What Are Some Options for Science Classes After Junior Year in High School?

[jbmiller]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently a freshman in high school taking Biology. For my sophomore year I am enrolled for Pre-AP Chem and Pre-AP Physics. And for my junior year I will probably be taking AP Chem and AP Physics.

I'm not really sure what science classes to take after my junior year. Our school offers no further classes that would be of great help to me, nor would I enjoy them as much as I will Chem and Physics.

I'm basically asking if you guys would recommend going to a local community college and taking 2 science courses there for my senior year. I'm already going to have to go there for my senior math class(Calc BC) because our most advanced math classes are AP Calc and AP stats which I will also be taking my junior year.

If you could give me an idea of the workload/intensity of the college level classes as a senior I would greatly appreciate it.

P.s. I'm taking three including Calc BC, so if you could include that with the Physics and Chem courses then I would really appreciate it.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Why do you need to know now? This is 2 years down the road. A lot can happen in two years.

 

[jbmiller]

Because depending on the replies I get it could alter the course I take in deciding various courses. I haven't turned in my course application quite yet because I wanted to see if I should space it out or not.

I know it's a pretty bad question because it's so far away, but my counselor suggested looking into the things I mentioned and if everyone says I shouldn't take the courses then I would just space out the current courses I intend on taking.

 

[Mépris]

Vanadium is correct. You're planning way too far ahead.

You won't know if you can handle that load until you try it. So, give it a shot, which is what you seem to want, and only then, re-evaluate the situation.
"Can I cope with this? Yes? Cool." or "No. Okay, maybe I should try space out the courses."

I'm guessing high schools are flexible enough for that kind of thing. I also don't understand why your counsellor is asking you to plan all four years now.

 

[member 392791]

Why not take AP chem for junior and AP physics for senior, so then you can focus on each one separately?

 

[jtbell]

I'm basically asking if you guys would recommend going to a local community college and taking 2 science courses there for my senior year. I'm already going to have to go there for my senior math class(Calc BC) because our most advanced math classes are AP Calc and AP stats which I will also be taking my junior year.

Remember, AP courses are supposed to be equivalent to college-level introductory courses. If you learn enough from your AP courses to score above a certain level on the AP exams in those subjects, then most colleges will give you credit for their introductory courses. Community colleges generally don't offer courses above the introductory level in physics, so if you do well in the AP physics course and exam, there's not much point in taking the same thing again at a community college.

 

[jbmiller]

Well we have a weighted grading system, so even if I get straight B's in my honors classes I will still have a 4.0.

And I know I'm planning way to far ahead, but I just don't want to overwork myself.

Jtbell couldn't have answered my question any better, I never even thought about what he pointed out to me until I read his post.

@jtbell, there's also a possibility that I could goto KU(Kansas University). The school isn't necessarily set.