<p>I'm currently a freshman in high school, and we just started selecting next year's classes. For those of us in Pre-AP Bio, we have an (unrecommended) choice: AP Bio or Chem.</p>
<p>Personally, I wanted to take AP Bio. It would help boost my GPA and class rank, but after hearing from my counseler, current teacher, and rumors that the class and test are devastatingly hard, I'm not so sure. However, I do have a very high grade in Pre-AP Bio (math and science are my fortes), and have a helpful chemist mother and biologist dad (who coincidentally TA'd college Bio). So my question is; do i stand a chance of getting an A in the class and a 5 on the AP test? Or should I take Chem next year?</p>
<p>That depends on you completely. Which do you typically find easier / have better grades in?</p>
<p>I am a humanities person, so I do a lot better in History and English. I would (and did) choose AP Bio. I’m absolutely HORRIBLE at Chemistry. I took Standard Chemistry in Grade 11 and had a 9 as an average for my second quarter. It was horrible.</p>
<p>If you’re more mathematically focused go with chem. Bio is a lot of reading and memorization, like an AP history.</p>
<p>It depends on what kind of person you are. I took chem last year and am in bio now, and I personally think chem is one of the hardest classes I’ve taken in high school, but I had a really awesome teacher and I find the subject WAY more interesting. Bio, while easier, is really boring for me and I find myself nearly falling asleep in class every day.
Also the math in chem isn’t as complicated as everyone is sort of making it out to be. Definitely easier than ap physics which I’m also in right now.</p>
<p>My school only allows students to take AP Biology and AP Chemistry their Junior year. If you did well in your Honors/Pre-AP Biology class then you should do fine. AP Chemistry is a course that you shouldn’t take lightly. I was planning on taking AP Chemistry Junior year, but in Chemistry Honors now, I’m having a little issues. You should wait and take AP Chemistry when you’re SOLID in math. In AP Chemistry they don’t teach you math, they expect it. Also it’s better to at least take Honors Chemistry before AP.</p>
<p>also, keep in mind that they’re changing the ap bio curriculum starting next year, so it’ll be easier than it has been this year and in the past</p>
<p>It depends on the teacher in your school. In my school, the teacher for AP Chem sucks, hence 5’s are rare on the AP tests. However, the Bio teacher in our school is AMAAAZING despite Bio’s difficult nature… you should act upon your self-interests and what you hear from other students about the teacher.</p>
<p>Thanks all of you, for answering so fast! :)</p>
<p>The Chem class is just regular chemistry, hence my leaning towards AP Bio.
I guess I should narrow my question a bit down more too. Does AP Bio include a bunch of chemistry stuff? And if so, how(example)? Because I’ve been hearing that you need to take both pre-ap bio and chemistry for ap bio, and that the AP bio teacher is going to stop being so kind to those who dont know chemistry…</p>
<p>As long as you have a basic understanding of chem you should be fine. Things like protons, electrons, neutrons, and different types of bonds. Not much else. Personally, I found AP Bio to be one of the easier AP’s. Chem on the other hand…hehe…not so much</p>
<p>If you’re good at science (those helpful parents don’t hurt either), get the AP Bio over with now and save the regular Chem for junior year, which will be stressful enough without that extra AP class. :/</p>
<p>AP Bio does have a bit of Chem in it (according to my sister who took both)…I think it’s mostly molecular/chemical formulas and stuff like that…</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s better to take AP Biology Sophomore year. There’s not TOO many chemistry in AP Biology. Most schools recommend you take Biology and Honors Chemistry to take AP Biology and all the other AP sciences.</p>