Is Spectrum chemistry sufficient preparation for AP Chemistry?

[snowbeltmom]

I am looking ahead for my middle child. Will Spectrum Chemistry prepare a student for AP Chemistry?

 

My oldest completed Plato/Cyber Ed Chemistry program in 8th grade, and there is no way he would have been prepared for AP level chemistry after that course. He learned a ton of new material last year in ChemAdvantage's honors chemistry class.

 

I am wondering if I should also plan on my middle son having another year of Chemistry after Spectrum before he tackles an AP level class?

[Kathy in Richmond]

Both of my kids used Spectrum Chemistry as a first-year chem course. They then took a year of AP chemistry using the Zumdahl text. This approach worked well here (top scores on the exam). They both felt that Spectrum was sufficient prep for their AP year.

 

The only suggestion my son had was to make the AP chem year directly follow the Spectrum year, so that's what my daughter did (Spectrum in 9th, AP in 10th). The first-year material was still fresh in her head, so she could skim over the first several chapters and then spend more time on the more difficult AP-level material later in the textbook.

[snowbeltmom]

Kathy, thank you for your post.