Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

Because there is room in the schedule and DD wanted a 2nd science instead of some other elective. She did IB Biology HL part 1 in junior year and part 2 in senior year and then added IB Environmental Science senior year.

Similarly, DS, who loves math took AP Calculus BC senior year + AP Statistics as an elective.

Anonymous wrote:Honors Bio, Honors Chem (9/10) and AP bio 11th, Honors Physics 12.

Not a STEM major.

^ we are at school that does not allow you to jump into the AP course without taking Honors course first.

Honors Bio, Honors Chem (9/10) and AP bio 11th, Honors Physics 12.

Not a STEM major.

Anonymous wrote:Side bar, for a kid in Top 5% of class [ public high school] wants to go into CS, aiming for a top university, Asian male, how many core AP sciences that he needs ? He will be taking AP Physics 1 and Physics C. Should he also take AP Bio and AP Chem? He already took Honors/Advanced Bio and Honors/Advanced Chem

He should take what he is interested in and capable of, and develop an internal sense of worth instead of defining it by arbitrary school rankings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

Where does your kid go to school? Do you not have enough classes for your kids to double up on a few? My kids are required to take a Math, History, Science, and English. This leaves them 3 extra classes. I suppose they could just go home early? However both have used the extra period to go up to an AP foreign language and then my "science" kid took a bunch of extra science and math classes because he enjoys those topics and my "history" kid took a bunch of humanities classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid interested in STEM (natural sciences, engineering, CS):
11th, AP Physics 1
12th, AP Physics C

Kid not interested in STEM:
11th, regular Physics
12th, random science electives or APES

If the student is aiming for highly selective schools, the rule of thumb is a year each of bio, chem, physics, and then choose one of AP Bio, AP Chem, or AP Physics C for senior year.

Based on everyone’s responses, that rule of thumb looks like it’s been tossed out the window. Besides, many schools (including my kids’) allow students to take AP Chem, AP Bio and AP physics without taking a regular level course beforehand.

What people do, and what moves the AO needle, are very different.

It depends on what your school offers and what your classmates do, and if you have extracurricular STEM achievements.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

At most public schools around here, kids take 8 credits per year. It’s not like a traditional college prep program, which is just 6 credits per year.

You mean classes/periods, not credits. My kid’s school has six periods, although we are outside of DMV. Scheduling is very tight, and some STEM students do double up on science, but it’s always at the expense of something else like an elective, foreign language, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

At most public schools around here, kids take 8 credits per year. It’s not like a traditional college prep program, which is just 6 credits per year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

This is incredibly common amongst those students interested in STEM. The second science just takes the place of another elective. Shoot... I even did this back in the stone ages: Biology H (9th), Chemistry H (10th), Physics H (11th), AP Bio and AP Chem (12th).

Junior DE Chemistry & Honors Physics
Senior Year AP Physics & DE Geospacial Science

Intended college Major is Quantum Physics

Both kids took AP Chemistry in 11 and AP Physics in 12. Neither were clearly “STEM” kids in high school, but one is now a chemistry major and the other is undecided as a freshman. Both at top SLACs.

Anonymous wrote:Junior: AP Bio & AP Physics
Senior: AP Chem

Why do people take two sciences classes in a year?

Anonymous wrote:Kid interested in STEM (natural sciences, engineering, CS):
11th, AP Physics 1
12th, AP Physics C

Kid not interested in STEM:
11th, regular Physics
12th, random science electives or APES

If the student is aiming for highly selective schools, the rule of thumb is a year each of bio, chem, physics, and then choose one of AP Bio, AP Chem, or AP Physics C for senior year.

Based on everyone’s responses, that rule of thumb looks like it’s been tossed out the window. Besides, many schools (including my kids’) allow students to take AP Chem, AP Bio and AP physics without taking a regular level course beforehand.

Kid 1 Currently a math major in college

11th: AP Chemistry
12th: AP Physics 1

Kid 2 in HS non-STEM
11th: Honors Bio (school has different sequence for Bio, Chem and Physics)
12th: No science

Kid 1:
Junior: Anatomy & Physiology
Senior: Matter and Energy

Kid 2:
Junior: Physics, Forensic Science
Senior: AP Chem

Kid 3:
Junior: Honors Chem
Senior: Honors Physics