Hi peeps, I'm gearing up for senior year course selection and stressing a bit. If I want to go into a STEM field, is chemistry like a make-or-break class for college admissions? Like, will colleges expect to see it on my transcript if I'm aiming for a techy major?
It's great that you're thinking ahead about your senior year courses, especially with an eye towards your intended major. For students aiming to pursue a STEM major, demonstrating a strong foundation in the sciences is crucial, and that indeed includes chemistry. The core science subjects that universities expect to see, particularly for tech-related or engineering programs, are typically chemistry, biology, and physics, so missing one of those three could make your application stand out in a bad way.
If you're wondering about what the philosophy is here, taking chemistry shows that you have a well-rounded understanding of the different branches of science, which can be crucial, depending on your specific STEM interest. For example, if you're considering a major in chemical engineering or materials science, having chemistry in your background would be essential. Additionally, if the colleges you're looking at recommend or require two to three years of laboratory science, excluding chemistry could put you at a disadvantage.
Finally, even if you aren't interested in a subject directly related to chemistry, and would be able to fulfill the lab science requirement without it, many topics in science are interdisciplinary. Especially in a more advanced college learning environment, you'll be expected to be able to make connections that aren't immediately obvious, and you may struggle to do that if you have no background in chemistry.
That said, your overall science and math curriculum's rigor will be taken into account. If you have the opportunity to take advanced courses in other scientific areas like physics or biology, and are more interested in these subjects, these can also showcase your academic strengths. Just make sure you're fulfilling the recommended course load for your targeted colleges and balancing your interests with the expectations of your potential STEM program.
Good luck with your course selection!
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