AP or Honors Class?

[rajayya]

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Hi All:

I am going to enter as a freshman at a well reputed High School. So far, I have earned straight 'A' in the entire middle school. I took the Summer AP intro class (pre-requisite) offered by the school and have earned 83% overall, which translates to 'B'. The teacher recommended me to take the 'AP' class for the 9th grade. Only 30% of the class got the reccomendation to take the AP class.

The high school only offers AP Biology class for the 9th graders only. I am really worried about the difficulty of the class. I may end up getting a 'B' in the AP Biology class. If the same class were to be offered during junior year of high school, I could get an 'A'. The other option I have is to take the honor level Biology class and obtain a grade of 'A'. This will help me maintain my GPA at perfect 4.0/4.0 like I did in middle school years. What should I do? Should I take Honors Biology (get a grade of 'A') or AP Biology (get a grade of 'B')?

I am really worried about cumulative GPA which will sustain damage if I end up getting few 'B's in AP classes during high school years. Of course, I must take the AP exam at the end of the course and I am confident that I can get a 4 or 5 in the exam. Did any one have any exprience taking the AP classes in 9th grade?

Please help.


Raj

 

[jae9970]

you may be one of the youngest members in the SDN ..

 

[marctam86]

relax.

 

[Meatwad]

Well-reputed high school?

 

[smeagol]

Hi All:

What should I do? Should I take Honors Biology (get a grade of 'A') or AP Biology (get a grade of 'B')?
Raj

How about taking AP Biology AND getting the A 😀

Just work hard. If I recall correctly, middle school studying = 30 mins tops. You'll have to adapt in high school & in AP classes.

 

[Eosphorus]

Aren't you a little young for this forum? Chances are that since you're only starting high school, that you'll change your career interest many times before you enter college. But, to answer your question, AP Biology isn't that difficult of a class. Then again that was only my impression when I took the course. You shouldn't worry too much about your GPA in high school, you will have plenty of time to worry about your GPA in college.

 

[rajayya]

relax.

LOL!

My high school is ranked in the top 50 in Newsweek! That makes it so special and well-reputed!!!


My high school uses an inflated GPA system for AP and Honor class. We get extra one grade point for AP and 0.5 grade point for Honors. So, getting a 'B' is still considered as a '4.0' for grade point calculation purposes.


Also, my high school could be one of the few in the nation offering AP Biology class in 9th grade. So it makes it well-reputed by all means! LOL!

Raj

 

[Meatwad]

... that may be, but who cares what high school you went to? Colleges won't, because if they did, people from bad school districts would have no chance of getting into a good school (which is obviously untrue).

 

[rajayya]

Aren't you a little young for this forum? Chances are that since you're only starting high school, that you'll change your career interest many times before you enter college. But, to answer your question, AP Biology isn't that difficult of a class. Then again that was only my impression when I took the course. You shouldn't worry too much about your GPA in high school, you will have plenty of time to worry about your GPA in college.

Taking an AP class in 9th grade and scoring an 'A' is only possible for gifted and brave people. Not everyone can do it.

I am so surprised at age discrmination comments! There are lot gifted people out there. Look at the gal who made it to LPGA qulaifiers yesterday. If any had attended county and state science fairs done by high school students, you would drop your jaws. Never undermine the age for success.

 

[ssquared]

LOL!

My high school is ranked in the top 50 in Newsweek! That makes it so special and well-reputed!!!


My high school uses an inflated GPA system for AP and Honor class. We get extra one grade point for AP and 0.5 grade point for Honors. So, getting a 'B' is still considered as a '4.0' for grade point calculation purposes.


Also, my high school could be one of the few in the nation offering AP Biology class in 9th grade. So it makes it well-reputed by all means! LOL!

Raj

Coming from one of those top-ranked high schools myself, I have to say that getting a B and maintaing your 4.0 are NOT the same. You're quite lucky they give so much weight to AP classes (my school did not). Colleges will re-weight your GPA so that a B = 3.0. Keep that in mind.

