<p>HS Jr is in a dual enrollment program so science class will be taken at the CC. Biology and Honors Physics have already been taken at the HS. We are not talking a student who is planning on top level schools. Also at this time has no interest in majoring in engineering or science.
The typical HS student in our area will take between 2 and 4 yrs of HS science. Most college bound take Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Some skip Chem and take AP Enviromental Science. The UC's and Cal states minimum requirement is 2 yrs of science with one being a life science and one being a physical science so she has both of those covered.
The CC offers choices beyond what the HS offers. She could take Chem at the college or they offer Geology, Enviromental Science, Zoology, Astronomy and some others. I think she might find some of these courses more interesting.</p>
<p>Is there any way to sit in a few classes and see which one has the better professor?</p>
<p>I’d carefully check the math requirements- don’t know how things have evolved, but Astronomy used to require math confidence.</p>
<p>The Astronomy professor is supposed to be excellent which is one of the things that prompted this question. She meets the Math requirements for any of the college science courses.</p>
<p>Stick to the core science subjects. It seems like she hasn’t yet taken Chemistry, so that would be my recommendation.</p>
<p>If for any reason your student decides to look elsewhere, many schools look for lab sciences in three different areas. This is usually some combination of biology, chemistry, and physics. Even if the minimum requirement is two years, the most competitive candidates are likely are taking more. It would be sad to limit her chances of admission by omitting chemistry.</p>
<p>Colleges like to see high school students take all of the three basic sciences – biology, chemistry, and physics. </p>
<p>The other science subjects are very interesting, but they will be offered in college, too, and the student can take them then.</p>
<p>Since chemistry is a basic component of Geology, Zoology and Environmental Science, I’d recommend taking Chemistry. Another consideration is that some universities use Freshman Chemistry as a first-level “weed-out” course. If your D ends up at such a school it will be difficult to do well (not having taken any Chemistry previously) … and if she doesn’t do well there could be repercussions due to the culture.</p>
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<p>This is true, but students who do not plan to major in science or engineering or go to medical or veterinary school can usually take another science instead of chemistry to fulfill the college’s science requirement. It is rare (although not unheard of) for chemistry to be required for people in other majors.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a good idea, though, to take college-level environmental science without having had high school chemistry. College-level astronomy would probably be OK, though.</p>
<p>We learned (almost too late) that the top engineering colleges require a full year of chemistry. DS had 1 semester via a pre-IB chem/phys class. Plus 2 yr IB Physics HL. He had to do some quick rescheduling to tuck in</p>
<p>For a student non-engineering, non-science student… it still seems a good idea to get a chem course.</p>
<p>Agree that Chem. is a good idea. If it’s possible that she’s considering an instate public u., it might even transfer and count as a science req. for college.</p>
<p>S2 is not in a technical major. At his state u. he could choose any two science classes he wanted to fulfil the 8 sem. hr. science req. He took Bio.and a Geog. (meterology) class.</p>
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<p>Both of my kids had to take two science courses in college, and they had lots of options.</p>
<p>My son actually ended up taking one chemistry course (but he didn’t particularly dislike chemistry). His other science was biological anthropology.</p>
<p>My daughter took two astronomy courses.</p>
<p>I am going to add my vote to chemistry, after reading the above. D1 took bio, chem, physics. In college, she’s a lib arts major but has a gen ed requirement for a lab science. She’s hoping to get into a great geology class they offer and feels confident she can manage it because of the solid prep in hs. D2 took the same, plus AP Enviro. She is a science major, is being challenged by college chem 1xx- and is glad this isn’t her first experience with it.</p>
<p>I broke the Chem news to her last night. She was hoping to skip a science and take something that interests her such as Sociology or Psychology or Philosophy or horrors of all horrors an art class. She can only take 9 units of college credit and with her Math being 4 it limits her. She said the college reps talk about taking classes that you are passionate about but in reality they just want everyone to take the same thing.
She has to bring a list of posssible courses for Spring to her advisor next week. They will discuss and the advisor will “advise”. The next hurdle will be getting into the Chemistry class. HS students register last. She will have to have some alternative courses just in case.</p>
<p>Keep in mind her Chemistry may very well end up being 4hrs as well. A 3hr lecture class and a 1hr lab. When my son took AP Chem in hs last year they actually had to take two classes which took two periods, one lab and one lecture. It was explained to us that many universities only accept college chemistry credit with a lab. I can’t speak to this as he hasn’t tried to apply the credit yet. We’ll see. We were advised to keep his lab notebook/journal. Some students evidentially have been asked to provide them as proof that their class was actually satisfactory. This would be an issue only with AP, however I found it interesting.</p>
<p>I’m sorry your daughter is disappointed. I do think in the long run it is the class that will get her the most mileage. Good luck to her.</p>
<p>I remember having to keep my lab notebook from HS, though my college never asked for it to prove I took a lab-based AP class when they gave me credit. Still probably a worthwhile thing since it’s relatively little work compared to the possibility of repeating a year of chem.</p>
<p>I’d say your daughter should take a chem class at some point in her life. To me, it’s like someone going through school and never having taken a course on American history if she were to miss out on chem.</p>
<p>have her take Chemistry.</p>
<p>The chem class is 4 units. With the Math and Chem she would have 8 units. If she goes to a state school the CC Chem class will count for a science credit. The dual enrollment program makes it very clear to the students that any CC class they take will follow them to any university they attend. They stress don’t take a class that you aren’t committed to doing the work.
My college son has a couple of science GE requirements but he has been able to take some interesting classes- this semester he is taking a science class called Informed Citizen. He is learning a lot and is excited. I appreciate that his school has a wide variety of classes that appeal to the non-science majors.</p>