AP Chemistry with PA Homeschoolers

[Allegro]

Has anyone taken AP Chemistry with PA Homeschoolers? I'll be a junior this year, and I'm considering it. Every review of the class I've seen has complimented the teacher highly and the level of preparation for the AP exam (and SAT subject test!). I'm a little worried that the subject could be really boring, and I don't want to rope myself into a super time-consuming class that sucks up my free time to pursue my own interests. It does look like a great class, though.

 

So what did you guys think of the class? Why should students take AP Chemistry (the class in general, not specifically even PAH)?

 

Thanks!

[plansrme]

I believe this is the same course offered directly through ChemAdvantage. If so, my daughter took last year and loved it. There are plenty of reviews on the board for ChemAdvantage, and I believe they have been overwhelmingly positive. My daughter is a freshman and in a STEM magnet this year taking a post-AP chemistry class co-taught by two Ph.D.s in Chemical Engineering. Her classmates are all juniors and seniors, and they're driven, intense science types, but she has one of the highest grades in the class. She was confident of a 5 on the AP exam, and got it, and she has been very well prepared for this class. AP Chem was time-consuming (10 hours a week is their estimate, and it was about right), but she insists that it is the best class she has ever had. She is all fired up about being a chemical engineer now. As far as why you should take AP Chem in general, I am not a college admissions rep, thank goodness, but a 5 on the AP Chem exam would tell me a lot about an applicant--that is a tough exam.

 

I don't know if there are any advantages to taking it through PaH rather than through CA directly, but I personally would not support PaH if I did not have to, based on what I've read about their efforts to regulate homeschooling in Pennsylvania.

 

Terri

[snowbeltmom]

 

I don't know if there are any advantages to taking it through PaH rather than through CA directly, but I personally would not support PaH if I did not have to, based on what I've read about their efforts to regulate homeschooling in Pennsylvania.

 

Terri

 

I also signed my son up directly with ChemAdvantage for this very reason. My son also felt it was an excellent class with a very responsive teacher that prepared him for the AP, SAT II and Chemistry Olympiad competition.

[Musicmom]

My dd took AP Chem last year, when she was a junior, and she absolutely loved it. The teacher is outstanding--very helpful and responsive--and he does a tremendous amount to make chemistry interesting and exciting. Dd responded very well to this. There is also a great deal of online interaction (posting) with other students in the class--so, lots of helping each other out with questions and problems, and the teacher is actively involved in these discussions as well. This interaction is strongly encouraged, and dd really enjoyed the camaraderie. She still corresponds online with friends across the country (and across the world) that she met in AP Chem. The course is quite time-consuming (the online interacting being a good chunk of that), but it's well worth the effort. My dd spent well over the estimated 10 hours/week on it. It was also her first online course and she was determined to work hard--which is a good thing. The teacher provided her with great recommendation letters for her college applications this past fall.

 

If you take AP Chem, it might be wise to plan on it being your most intense course, and plan the rest of your courses accordingly. If regular chemistry (which is a prerequisite, by the way) was easy for you, then you may be able to handle another time-consuming course in addition to AP Chem. Otherwise, I would not try to do other really intense/time-consuming courses at the same time.

 

It's the same class whether you take it through PAH or directly from ChemAdvantage, so it doesn't matter course-wise which way you go. We happened to take it through PAH just because that's where we found it/heard about it.

 

As for why one should take AP Chemistry in general, it really depends on your future goals, but here are a few reasons to consider:

 

--It demonstrates rigor in your high school science courses--especially in a physical science. This can be important for college applications if you're planning on a science major.

--A good grade in an outside AP science class helps validate the other grades (esp science) on your home school transcript.

--A good score on the SAT Chemistry Subject test sets you up to successfully apply to very selective colleges (many of which want--or will consider even if they don't require--SAT Subject scores.)

--A good score on the AP test can give you college credit for introductory chemistry courses (this depends on the college.) Depending on your major requirements and your goals in college, having that credit could be helpful--for example, if chem is just a requirement to be gotten out of the way.

--Even if you don't use the AP credit (at some colleges you can't, and for some majors you really shouldn't--like pre-med and possibly other chemistry-intensive majors) the AP Chem course is great preparation for college chemistry and will smooth your path to good grades there.

[Maura in NY]

Just a heads up about the AP Chemistry for 2013-2014 -- The exam, and therefore the curriculum, has been revised. I don't know how dramatic the changes are, but as someone with a student doing the AP Bio with a new exam this year, I can tell you that it might make for a bumpy ride.

[Tattarrattat]

Is there any difference in the grade reports provided through PAH or through ChemAdvantage? Thanks!

[Musicmom]

Is there any difference in the grade reports provided through PAH or through ChemAdvantage? Thanks!

 

In both cases, the grade reports (and they are detailed) for each semester come from ChemAdvantage. They say ChemAdvantage on them and are posted to the student online via Dropbox.

 

If you take the course through PAH, then at the end of the year you will also receive a Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Transcript (with a raised seal) in the mail. It lists all the AP courses you have taken through PAH, with the name of the instructor and the final grade for each course. I don't know if ChemAdvantage sends a "transcript" in addition to the grade report at the end of the year.

 

ETA: I've just been informed that the grade report from ChemAdvantage has changed this year to a less-detailed format, with just the semester grade.

[Tattarrattat]

In both cases, the grade reports (and they are detailed) for each semester come from ChemAdvantage. They say ChemAdvantage on them and are posted to the student online via Dropbox.

 

If you take the course through PAH, then at the end of the year you will also receive a Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Transcript (with a raised seal) in the mail. It lists all the AP courses you have taken through PAH, with the name of the instructor and the final grade for each course. I don't know if ChemAdvantage sends a "transcript" in addition to the grade report at the end of the year.

 

Thanks for the info. Musicmom! Really helpful!