Senior year classes

mjm

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
Messages
296
Just a quick question regarding sciences for senior year. My DS has taken Honors Biology, Honors Physics, and is in the process of Honors Chemistry and AP Biology this year as a junior. In his high school you are required to take a full slate of sciences before moving on to the AP sciences. My question is this....

Since he will have 4 sciences ( 1 AP and 3 honors ) is it necessary for him to take AP physics as a senior.. giving him 5 sciences?
 
AP Physics and/or AP Chemistry(with good grades) are both very good things to have on your transcript. I took both as well as AP Calculus and received my appointment last month after a year at a 4 year university. I recommend taking them both if at all possible!
 
I would recommend he take Physics. Having it in h.s. both looks good to USNA (provided he gets an A or B) and will definitely help when he has to take it at USNA. Whether it is at the AP level or not depends on your DS -- AP is obviously better but non-AP will do.

If he doesn't take Physics, what science will he take senior year? It's not so much about the number of science courses one takes but the fact that someone continues to pursue science in h.s. since he/she will be doing a lot of this at USNA.
 
My DS took honors physics as a sophomore . In his high school you have to
Take the regular course of sciences before moving up to AP
He has taken :
Honors Bio freshman year
Honors Physics sophomore year
Honors Chemistry junior year
AP Biology junior year
My question was whether it was necessary to take the AP physics even though
He already took honors physics as a sophomore.
 
Senior Classes

My DS attended NASS last summer. He was fortunate enough to pick the brain on one of the counselors who told him the importance of AP Physics. When he returned he immediately got with his Guidance Counselor to switch his schedule from AP Biology to AP Physics. (He did take AP Chemistry his Junior year of high school.) I hope this helps. He starts Plebe Summer in just over 2 months and I pray he is ready for this great adventure.
 
My DS attended NASS last summer. He was fortunate enough to pick the brain on one of the counselors who told him the importance of AP Physics. When he returned he immediately got with his Guidance Counselor to switch his schedule from AP Biology to AP Physics. (He did take AP Chemistry his Junior year of high school.) I hope this helps. He starts Plebe Summer in just over 2 months and I pray he is ready for this great adventure.

Thank you . I know it is confusing to some about the difference between AP and honors ,but so many of the high schools do things differently.

Even though my son has taken Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry and Honors Biology (and AP Biology) ,the curriculum for the AP courses in Physics, Chemistry and Biology are different. I think some people on the previous posts think you can take AP physics as your only physics class in high school ... but you have to take either physics or honors physics as the prerequisite to AP Physics.
SOooo.... taking in all of the information and advice ,my son will now have the following sciences upon graduation:

Honors Biology ( freshman year)
AP Biology ( junior year)
Honors Physics ( sophomore year)
AP Physics ( senior year)
Honors Chemistry ( junior year)

Just met with guidance counselor and son will have following classes senior year:
AP Calculus
AP Literature
AP Physics
AP European History
AP Governement
AP Economics
Spanish 6
 
Senior Classes

mjm,
Your son's schedule for his senior year looks almost like my DS's schedule this year. I wish him the best...keep us updated on his appointment progress...
banmom
 
Thank you banmom and congrats to your DS! Best of luck in his new adventure! :smile:
 
mjm, it sounds like your DS's school is set up like mine; he took honors biology as a freshman, honors chem as a sophomore and is taking honors physics as a junior. As a senior, he then would choose which of those to take as an AP, which, like many have suggested (as well as his preference) he will take AP physics.
 
@ Dial the Gate

The only way my DS was able to take 2 AP sciences was to double up in Sciences during one of his 4 years and he had to have departmental approval to double up with Honors Chem and Ap Bio. It certainly has made for a busy year but now he is happy that next year he will be able to take AP physics.

Junior parents get to meet with the guidance counselor once during the spring of their child's junior year for a "check-up" to make sure they will have all of the credits they need and are on track for the schools they want to apply to. That is why I was asking the general consensus of the forum ... lots of good info on here!

Now time for all the visits.... Navy, WP, AFA, TAMU, VMI, and Citadel .... going to be racking up the miles ! :thumb:
 
AP Physics B

MJM: "but you have to take either physics or honors physics as the prerequisite to AP Physics."

Assuming that you are talking about AP Physics B, the above statement might be a local requirement, but it is not universally true.

The solid Algebra2/Trig-type kid can be totally successful in AP B without taking any prior Physics course.

Not trying to start an argument here.
 
@ Sulley's Mom

Just had a look at the course catalog from my DS's high school and the course is:
AP Physics C

The catalog goes on to say that the prerequisite is Honors Physics and concurrently enrolled in a Calculus course or completed a Calculus course....

The AP Physics class he will be taking is a completely different curriculum from the honors physics or even the AP physics B courrse.
 
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