I think that you should start off with honors classes and then move up to APs. That way, you'll do well in your classes and then get good scores on the exams, which will then translate into college credit. If you take the AP course too early, you may not score well (given that you'll be competing against seniors in high school and it is a curved exam). Getting an A in an AP class but only getting a 2 on an exam doesn't hold much meaning beyond the fact that your class was too easy.

And in a few years, nobody will care where you went to high school. So don't get too hopped up on the Newsweek ratings.

 

[Dookter]

Taking an AP class in 9th grade and scoring an 'A' is only possible for gifted and brave people. Not everyone can do it.

I am so surprised at age discrmination comments! There are lot gifted people out there. Look at the gal who made it to LPGA qulaifiers yesterday. If any had attended county and state science fairs done by high school students, you would drop your jaws. Never undermine the age for success.

Wait a second!?!? You're just now entering high school, and you joined SDN in 2000?

 

[Eosphorus]

Seeing as I took AP German my freshman year of high school I can assure you that taking AP classes your freshman year does not make you more gifted, or braver than the person next to you. All it means is that you were provided with an opportunity to take a class which many people do not have.

 

[Eosphorus]

Wait a second!?!? You're just now entering high school, and you joined SDN in 2000?

Which would mean he was just starting middle school when he joined SDN

 

[DrBowtie]

It doesn't matter. No high school grades will matter in the medical school process.

 

[MChitty]

Wait a second!?!? You're just now entering high school, and you joined SDN in 2000?

I noticed this too. Man, I was still in high school when this guy joined....

 

[limpkitty]

if this kid went to my high school, he woulda got the shi*t kicked outta him everyday

no offense, but it's true

 

[Eosphorus]

if this kid went to my high school, he woulda got the shi*t kicked outta him everyday

no offense, but it's true

Hahahaha

 

[lord_jeebus]

Looking back at your posts, you graduated Madras Dental College in 1992.

Before you were born.

This means you're probably smart enough to get an A in AP Bio.

 

[GeorgeFoster]

good parody, it had me going for a little bit, i almost beleived....

which is really a sad commentary on the mental state of Pre-allo SDN on the whole

 

[ssquared]

Wait a second!?!? You're just now entering high school, and you joined SDN in 2000?

Man, I didn't even notice that.

So he either joined SDN when he was 7, or he's yanking our chain.

I'm going to go with the latter.

 

[Eosphorus]

My daughter is in the 8th grade. My wife is a pharmacist and my Dad is a surgeon. My daughter has a natural interest. We are not pushing her into anything. She paritcipated in the Duke TIP program. She took the ACT in 7th grade and score in the low 20s. No big deal. I would like to plan her future along with her. She need some directions.
quote]

From a previous post of the OP in another thread.

Being a freshman in high school, with a daughter, only one year younger, and already a wife who is a pharmacist, I think the last thing the OP should worry about is a highschool class.

 

[mvenus929]

Which would mean he was just starting middle school when he joined SDN

Last I checked, middle school was 3 years, tops. If they joined at the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year, that would mean they joined as they were entering 2nd grade, if I'm counting correctly.

My daughter is in the 8th grade. My wife is a pharmacist and my Dad is a surgeon. My daughter has a natural interest. We are not pushing her into anything. She paritcipated in the Duke TIP program. She took the ACT in 7th grade and score in the low 20s. No big deal. I would like to plan her future along with her. She need some directions.

From a previous post of the OP in another thread.

Being a freshman in high school, with a daughter, only one year younger, and already a wife who is a pharmacist, I think the last thing the OP should worry about is a highschool class.

Based on the comment from the other thread, I'm willing to bet that the man on the account is the father of the girl that started this thread. She just got on and used his account.

