charlotteb Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 DD, 15, is doing Apologia Biology this year. I'm trying to decide what science to use next year. With my older two, I did Chemistry after Biology. I'm thinking of skipping Chemistry and going into Physics with DD though. She does well with math and I think would enjoy physics more. Would this be a bad idea?. Older DD says that her sister has to do chemistry since she did, LOL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Skip it entirely? That will depend on colleges . . . My dd#1 will not have Biology on her transcript at all. None of the colleges she applied to require biology, but some places do. Same idea for Chem or Physics -- it is college specific. Look around at some places she might apply to and see. I don't see any issue with going to physics and then going onto chem the next year. My kids so far have all started with physics and then take chem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I did back in the day. I did bio in ninth and physics in 10th and then AP biology. I don't think in this day and age I'd ever skip chem completely, though. It hasn't effected my life at all (well, until my dd didn't take chem online and I had to figure some of it out). If the question is do you need chem before physics, the answer is no. You do need algebra, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I think it would look strange to University Admissions people. Especially if she wants to go into a STEM field. And, the universities she applies to may require 4 years of Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 She could always go back and do chemistry later, couldn't she? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 9 minutes ago, Lanny said: I think it would look strange to University Admissions people. Especially if she wants to go into a STEM field. And, the universities she applies to may require 4 years of Science. Agreed that some universities, especially competitive ones, want four years of science, but it is possible to do four years and not take chem. I don't think it would look weird unless the intended major was something like Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Biochemistry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet2ndchance Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I took physical science in 9th, biology in 10th and physics in 12th in the mid to late 90s. Had no problems whatsoever getting into colleges as a STEM major. Never required to take college chemistry either. Just depends on what STEM field you plan to go into. I didn't skip chemistry because I didn't like it though. Quite the opposite actually, I had studied chemistry on my own out of interest in jr high and high school. I tutored people and provided homework help in chemistry in high school and college. It kinda seemed like a waste of time and I had other interests so I didn't take it since it was not absolutely required, just strongly suggested. If I had ever needed to, I could have tested out of chemistry 101 for sure and probably 102. I was never worried about it. A transcript is just one way to prove what you know and some would argue not even a very good way. There are lots of paths to the ultimate goal of a college degree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) I just noticed today that the university system of Georgia doesn't require chemistry specifically; it says "chemistry, environmental science, or earth science" (along with biology, physics or physical science, and a fourth science). I was surprised, because UGA has had, by far, the pickiest admission requirements of anywhere my son is looking at (he's looking at a number of selective schools, but mostly smaller, private LACs). I might give my current 9th grader the option to do environmental science instead of chem next year if he wants (he's doing bio this year). ETA: I just checked Harvard's admission page, for fun, and they do recommend Chemistry specifically, along with Bio and Physics and studying one of those at an advanced level. So if Harvard is her dream school.... Edited October 18, 2018 by kokotg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 My brother got into Yale with no chemistry-- but that was the 80's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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