AP Classes before Pre-Med?

Hey guys, I've been thinking about pursuing the pre-med pathway after high school. What AP classes should I take in my junior and senior year that would be useful for me as a future pre-med student? Is it necessary to take AP Bio and AP Chem?

As someone familiar with the college admissions process, my advice is to focus primarily on sciences classes since they are most relevant to the pre-med track. AP Biology and AP Chemistry will both provide a solid foundation for the foundational biology and chemistry classes you'll likely be taking in your first year of college. They'll also boost the rigor of your course load, which is a plus. That being said, it's not absolutely necessary to take both these AP classes, but having them could be beneficial.

However, don't overlook the importance of other potential AP classes. Courses like AP Psychology could be useful in understanding human behavior—a crucial aspect of medicine. Furthermore, classes like AP Statistics could potentially be beneficial considering medical professionals often need to understand and interpret statistical data.

Taking AP English classes can also help develop your writing and communication skills which are both important in medicine. It might be less obvious but strong written communication skills are highly valuable as doctors often have to write detailed patient reports.

Keep in mind that colleges also look for well-rounded applicants, so don't restrict yourself solely to science-based AP's. Take classes in varied subjects that you're truly passionate about and interested in, and try to strike a balance between academic rigor and your own intellectual curiosity and well-being. Lastly, remember that scoring high in these courses and AP exams might give you the opportunity to skip some of the introductory courses in college.