AP Science Planning: Biology, Chemistry, and Pre-AP Guide

In many schools across the United States, the jump from middle school to high school comes with an increased level of choice for students. Students may have the ability to decide which subjects to pursue, as well as the option to take more advanced classes. Most schools offer Advanced Placement classes, which are standardized, college-level courses developed by College Board, the not-for-profit organization that also designs and administers the SAT.

AP courses allowed students to…

• Challenge themselves with more advanced and fast-paced curriculum
• Improve their weighted GPA
• Earn college credits (depending on the college)
• Make their high school transcript stand out when applying to colleges

Overview: AP Science Classes

When it comes to Science, there are six AP courses that students can choose to take.

Table: Difficulty Level and Recommended Timing of the 6 AP Science Courses

AP Course	Topics	Difficulty (relative to other AP classes)	Recommended grade
AP Biology	Cells, Genetics, Evolution, Ecology	Medium	10–12
AP Chemistry	Atoms, Compounds, Chemical Reactions, Thermodynamics, Electrochemistry	Medium	10–12
AP Physics 1	Kinematics, Dynamics, Energy, Momentum, Oscillations	Medium-Hard	11
AP Physics 2	Thermodynamics, Electricity, Magnetism, Quantum Physics	Medium-Hard	12
AP Physics C	Kinematics, Dynamics, Energy, Oscillations, Electricity, Magnetism	Hard	12
AP Environmental Science	Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Energy Resources, Pollution	Easy	9–12

AP Biology and AP Chemistry are the two most popular AP Science courses. Here’s how students can decide whether to take one or both of the two and when to take them.

AP Biology

AP Biology has applications in many different STEM fields. AP Biology is especially recommended for students that would like to study environmental science, biotechnology, or anything in the medical field in college.

2,059 colleges currently grant credit for AP Biology, including

• 3 of the 8 Ivy League schools
• 12 of the top 20 universities (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report)

Is AP Biology hard?

All AP Classes are more challenging than standard classes, and whether or not something is difficult can vary from student to student, but AP Biology is generally considered to be a medium difficulty AP course. Students will need to memorize some information, but there is also an emphasis on hands-on “lab” work and data analysis. In addition to multiple choice questions, the AP Test for AP Biology has six free response questions, in which students will need to evaluate experimental results and generate a written response.

AP Chemistry

Students in AP Chemistry will learn about atomic structure, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics, and more. It is a hands-on class with a lot of lab work, and it is recommended for students that wish to pursue a research-focused STEM degree in college.

2,056 colleges currently grant credit for AP Chemistry, including

• 4 of the 8 Ivy League schools
• 14 of the top 20 universities (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report)

Is AP Chemistry hard?

Like AP Biology, AP Chemistry is also generally considered to be a medium difficulty AP class. The class focuses less on memorization and more on understanding and application of concepts. Questions on the AP Chemistry exam are heavily based on students’ ability to interpret data and draw conclusions, rather than testing memorized knowledge.

Pre-AP Courses

In addition to AP courses, some schools also offer Pre-AP courses. These classes are developed by College Board, but there is no AP exam at the end of the year, and students do not have the opportunity to earn college credits through them.

Pre-AP classes are typically offered to Grade 9 and 10 students, though some schools offer them in middle school as well.

Table: Key Difference between AP and Pre-AP

	Difficulty	Grade	College credits?	End-of-year AP Exam?
AP	College-level	9-12	Yes, depending on the college	Yes
Pre-AP	Above honors, but below college-level	8-10	No	No

Whether or not it is worth it for a student to take Pre-AP classes depends largely on his or her school.

• If Pre-AP courses are offered in middle school, students are encouraged to take them to better prepare for AP courses in high school.
• If Pre-AP courses are offered in Grade 9 or Grade 10, students should only take them if their school does not allow them to take any AP courses in those grades, or if students do not feel confident in their ability to handle an AP course.
• Many high schools in the United States do not allow Grade 9 students to take AP courses; taking a Pre-AP course in Grade 9 would be the best course of action in that case.

