Does taking an AP class help your chances of partaking in research related to the subject?

Of course taking AP Bio will help you in any research opportunities. High school research opportunities don't usually REQUIRE any class prerequisites, but taking an advanced Bio class (whether AP or CC) could be something you can bring up on your resume to show your experience/interest.

Although universities can see the classes you will be taking senior year, they won't always see the grades, which is why Junior year is an important part of your GPA. If you feel you can do well in AP Bio (without the chem) then I would recommend you take it junior year so you can 1.) get the GPA boost 2.) have it on your transcripts to send to uni 3.) Set you up to succeed in a research position.

Your counselor is trying to look out for you, but I would try to convince them that you CAN do well and you will succeed (for the same reasons you've listed above). If that doesn't work, taking AP Bio senior year would not hurt :)

Also, regardless, I recommend taking CC classes if you are able to. Sending a CC transcript full of good grades in classes you are passionate about looks really nice. (Also can be a selling point for any research positions)

In summary, take AP Bio junior year if you know you can do well (and your counselor allows). Take CC classes if you are available to (Don't overwhelm yourself and have your HS grades to suffer, find a balance). And start networking now so when the time comes you can get a research position!

Hope this helps :)

Hi, thank you for asking your questions! @SierraBrandt has provided a great answer and I agree with them here. I agree because if you are thinking of pursuing biology as a major in college, it is very wise to have high-level classes in STEM and more specifically AP Biology on your transcript. I will note, however, that grades are still important so choose the class rigor that is the right fit for you. For AP classes your goal should be to aim for a grade that is equivalent to the grade that you may have received if you took honors Bio or CP bio instead. So for example, a 3.75 in an AP class is similar to a 3.85 in an honors course and 4.0 in a CP course. From my personal high school experience, and past students that I have worked with, AP Bio does not require the same intensity of chemistry that you may see in an honors or AP-level chemistry class. There will still be some reaction equations and number manipulation on the level of Algebra 2, but nothing too serious that you hopefully can pick up quickly.

Related to research, taking AP biology may help you land the summer opportunity that you are hoping for but it is not necessary. Landing a research EC in high school is rather difficult as is-- really it's more about who you know than what you have done in the past to get a position. But to build your credibility for a biology research lab it would be neat to show that you have taken A biology course (not necessarily AP) and have some ECs related to STEM or science work in general.

Hope this helps!