Is AP Chemistry Harder Than AP Biology? 

“Is AP chem harder than AP bio?” Students ask this question during admission season. AP scores are essential for high school students to get into their preferred college.

Hence it’s natural for students to choose subjects that will help them secure the top score. You should choose the subject after considering few factors including your likeness to the subject, pass rate, teacher’s availability, etc.

Both AP chemistry and AP biology are popular among students who want to make a career in science. But which one should you choose? More importantly, how should you choose.

Let’s see if AP chem is harder than AP bio or vice versa.

Is AP Chem Harder than AP Bio? 5 Factors to Consider

You should always consider 5 key factors before choosing a science subject. Keeping these things in mind will benefit you and help you get into good colleges.

Let’s analyze these 5 factors for AP chem and AP bio and find the correct answer!

1. Pass Rate and Chances of Scoring 5

AP Chemistry	AP Biology
53% of Students passed AP chemistry in 2022	68% of Students passed AP biology in 2022
12.5% of Students scored 5 in AP chemistry in 2022	15% of students scored 5 in AP biology in 2022

Let me simplify this:

The pass rate of AP bio > Pass rate of AP chem

Students scoring 5 in AP bio > Students scoring 5 in AP chem

If you look at it, AP Bio students definitely have better chances of scoring more points and passing.

2. Number of Students Enrolled for the Subjects

237k students appeared for the AP biology test last year, as opposed to 124k students who appeared for the chemistry exam.

Let’s decode the information:

AP Chemistry	AP Biology
Lower chances of finding online and offline study and support groups as the number of students taking AP chem is low	Higher chances of finding online and offline study and support as the number of students taking AP bio is more
Lesser academic sources and reviews to deal with the workload	More academic resources and reviews to deal with the workload
Higher chance of standing out with college applications due to 100k less students	Lower chances of standing out in college applications due to 100k more students

 

3. Colleges that Accept AP Biology and AP Chemistry Scores

AP Chem	AP Bio
2,057 colleges accept AP chem scores	2,068 colleges accept AP bio scores
264 colleges out of 2,057 only accept score of 5	192 colleges out of 2,068 only accept score of 5

Though the number of colleges taking AP Chem and AP Bio score is almost the same, 72 more colleges accept only 5 in AP Chemistry.

So, AP chemistry students have more chances to get into college, they have to work harder to fulfil their aim.

Secure a GPA of 5 in AP bio and enroll in EnthuZiastic’s AP bio classes.

4. Content of the Course

Units in AP biology: 8

Units in AP chemistry: 9

Students agree that chemistry becomes difficult with one extra unit and memorization. But they also say that if one had AP or honors chem in their junior year the extra unit becomes easier for them.

Moreover, students with prior lab experience also have higher chances of understanding AP chemistry units.

5. Number of Lab Practices needed

AP Chem	AP Biology
Students need to dedicate 25% of total class time to AP chemistry lab practices	Students need to dedicate 25% of total class time to AP bio lab practices
Minimum 6 lab practices required throughout the year	Minimum 8 lab practices needed throughout the year

 

Research shows that succeeding in either AP chem or AP bio depends on lab time. But some schools don’t have a proper lab setup, for which students have to go outside to finish lab work.

Thus, it’s advisable to choose the subject with easier lab access, as both AP chemistry and AP biology require substantial lab work.

Is AP Chem Harder than AP? Parents, Students, and Teachers’ Take

Teachers and students agree in unison that the difficulty of AP chemistry or biology depends on students’ academic interests.

According to Veronica Richmond, a Ph.D. in Organic chemistry,

“Difficulty of AP chemistry, biology, and physics exams depend on students’ academic strength and interest. If someone finds one subject difficult, others might find it interesting and intuitive. I have always found AP chemistry and understood reactions and equations but struggled with memorizing AP bio course matters.”

Image Source: (Quora)

Supporting Veronica’s comment, Sarah Mathews, who took 9 AP classes in high school, says,

“I never took AP biology, but as much as I understood, AP biology includes more memorization than building on itself. AP Chemistry was relatively easy for me as it involved solving puzzles and equations.

Image Source: (Quora)

Jesse Liu, a national AP scholar, says,

“I think AP biology is much more logic-based than AP chemistry. I struggled with math and other scientific concepts but never had a problem with memorization. So, I did well in AP biology.”

Image Source: (Quora)

Supporting Liu, Jennifer Levitt, a parent, says,

“Both AP biology and AP chemistry require solving math problems. However, AP chem involves math problems while AP bio, on the other hand, needs memorization, solving problems, and application. Therefore, calling one subject more difficult than another is subjective to students’ skills and preferences.”

Image Source: (Quora)

Jessica Harold, an AP chemistry teacher, says,

“Subject difficulty and rigor partly depend on students’ interest and partly on how a teacher teaches. I have witnessed students getting an A in their high school AP chem and bio classes but failing to secure a 3 in exams. This happens when the teacher isn’t competent in teaching college-level classes.”

That’s a mixed-bag review, and that’s what I was hoping for. Liking or disliking a subject is based on students’ commitments, prerequisite skills, and interests.

Is AP Chem Harder than AP Bio? Our verdict

Is AP chem harder than AP bio? No, it’s not! My research assures that neither AP chem nor AP bio is tougher than one other. But as AP chemistry is more application based, students who take this subject need to spend more study hours for this subject.

The difficulty of an AP class is based on the student’s interest and likeness to the subject. However, teachers also play a huge role in helping students like or dislike a subject.

Furthermore, students who have studied hons chem or bio in sophomore or junior year won’t find the curriculum as challenging as others.

If you want to pursue these subjects in your high school, you should consult your guidance counselor. They will help you find your inner abilities and the right subject.

FAQs

I have just graduated from my sophomore year; can I take AP calc, AP psychology, AP environmental science, and AP world history?

All AP courses mentioned here are interesting to learn. However, you must also remember that these subjects can be challenging as well. If you can manage the workload and courses’ rigor, you are most welcome to take them.

I want to pursue biochemistry in the future; which AP subjects will suit me in my senior year?

If you want to pursue biochemistry, taking AP bio, AP chem, and AP calculus would be ideal for you. These subjects will prepare you for the future from an early stage, and you will have better chances to prosper in biochemistry.

Can I take AP bio and honors algebra in my senior year?

You can take AP bio and Hons algebra in your senior year. These two subjects are perfect for your knowledge enhancement if you’re interested in science.

Conclusion

AP Chemistry and AP biology are the two most popular subjects in science. Pursuing these two courses, you will discover various important things about nature and other elements.

If you wish to get into a pre-med or study biotechnology or biochemistry, then AP chemistry and AP biology are ideal for you. However, if your interests lay elsewhere, choose a course that will help your career.

Want your child to score a 5 in AP chem exams? Enroll them in EnthuZiastic’s AP chemistry classes, and watch them shine.