<p>I don't know which AP Science I should take. I am currently in AP Chemistry and I am doing pretty well. My options are:
AP Biology
AP Environmental Science
AP Physics B
AP Physics C
I've talked to many kids in my school and they say that Environmental is very easy, Biology is a lot of work(their hw is 4 pages long!), and I don't know about Physics B/C. I am thinking of doing either Chemical Engineering and/or Pre-Med. Which one should I take?</p>
<p>i think it depends on your school - the level of work and such. but colleges typically prefer bio or physics over enviro... so maybe physics?</p>
<p>Bio and Physics are both good to have to be competitive for college admissions. Enviro is more like an elective, rather than a core science to have. In my kids school, it was typical to take Physics first, then Bio Sr year.</p>
<p>I think it is a matter of personal taste and your own school. Personally, I would take Physics B/C (C if you want a challenge), but physics tends to be a love it or hate it subject, and I happen to love it. You should talk to some current/recent physics students and see their opinions of it, if you can.</p>
<p>You probably can't go wrong with AP Bio because chemical engineers and doctors both use it. But if you'll be a senior, you might want to go with Environmental Science because of senioritis, lol.</p>
<p>Typical schedule at my school: Honors Bio --> Honors Chem --> AP Physics B --> AP Bio/Chem.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. In my school, Bio is the most amount of work.
@CC Lurker, I was think of Enviro because of the very same reason lol. In my school, the typical progression (and my progression) of science classes is: Earth Science(8th grade) -> Honors Biology --> Honors Chemistry --> AP Bio/AP Chem and Physics --> Any AP Science</p>
<p>^ same except if you take an AP science class your junior yr youre exempt from physics...really stupid i took physics anyways lol</p>
<p>^ same except if you take an AP science class your junior yr youre exempt from physics...really stupid i took physics anyways lol</p>
<p>avman..im having the same dilemma but i have narrowed it down to Ap Bio and Ap Physics B. i just cant decide between these two..any advice?</p>
<p>Idk dkoyaa, I'm starting to lean towards AP Physics B just because of the huge amount of work involved in AP Biology and the fact that I'm going to be a senior if and when I take it.</p>
<p>I'd also like to add that I take regular physics now, a prerequisite to AP Physics B. I feel like I don't really learn anything and the class is too easy. Should I still consider AP Physics B? Thanks</p>
<p>Bump and I have made a pros and cons chart.
AP Biology
Pros
- good base for college bio
- I did pretty good (A) in honors bio and med tech (more in depth bio like course)
Cons
- huge amount of work
- essays
- inevitable onset of senioritis could harm my grade</p>
<p>AP Physics B
Pros
- only a few problems for hw
- math related/less work
- could possibly skip algebra based physics and take calculus base physics for my chemical engineering major
Cons
- im in regular physics right now and i dont feel like i learned anything
- the teacher is hard but good
- on wikipedia it says: "It is the intention of the College Board, however, for this class to be taken by those students wishing to challenge themselves in a physics class but have no desire to pursue a rigorously science based college major or career." AP</a> Physics B - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia my question regarding this is, is this course looked down upon if I pursue a major in Chemical engineering? </p>
<p>thanks for the help guys</p>
<p>lol @ Physics B. Physics without calculus is not physics.</p>
<p>Take bio. It will give you a bit of a headstart as a pre-med. You can also self-study environmental on top of that if you want, because there is some overlap and environmental is the easiest science, but I wonder if there would be much of a point...</p>
<p>If you are sure you will take engineering, most engineering core curricula require at least a semester of introductory calculus based physics (maybe two), so you can get a headstart by taking Physics C as well. Don't do it if you haven't taken calculus, or won't take it concurrently with the course, though.</p>
<p>In short, Bio and Physics C will both look better on an app than Environmental and Physics B, respectively.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice jaime. And I will be taking calculus next year but I don't think that the physics I learned this year (regular physics, prerequisite for AP Physics B/C) will be sufficient for AP Physics C. I won't self-study AP Environmental because, in all honesty, its useless to me. Even though Bio is a lot of work, I should still take it?</p>
<p>Yeah, I think Bio is your best bet. If Enviro is usless that one is ruled out. Physics B and all algebra-based "physics" courses are useless not only in their content, but I suspect to your career as well (you mention being able to skip algebra based physics in college, but I think most colleges allow people to register for calculus based physics right off the bat, and keep algebra based physics for non-science or engineering majors; you should check the particular curricula of the schools you plan to attend and the majors you wish to take, though). And if you don't know the calculus, you won't be able to succeed in Physics C (unless you can teach yourself the basic differentiation and integration algorithms, and understand that these concepts refer to rates of change and areas under curves, respectively. This should be all the calculus you will need for the class; if you are VERY lucky your teacher will review these concepts and algorithms before going on to their applications in physics, but don't count on it).</p>
<p>You've been very helpful jaime and the other CCers who have wrote in this thread. I think I will take AP Biology.</p>
<p>even though it seems im a little late, i will add this.</p>
<p>chemical engineering involves a lot of physics, so if you decide to pursue that in college, you should really take physics b. i know it's algebra-based, but it will give you a good background in most of the branches of physics whereas you'll only see mechanics/EM with physics C. you don't want to be in a college calculus-based physics class with no experience. </p>
<p>if, on the other hand, you decide on premed, bio is probably your best option.</p>
<p>im still taking advice so its not to late unleashedfury. Now I'm doubting my self again but no worries, I still have until beginning of February to decide. I see your reasoning. Both courses would seriously help me in college. Physics B seems more appealing because it will strengthen my physics background, has much less work and is math based. Bio would help with intro bio. Thanks for the advice fury.</p>
<p>probably physics</p>
<p>I just want to understand one thing. If I consistently read the textbook and did all the hw, AP biology would be manageable? Thanks.</p>
<p>I think a real introductory class, like bio, outweighs what is essentially a survey course like physics b. It looks better in your application, as mentioned, and you will need to take an introductory physics class later anyways (in the form of a calculus based physics course) if you want to major in engineering. You may gain a more diverse background from physics b, but I think that background will be too shallow to be of any real use, like introductory classes are.</p>
<p>Take a look at the physics course description here: <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/physics/AP_Physics_Course_Description.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/physics/AP_Physics_Course_Description.pdf</a>.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Category B courses build on the conceptual understanding attained in a frst course in physics, such as the Category A course described above. These courses provide a systematic development of the main principles of physics, emphasizing problem solving and helping students develop a deep understanding of physics concepts. It is assumed that students are familiar with algebra and trigonometry, although some theoretical developments may use basic concepts of calculus. In most colleges, this is a one-year terminal course including a laboratory component and is not the usual preparation for more advanced physics and engineering courses.
[/quote]
In short, engineering and science students usually do well without needing algebra based physics at the college/ap level, instead taking calculus based physics (while perhaps having done some algebra based physics in high school level courses), while pre-meds usually take introductory biology at the college/ap level. Based on your major choices, you have the choice of a course that is usually taken and a course that usually isn't. That is why I recommend bio.</p>
<p>EDIT: </p>
<p>
[quote]
I just want to understand one thing. If I consistently read the textbook and did all the hw, AP biology would be manageable? Thanks.
[/quote]
Why wouldn't it be? Isn't that usually the case with all classes?</p>
<p>Thanks for the help jaime. And AP Euro was one course that the textbook alone did not prepare for for in-class tests (well at least at my school). Alright, I'm taking bio.</p>