Will not taking Chemistry junior year hurt my chances of getting into top colleges?

<p>I'm currently a sophomore and I haven't taken any course in chemistry yet. Our school only offers up to chemistry honors but both the honors and regular classes are extremely hard to get an A in (almost the same difficulty). Not only that but the teacher doesn't teach and the tests/labs/assignments take up a lot of time and require deep understanding of the material. If this is so, and there is only 1 teacher that teaches chemistry, should I take this course junior year? I have 4 APs and another honors class, and a language class signed up already for next year (junior year). Should I not sign up for chem so that I don't have to risk getting a C or lower? </p>

<p>Would there be a difference in taking chemistry senior year? I mean, colleges don't know the exact difficulty of courses and taking a super hard course in your junior year would just be suicide right? Do colleges know the course rigor or do they just think the courses are all at a specific level? I don't know what I should do here, please help. Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Do you want to major in chemistry in college?</p>

<p>No, but I think I might major in the sciences... (Physics, Bio, Chem, Computer Science) or Engineering.</p>

<p>^Then yes. That's gonna be a problem.</p>

<p>Lots of things go into an answer to you. Are you planning to major in one of the sciences or are you going the English/history/poli. sci. route? What other science courses have you or are you taking? If you have physics or AP Environmental Sci or psychology or Bio or what have you, putting off chemistry til senior year isnt that big of a deal. However, if you are applying to a top school early decision or early action, they might defer you to see how those Chem grades look senior year.</p>

<p>Yes, I'm probably going to major in the sciences or engineering. I'm taking AP Physics, regular biology right now and I will take AP Bio and APES next year. So colleges might defer me because I won't have chemistry grades when I apply? Is it better to get B's/C's for chemistry honors junior year and apply with that or to take chemistry honors senior year??</p>

<p>If you are taking 2 sciences this year and 2 sciences next year and doing well, it probably won't hurt you that your chem wont be 'til senior year. You can explain that it was a scheduling issue, and as long as you do take it you should be ok. It is just possible that if all things are equal and a school is comparing you to another student for an early admit decision, and you indicate that you are going to be a science major that they could <em>possibly</em> defer you to see your first semester grades.</p>