There are two Pre-AP Science courses: Pre-AP Biology and Pre-AP Chemistry.

Pre-AP Biology vs. Pre-AP Chemistry: How to Decide

The decision between Pre-AP Biology and Pre-AP Chemistry in Grade 9 typically depends on two key factors:

1. School requirements
2. The student’s interests and academic strengths

1. School Requirements

Most U.S. schools follow a standard science course sequence:

• Grade 8: Earth Science
• Grade 9: Biology (also referred to as “Living Environment”)
• Grade 10: Chemistry

Depending on the school’s policies:

• Students may be required to follow this sequence without changes.
• Some schools, however, allow substitutions such as:
  • Pre-AP Biology in place of regular or Honors Biology in Grade 9
  • AP Chemistry in place of regular or Honors Chemistry in Grade 10

2. Personal Preference and Academic Strengths

When schools offer flexibility in course selection, the decision becomes more dependent on a student’s personal interest and confidence in specific science topics.

Science courses in Grades 6 and 7 often cover a variety of disciplines. Students should reflect on which topics they enjoyed most and where they excelled.

Pre-AP Biology is generally a good fit for students who enjoyed:

• Ecosystems
• Cells and their functions
• Genetics and evolution

Pre-AP Chemistry is generally a good fit for students who preferred:

• Atoms and molecules
• States of matter
• Chemical reactions

3. Aligning with AP Coursework

The AP Science course taken in Grade 10 should ideally build on the student’s Grade 9 Pre-AP experience:

• Students who complete Pre-AP Biology in Grade 9 are best prepared to take AP Biology in Grade 10.
• Students who complete Pre-AP Chemistry in Grade 9 are best prepared to take AP Chemistry in Grade 10.

Staying aligned with this pathway helps ensure that students build a solid foundation and transition more confidently into AP-level coursework.

Suggested Science Pathways

For students that attend a school that offers Pre-AP classes in Grade 9:

• Take either Pre-AP Biology or Pre-AP Chemistry in Grade 9
• Take the corresponding AP course in Grade 10

For students that attend a school that does not offer Pre-AP classes:

• AP Environmental Science is the most suitable AP Science class for Grade 9 students.
• Students should be aware that any AP class will be a significant increase in difficulty from the Science classes that they took in middle school. For some students, the best option may be to wait until Grade 10 to take an AP Science course.
• Depending on the school, some students may not have the option to take an AP Science class until Grade 10.

Grades 11 & 12:

• Most students will take AP Physics 1 in Grade 11, but this is not required. For students that do not like Math and do not plan on studying anything Math-related in college, it is totally fine to not take AP Physics at all.
• Students that do well in AP Physics 1 and enjoy learning about Physics may choose to take either AP Physics 2 or AP Physics C in Grade 12.
• Students that either do not do well in AP Physics 1 or do not enjoy Physics may choose to take the AP Science that they didn’t take in Grade 10 (either Biology or Chemistry) in Grade 12, or they may choose to take AP Environmental Science if they didn’t take it concurrently with AP Biology.

These are just suggested pathways; ultimately, the decision of which AP courses to take and when to take them lies solely in the hands of the student.

Additionally, some schools may not allow students to take AP classes before a certain grade level, and some schools may not offer all of the AP Science classes. Students should consult their school guidance counselor to understand which AP classes their school offers and when they will be allowed to take them.

Tips for Middle School Students Interested in STEM

Understand strengths and weaknesses in Science class

• Middle school Science classes are often a mix of Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. If students can identify what they enjoy doing in their middle school Science classes and what they are good at, they can better understand which AP Science classes to take in high school.
• Students that are proficient in topics such as atoms, chemical reactions, pH, and energy might want to take AP Chemistry in high school.
• Students that are proficient in topics such as ecology, evolution, genetics, and cells might want to take AP Biology in high school.
• Students that are proficient in Math might want to take AP Physics in high school.

Additional Materials

An additional reading of AP Physics: AP Physics 1 vs 2 vs C: Difficulty, Prereqs, and Planning

If you’re planning to pursue a STEM track and want to learn more about academic strategy, check out our past webinar below:

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