 

[fractalgal]

My daughter is in the 8th grade. My wife is a pharmacist and my Dad is a surgeon. My daughter has a natural interest. We are not pushing her into anything. She paritcipated in the Duke TIP program. She took the ACT in 7th grade and score in the low 20s. No big deal. I would like to plan her future along with her. She need some directions.
quote]

From a previous post of the OP in another thread.

Being a freshman in high school, with a daughter, only one year younger, and already a wife who is a pharmacist, I think the last thing the OP should worry about is a highschool class.

Maybe the daughter got into the father's, grandfather's (surgeon), or mother's (pharmacist) SDN account and posted this???????

 

[postbacker]

Hey OP: Shouldn't you be at the pool, or working a summer job, or out having some damn fun?

SDN is the last place you should be looking for advice...

 

[sle3pyguii]

If this is a real question, the next few generations will replace partying with study parties with cheetos (hot cheetos if they want to get buck wild)....

 

[Meatwad]

rajaya is actually a father asking on behalf of his daughter; I don't doubt she is entering high school. Go through his posts, you'll see he stirs up debates about how med school in the US should be structured like India's, etc. I'm sure his daughter isn't posting under his username, either. Poor kid is probably being forced into medicine and will burn out before too long. I'm real glad I'm not one of these type-A gunners that was on the med-school warpath since elementary school.

 

[proclivity]

Hi All:

I am going to enter as a freshman at a well reputed High School. So far, I have earned straight 'A' in the entire middle school. I took the Summer AP intro class (pre-requisite) offered by the school and have earned 83% overall, which translates to 'B'. The teacher recommended me to take the 'AP' class for the 9th grade. Only 30% of the class got the reccomendation to take the AP class.

The high school only offers AP Biology class for the 9th graders only. I am really worried about the difficulty of the class. I may end up getting a 'B' in the AP Biology class. If the same class were to be offered during junior year of high school, I could get an 'A'. The other option I have is to take the honor level Biology class and obtain a grade of 'A'. This will help me maintain my GPA at perfect 4.0/4.0 like I did in middle school years. What should I do? Should I take Honors Biology (get a grade of 'A') or AP Biology (get a grade of 'B')?

I am really worried about cumulative GPA which will sustain damage if I end up getting few 'B's in AP classes during high school years. Of course, I must take the AP exam at the end of the course and I am confident that I can get a 4 or 5 in the exam. Did any one have any exprience taking the AP classes in 9th grade?

Please help.


Raj

What are you, about 12 years old? **sarcasm...but perhaps not so much**

I have nothing else to say except that if you have decided, truthfully, that you want to be a physician at such a young age, then you should be celebrated. I am sure there is no age limit or restrictions on this site.


Good luck to you, Raj.

Please try and enjoy life at such an early age, perhaps you could come back to "doctor-ville" when you are a junior in high school. I just want to make sure you don't miss out on life. After all, high school is super fun, if you give it a chance.....not that i would know about any of that stuff.

 

[proclivity]

rajaya is actually a father asking on behalf of his daughter; I don't doubt she is entering high school. Go through his posts, you'll see he stirs up debates about how med school in the US should be structured like India's, etc. I'm sure his daughter isn't posting under his username, either. Poor kid is probably being forced into medicine and will burn out before too long. I'm real glad I'm not one of these type-A gunners that was on the med-school warpath since elementary school.

sorry, i read this after i posted. I certainly do not wish this upon anyone. Such a shame if it is actually happening before our eyes. I say let the kids screw up their own lives......😀!!

 

[trevagandalf]

Like, I wouldn't think that taking AP bio in your junior year would make that much of a difference. You have to learn something completely new regardless. So, I'd say take it. Regardless of your grade, it's going to teach you something. In high school, really don't worry about your grades, but about what you are learning. Playing the GPA game will only make you regret it later. Your grades from High School don't really matter much, since whichever college you end up with don't really matter that much. What matters is how you do in college, and if you sacrificed your education in High school for a high GPA, you won't succeed in college and that's gonna prevent you from getting into med school. Plus, AP credits are GREAT!