AP Exam: Chemistry. Have your kids taken this after using Apologia?

[ThelmaLou]

My oldest ds is doing Apologia Chemistry this year at a co-op. He's got an 89 right now in the class.

 

First of all, does he have to take the AP test in May, or can he arrange to take it during any month of the year?

 

Second, is Apologia Chemistry a rigorous enough program in preparation for this?

 

Finally, what did your student do to prepare for this exam? How many hours, materials used, etc...

 

This will be our first AP exam (if he takes it). I just figured that taking it at the end of his Chemistry course would make the most sense. Any input is appreciated.

 

Lisa

[Kareni]

The AP test is offered only once per year. Chemistry will be offered at 8:00am on Monday, May 2, 2011.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mjbucks1]

My ds is just starting Apologia Chemistry, but I have researched these boards a great deal over the past two months. The Apologia Chemistry text is an introductory high school text. The AP test tests a student on the material covered in a first year college course. So, just having one year of Apologia Chemistry will not be enough (from your post I am assuming your ds has only taken one year of chemistry.) I have seen where some have taken the AP test after using both Apologia Chemistry books, but it seems many people use a college text for their child's second year of chemistry along with a study guide. Since my ds is starting chemistry now, I plan to have him use both Apologia Chemistry books (for the rest of this year and next) and then take an AP Chemistry course online at Chemadvantage.

[Guest Miss Kris]

My ds is just starting Apologia Chemistry, but I have researched these boards a great deal over the past two months. The Apologia Chemistry text is an introductory high school text. The AP test tests a student on the material covered in a first year college course. So, just having one year of Apologia Chemistry will not be enough (from your post I am assuming your ds has only taken one year of chemistry.) I have seen where some have taken the AP test after using both Apologia Chemistry books, but it seems many people use a college text for their child's second year of chemistry along with a study guide. Since my ds is starting chemistry now, I plan to have him use both Apologia Chemistry books (for the rest of this year and next) and then take an AP Chemistry course online at Chemadvantage.

 

That's what I found too. 2 courses were needed. Apologia Chem 1 by itself wasn't enough.

 

Didn't know you could take it online.:) Bonus!

[choirfarm]

As other posters have said, the introductory course is not enough. You would need to do the advanced book as well as other prep. Another note, did you mean you wanted him to take it May 2nd of THIS year???? If so, I believe it is too late to sign up. You have to do it earlier. You need to call the College Board and find a school in your area that is giving the test that is willing to let your son take it. I'm having to go an hour away to have my son take AP Stats. I think the schools have to order their materials in February or early March.

 

Christine

[FaithManor]

Dd used both Apologia Chemistry books. She found one of dh's old (think 1984) college chem books and read through it, plus picked her way through an AP Chem study book I found at Barnes and Nobles. She never took the AP class. She did Spectacular. But, the caveat here is that chem is very easy for DD. She's a natural and so in addition to all of this, with her interest in medicine, she was always reading medical journals, chem articles, pharma articles, etc. Who knows what she absorbed through her "fun reading" that may have helped her get a right answer on something that hadn't been covered in the other books. Dh's college chem book was first semester college chem from so long ago that I have know idea if college chem 101 is easier or tougher now, or for that matter, what information was outdated and flat out wrong with new research. I just really can't say.

 

But, I've known a couple of other homeschoolers that passed, not certain what the scores were, having completed both of the Apologia books plus the study book which was, I think, put out by Princeton Prep.

 

AP's are expensive tests so double check with the colleges your ds is applying to and make sure that they accept them. Had dd majored in the humanities, math, or education, her AP would have earned her college credit. But, we found out later that students cannot AP or Clep any classes in medicine or even science if they are majoring in a science related field. If she chose a pure chemistry major, she would not have been given credit for her AP. At first I was really annoyed, but then I thought long and hard. Would you want a Pharmacist, Nurse, Doctor, Radiologist, Nutritionist, Chem researcher, medical engineer, etc. who was allowed to skip pre-requisites based on a multiple choice standardized exam???? Nope! You want to know, that you know, that you know these people KNOW what they are doing. Additionally, getting the A when it's easy is a good thing because with merit scholarships linked to GPA and all of these science classes in medicine being brutal, well having the refresher really helps maintain that average during the sophomore year.

 

Faith

[MomsintheGarden]

My oldest ds is doing Apologia Chemistry this year at a co-op. He's got an 89 right now in the class.

Great! Make sure he understands all of the material, because Chemistry knowledge is sequential.

First of all, does he have to take the AP test in May, or can he arrange to take it during any month of the year?

As other posters have said, it is too late to sign up for this year. You would have needed to make arrangements by mid-March. I usually call the school in December, to make sure it is ok, and to leave time to find another school if necessary. Then I call them back at the beginning of March. Most schools order their tests by the end of March or first week of April.

Second, is Apologia Chemistry a rigorous enough program in preparation for this?

I feel it is not. It is a good high-school-level course, but even both books are not enough to prepare a student for getting a high score on the AP exam. My opinion is based on the experience of my two oldest.

 

Oldest, ds: Did Apologia Chem I in 9th, and Chem II in 11th. Studied prep books for AP Chem (Princeton Review, 5 Steps to a 5) in 12th. Had a hard time with the prep books because we thought they would be just review, but they had more material (and deeper) than what Apologia did. He took the AP anyway, and scored a 3. He "passed" but did not get the 4 or better required to get credit at his college. I know of one student (from this board) who got a 5 after studying both Apologia books + other things, but I never found out what the other stuff was. The mom said he did it on his own. He's now at MIT so he is obviously brilliant:). YMMV. Also, fwiw, ds took Chem I at college and got an A, so Apologia was good prep for that.

Second oldest, dd: Did Apologia Chem I in 10th, Zumdahl AP Chem + DIVE Chem CD for labs + study for the Chemistry Olympiad + prep books in 11th. Zumdahl was excellent preparation for the AP exam. She felt the AP was the hardest one of the seven APs she took (for comparison, she also took MicroEcon, both English exams, Calc BC, & both Physics C exams). She got a 5 on the Chem. She is now at college and doing very, very well in Organic Chem and Physical Chem even though she skipped General Chemistry because she took the credits she got from AP. YMMV - she loooves chem!

 

Finally, what did your student do to prepare for this exam? How many hours, materials used, etc...

 

For materials, see above. Dd spent many, many hours studying for the Chem exam, probably 2-3 hours a day, 5 days/week. I have a schedule of her 11th grade study - PM me for it if you like. She tweaked it a bit and I'm not sure if the tweaks are incorporated, though - sorry!

This will be our first AP exam (if he takes it). I just figured that taking it at the end of his Chemistry course would make the most sense. Any input is appreciated.

 

I'd try for AP Chem next year with a lot more study. As others have said, Apologia is a good high school level course. Even though Apologia says (or used to say) on their website that both books are enough for the AP, I disagree. I feel that many homschoolers have been misled by their statement.

Lisa

 

HTH,

GardenMom

Edited April 1, 2011 by MomsintheGarden
That light blue writing was too hard to read!

[ereks mom]

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/ex_chem.html

 

The CLEP tests are usually much less rigorous test than the AP tests, and the reward is the same for those who pass the test: college credit for that particular course. There are test prep books available, and you can also Google to find some test prep materials online. Please note, however, that CLEP scores are not accepted by all colleges. You'd have to check with the school your ds plans to attend.