 for credit, chem may be the better choice as bio this year had less than 6% get a 5 - though we don’t know how the scales will work next year for the new chem exam.</p>
<p>You should consider yourself lucky to have 8 slots. My D’s school has only 7 slots and when she took AP Chem with lab, she can only take 5 classes plus orchestra (which is big thing for her too). Even worse, the district is cutting budget and is planning to cut another hour.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, I could definitely self study AP calc. I’m actually already diving into Calculus C… (calculus is a lot of fun for me). I just don’t think 3 years of math would be well received.
And about that final slot, are you guys sure Psych is a good option? Would I really need to take that class in college anyway?
Thanks so much guys</p>
<p>wytner… (sorry for mispelling your name, first of all). how do you know what the percentiles for AP scores are? don’t they come out in july? and are they changing the chem exam?</p>
<p>I know it doesn’t offer a chem and bio class that would be cool, though. I know of some people who go to community college, but it seems like too much of a hassle for this situation. thanks for the suggestion anyway though</p>
<p>You should take whichever science you WANT to take, although from your description, you might do better in the AP Chem course with the more experienced teacher. Don’t listen to what people tell you about language, you will cherish it forever. In fact, one of my old teachers actually double majored in biology and french. </p>
<p>You don’t need to take both AP sciences, since you will take them all again in college, especially as a biochemistry major. That being said, taking the chemistry course may help you a lot more, especially since many upper level biology courses require more advanced chemistry.</p>
that would be cool, though. I know of some people who go to community college, but it seems like too much of a hassle for this situation. thanks for the suggestion anyway though</p>