<p>I'm in junior high and am preparing for high school. I am very interested in science and will most likely choose a career in this field. My freshman year, I am taking honors biology. I will hopefully be able to squeeze 6 science classes into my future schedules, at most. Which of the following science classes should I consider for my next few years in high school? Which ones are mandatory, if any?</p>
<p>Honors Chemistry
AP Biology (prerequisite: honors biology)
AP Chemistry (prerequisite: honors chemistry)
Astronomy
Physics
Biotechnology (this one I'll take for sure)
Human Physiology and Anatomy
Environmental Sciences
Advanced Physics (prerequisite: physics)
Sports Medicine (this one I'd love to take, but it's 2 years and requires a field experience course)</p>
<p>I heard that Physics is mandatory, is this true? Could I take it in college for a hopefully honors course? I am interested in medicine currently, but I might change my mind, I certainly have before. :)</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>
What do you mean by “mandatory”? My high school required that everyone take biology and chemistry, but not physics. Selective colleges want you to have taken at least one year each of (regular or honors, preferably honors) biology, chemistry, and physics. </p>
<p>Definitely take Honors Chemistry and Physics.
After that I’d recommend AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and/or Advanced Physics. At a lot of high schools, Astronomy and Environmental Science are relatively non-rigorous courses intended for people who don’t like science very much but need a science credit. </p>
<p>@halcyonheather I was just saying what I heard. A friend told me physics is mandatory, but I wanted to check a credible source…so, naturally, I went here. I would only take physics if I have to, I have not enjoyed past physics classes. I thought astronomy sounded interesting, is this frowned upon or just not recommended? These questions are not necessarily for @halcyonheather, just anyone who has an answer. 
Thank you for your input!</p>
<p>It may or may not be required at your high school, but a lot of selective colleges do recommend that you take it. Generally individual colleges list their recommendations on their admissions websites. (For example, [here](<a href="http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/highschool]here[/url]'s">http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/highschool)'s</a> what MIT wants people to take.)</p>
<p>Physics is mandatory for a lot of majors on the STEM side.
I don’t think it matters much in high school…
Like @halcyonheather said, Biology and Chemistry are the ones that are usually mandatory in high school.
It’s up to your taste. Go look up the course descriptions and see which ones you’ll be interested in xD.
You’re only in eighth grade so don’t stress about it too much~</p>
<p>@DatOneKorean Thank you for your input! I am the sort of person who thinks ahead a lot, I’m not stressing over it. :)</p>
<p>Honors bio, honors chem, physics for sure.
For premed or science majors, AP bio and AP chem also very helpful. If you are really undecided, AP chem is probably the more generally applicable of those two APs-- it could potentially help in everything from bio to physics to engineering.
With those 5 classes, I think you would be as prepared as most premeds at top colleges.</p>
<p>You need to decide if you want to just follow interests and take things like astronomy or environmental science (as a premed it may be hard to take science courses “for interest” in college without risking your GPA), or whether you want to be focused on everything premed, in which case I would suggest anatomy, biotech, or perhaps advanced physics (not really useful other than it might help you get that A in premed physics). I suggest that since you are still trying to decide what you like that you take the classes which seem most interesting and not worry about premed.</p>
<p>@mathyone Thank you! I’m attending a girls in science conference on Tuesday, I’m hoping it will help me start to find what I really enjoy. :)</p>