High School Students: Take AP Chem and AP Physics!!

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

I took AP Chem and AP Physics during high school and it was the best decision I ever made. Many bio pre med majors take AP Bio in high school but that's a really bad idea. Based on what my friends told me, AP Bio is 95% memorization, which isn't bad, but the problem is that you'll forget most of the stuff. I have absolutely no idea why they don't create two versions of it (a molecular/physiology one and a eco/evo one) like they did with AP Physics C.

Anyways, most Bio pre meds get their behind handed to them in gen Chem and physics. And these are what many pre meds struggle with during the MCAT. Taking AP Chem and AP Physics will help you a ton when you get to being a pre med.

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[Geo16]

Those are lab-included AP.
My highschool was kinda under-funded that only in-class AP provided was APUSH and AP Lit/Lang.. there were other courses but you had to take em online 😛
But if I had a chance, I would definitely take that. Regular Bio and Chem were extremely fun!

 

[DrHart]

I would go so far as to say... take as many AP classes as you can. Do as much as you can to academically prepare yourself for the rigor and pace of college. The reading and writing AP classes come in handy in more ways than one.


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[AttemptingScholar]

I definitely benefitted from taking AP Bio because I don't memorize, but I really wish I'd taken AP Chem as well.

That being said, you might benefit from putting this thread in hSDN where it will reach your targetted audience.

 

[doctorleospaceman]

Except some med schools dont accept AP credits so you'll have to retake them at the college level and if you only apply to schools that do you'll be pretty far removed from the courses once the MCAT comes around so it'd be best to retake anyway. I guess it'd be nice to have a leg up when retaking in college but I don't think it's necessary.

I took mostly non-science AP courses so that I could knock out some geneds which allowed me to focus more on the sciences.

 

[Lawpy]

Some medical schools don't accept AP credit no matter what (UCLA comes to mind). Others require taking advanced/upper level coursework to compensate for taking AP credit. Going to tag @gonnif for clarification

 

[AttemptingScholar]

No yeah, I retook Bio and voided the credit, I'm recommending that. It gives you a strong foundational knowledge and (usually) a high grade in intro-level science courses. I think I'm going to do the same for calculus. I know everything and I'll remember how math class works before I take stats (it's been a while).

 

[aymar]

Completely agree with this (as long as the MD schools that interest you accept AP credit). Gen Chem at my large public university was 10x harder than Orgo in my opinion...

 

[Blanky]

I like the idea of taking the courses in high school but they should be repeated for credit at the college level.

 

[You're My Boy Blue]

I never used my AP credits but I'm really glad about it. Gen chem (after taking AP chem) was the easiest "A" I've ever gotten. Forget trying to graduate in less credits, use AP classes to boost your pre-req GPA.

Also this would probably be more helpful in hSDN?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

I'm really talking about taking AP Chem/Physics vs. AP Bio. Furthermore, many med schools that do accept AP credit do accept AP Physics and AP Chem.

And I will be the first to say that taking AP Chem and AP Physics, and repeating them in intro college courses, is definitely going to give you a leg up as an easy A and on the MCAT. It really does make a world of difference.

 

[Blanky]

Physics and Chemistry reasoning is great, although I don't understand why you would talk someone out of Bio. I do hate Bio, plant phylums can go take a walk...

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Physics and Chemistry reasoning is great, although I don't understand why you would talk someone out of Bio. I do hate Bio, plant phylums can go take a walk...

I'm only saying that if someone has to pick between AP Chem/Physics and AP Bio, then C/P is a better option because of the fact that you can get a head start on those concepts to help you in college. AP Bio is very much memorization based, according to my friends, and that won't help as much.