My school offers a lot of options.
9th: Regular or Honors Earth Science
10th: Regular or Honors Biology
11th: (this is where it gets crazy) AP or Regular Chemistry, AP or Regular Physics, AP Bio, AP Environmental Science, Anatomy, Oceanography, Field Biology
12th: same as 11th grade
My school has decent science courses too.
9th: Adv Bio
10th Adv Chemistry 1
11th: IB Chem HL 1, Principles of Engineering
12th: AP Physics 1, IB Chem HL 2
thats just my sequence. There are lots more offered especially in 11th and 12th grade
After Freshman year at my school, you have sooo much freedom in the science courses you wish to take, which is awesome.
9th: Biology Accelerated or Normal (If you are behind in science from middle school you have to take earth science.)
10th: You can choose from AP Biology/Marine Biology/Chemistry (Honors or Normal)
11th: Depending on what you chose the before year, more options open up. You now can choose from AP Biology/Marine Biology/AP Or Honors Chemistry/Honors or Normal or AP Physics 1/AP Anatomy & Physiology/AP Enviromental Science
12th: Anything from above, plus AP Physics 2 (Since the course is literally in its first year at my school there’s only 18 Seniors in the entire class lol.)
Most students do some mix of Bio/Chem/Physics. You can also double up on science classes from sophomore year on if you’d like.
I am going to take:
8th Grade: Physical Science
9th Grade: Honors Biology
10th Grade: Honors Chemistry
11th Grade: AP Chemistry
12th Grade: AP Physics
The standard system at my school is:
9th grade: Biology H
10th grade: Chemistry H
11th grade: Physics H
12th Grade: AP of your choice or Earth Science H
The accelerated system I did was:
9th grade: Bio and Chem H
10th grade: Physics H
11th Grade: AP Bio and APES (just because I love the teacher :)) )
12th Grade: AP Chemistry
At my school, the sequences for most honors student goes somewhat like this:
9th grade: Biology H
10th grade: Chemistry H or Wildlife Biology H
11th grade: AP Physics 1, AP Chemistry, Anatomy/Physiology H, or Wildlife Biology H
12th grade: Anything from the above, now including AP Biology and AP Physics 2
My sequence is going to be:
9th grade: Biology H
10th grade: Chemistry H
11th grade: AP Physics 1 and AP Chemistry
12th grade: AP Biology
8: Earth Science
9: Physics - this was a waste; half the class couldn’t do algebra so we learned nothing
10: Chemistry
11: AP Biology
12: AP Physics C
(We don’t have honors - only regular or AP.)
Here is what my school offers per grade level:
9th: Earth Science, Honors Earth Science
10th: Biology, Applied Biology, Honors Biology, AP Biology
11th: Chemistry, AP Chemistry
12th: Physics, AP Physics I, AP Physics I/II, AP Environmental Science, Science Research and Applications
Semester Courses for 11th and 12th: Conceptual Chemistry, Conceptual Physics, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Science Investigational Skills
So far, I’ve taken Earth Science and am taking Honors Biology. I’m probably going to end up taking Chemistry and Physics. I’m not big on science.
Note: there are no “Honors classes” at my school except for AP.
9: Biology
10: Chemistry, AP Biology
11: AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1
12: AP Physics 2
My son’s school requires everyone take Earth Science as a Freshman, so he’s doing that online, in addition to Chemistry. Sophomore he’ll take AP Biology, Junior he’ll do AP Chemistry and Senior year he’ll take AP Physics.
Mine:
Biology 1 Honors
Chemistry 1 Honors
Physics 1 Honors
One of the AP Sciences
My school does:
9 Bio
10 Honors Chem/Physics
11-12 Ap Chem/Bio/Physics/Environmental science Honors Anatomy/Physiology
My school:
9th grade - Physical Science
10th grade - Biology
11th grade - Chemistry
12th grade - Science elective (any AP, or other)
Me:
8th grade - H Physical Science
9h grade - H Biology and H Chemistry
10th grade (what i plan to take) - AP Biology and H Human Anatomy and Physiology
11th grade - AP Chemistry
12th grade - AP Physics 1
9- Honors Biology
10- AP Biology
11/12- IB Chemistry
12- AP Physics
9-Honors Biology (I wish I had doubled up)
10- Honors Chemistry and AP Physics 1
11- AP Chemistry and AP Biology
12- AP Physics 2, Human Anatomy, and Organic Chemistry
I’m in the Cambridge program in the USA and am currently a sophomore, but I already know the sequence that is required per the program:
9th - IGCSE Biology
10th - IGCSE Physics
11th - AP Chemistry
12th - A Level Biology
9th: Biology Honors
10th: AP Bio, AICE Bio, Honors Chemistry
11th: AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AICE Marine Science
And probably what’s going to happen>>
12th: AP Physics 2 or C, Organic Chemistry Honors
Quick question: Is science needed in senior year in order to get into a top 20 university? I don’t plan on taking one since I have no interest in it.
@bksoccer7 if you’ve done bio, chem, and physics it’s not NEEDED per se, but taking one couldn’t hurt you. If you haven’t done bio, chem, and physics, you should take whichever you still need since these are in general the science requirements for most schools.
9th: Biology
10th: Chemistry H, AP Physics 1, AP Biology (concurrently with Chem H)
11th-12th: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C (requires AP Physics 1), APES
@bksoccer7 Top 20 universities expect to see 4 years each of the 5 core subjects (English, math, science, social science, and language), but if you have 5+ years of one, you could probably get away with just 3 years of another.