Science Class Order
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Anonymous
| Experienced HS parents, 9th grader in Hon Biology. Choice between Hon Chem or AP Physics next year. Does order matter? |
Anonymous
| The order may vary depending on which math classes are taken the same year. Also, there is some variability on this from school to school. |
Anonymous
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HS science teacher here. Honors Chemistry for sure. When your student takes AP BC Calculus, take AP Physics C at the same time. There is a lot of overlap between the two courses.
If you are asking about AP Physics 1, I would wait until junior year. (And yes, some special programs do this earlier - doesn't seem to be the case for OP's DC.) AP Physics 1 is a pretty challenging course - more abstract than people/students think it is. A little more academic maturity is helpful. |
Anonymous
probably not since my current 9th grader took AP Physics this year. Taking Chemistry next year. I know others doing biology in 10th grade. |
Anonymous
| Not a science teacher. When faced with the same choice, my kid opted to do AP Physics because of a strong interest. Went on to do engineering. |
Anonymous
DP: I am confused, PP. If the OP was referring to AP Physics C, your advice would be just "take it at the same time as AP BC Calculus" ? You think it is OK to have AP Physics C as the FIRST physics course? The HS science teachers I have spoken with recommended that it is better to do Hons physics or AP Physics 1 before AP Physics C. |
Anonymous
HS teacher replying. Yes, AP Physics C can be taken as a first physics course when students are in AP BC Calculus. My DC went to RM, and this is standard path for many students. Students are expected to complete three science courses by 11th grade. If they aren’t taking BC calculus until 12th grade, then yes, they usually have another physics course first. But advanced math students taking BC Calculus in 11th or 10th are fine with Physics C at the same time, without taking another physics course first. |
Anonymous
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I don't think order matters, but I'd look at the overall schedule through 12th grade to get the big picture of what fits where. How many science classes does your kid want to fit in overall? Do they want to take AP Bio or AP Chem eventually, both of which are two-period classes?
Both my kids did AP Physics 1 sophomore year and had no problem with it. One went on to take AP Physics C and AP Calc BC junior year (he's now a physics major in college), the other is done with physics in HS and is doing AP Bio/AP Chem instead. |
Anonymous
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Does it matter how far along in math you are to map to the appropriate science courses - especially in Physics and Chem? For example is AP Physics 1 OK alongside pre-calculus or better alongside calculus - just as example. Thanks!
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Anonymous
| I’d advise chem. (I am an mcps parent.) At our HS, you need bio before ap bio and chem before ap chem. As prior posters said, you can take ap physics 1 with no prior physics, or even ap physics c with no prior physics if already or simultaneously enrolled in ap calculus. So, getting the chem requirement out of the way early gives your dc most flexibility with future science classes. |
Anonymous
| Adding: if student takes H bio in 9th, H Chem in 10th, what’s the most common next 2 sciences (calc AB will be in senior year) for the typical honors student? |
Anonymous
There’s a lot of variety with what kids take for sciences, more so than other subjects. But I’d say a “common” path would be honors physics in grade 11 and then any of the AP sciences (including AP physics c, when she’d be taking calculus), in grade 12. But some kids would take AP environmental science in grade 11, or AP bio or chem, or even AP physics 1 (which is algebra based so would be fine). |
Anonymous
Mine did Honors Bio 9th Honors Chem 10th Honors Physics 11th Tried AP Chem as a senior but said it was too hard and dropped during the add/drop period. It was last year and she said it was too hard to do virtually. She was also taking AP Environmental/AP Psychology as a senior. Too bad she didn’t stick with Chem because those intro college Chem required classes are hard. |
Anonymous
| Is it true that AP environment is an “easy” AP? Would it make sense to encourage AP env junior year and then physics (level undetermined) senior year? I have a chemical engineering degree and always found physics to be harder that other sciences. |
Anonymous
AP Environmental is Easy. I’m the one that posted above and my DD earned a 5 on the test. If you look online it had one of the lowest percentages scores for a 4/5 but that’s because I’m guessing a lot of not-so-smart kids take it versus AP Chem which is going to be filled with smart kids. It’s just a ton of writing. The problem with taking Physics out of sequence is they are less likely to have friends in their classes to study with. |