I’ve been thinking hard about next year’s classes, and I’ve boiled it down to this schedule (I will be a junior):
-AP Calculus BC
-AP Chemistry
-AP Biology
-Honors Physics (AP not offered)
-AP US History
-AP Language & Composition
-Free Period
Could this work out? I really love math and science, and I think history is really interesting as well. What are your experiences with these classes? Have you ever known anyone that has taken them before (maybe at the same time)?
I would not take three sciences at the same time. Leave one for senior year.
This is a fine and impressive schedule for someone who’s going into the STEM field, but I agree with @bodangles . It is not a very good idea to sign up for three AP Sciences. I recommend either keeping Honors Physics and AP Chem or Honors Physics and AP Biology. Everything else looks fine. I have not taken any of these courses, so sadly, I can not provide any input. However. I have taken AP World History, and the best thing I can tell you about AP US is that it’s very different from any of the other history courses you have taken in your lifetime. The multiple choices are synthesis based and usually require you to think often and most of the answer choices all seem correct even though only one is correct. You also write very often. In fact, I write as much in my AP World class as my English 10 Honors course. (I am a sophomore right now, like you.)
Best of luck and have a good day!
AP Chem at my school is notorious as it’s the hardest and most rigorous course. People who get 95%+ in normal chem are usually barely getting 85%+. Taking that and AP Bio would be rough as both are pretty lab oriented and workload heavy. Limit yourself to 2 science classes, and do not take AP classes just for the weight. Take classes you like/ are relevant to your field/major!
Don’t take both AP chem and AP Bio together, take one senior year.
Have you reached level 3 or 4 in foreign language?
No, it won’t. Don’t take 3 sciences at once.
I would not recommend taking both AP Bio and AP Chem concurrently. In addition to the time commitment required by virtue of being AP’s, each requires a lot of time for labs and lab reports. For many schools, these classes are either double-periods, or require additional time before/after school.
Additionally, the lack of a foreign language class may prove problematic.
@MYOS1634 No, I’ve only done Spanish 1. I think I’m going to replace AP Bio with Spanish 2.
How much homework do these classes usually give out?
Most colleges are going to want to see a foreign language at least through level 3, and many elite schools want through level 4. You definitely should take Spanish 2 your junior year.
That varies by school and depends, in part, on the teacher. Students at your school taking these classes are a better resource for this question.
Ask classmates regarding workload.
Definitely take Spanish 2/2H next year’s and Spanish 3/3H senior year so that you don’t bar yourself from some colleges of interest, especially those with the best financial aid.
I would definitely recommend dropping either AP Chem or AP Bio. Taking two sciences at once is difficult, but taking three would be nearly impossible. It’s all about the quality of your work in each class, and by taking three sciences classes, your ability to provide quality work will decrease greatly. I would definitely keep physics in the schedule, but drop one of the APs and save it for your senior year! It will be better for you in the long run. In addition, APUSH and AP Lang tend to have heavy workloads as well, so you will need some time for those. You will also need to focus on AP Calc BC. I am currently in Calc BC and the workload is heavy and stressful, and I only have to deal with two science classes.
Good luck choosing!