Grade of B or higher in Biology Honors and Chemistry Honors, B+ or higher in Biology and Chemistry
10th Grade Entry: Biology Honors. Those who have not taken Chemistry Honors will need to register for Chemistry Honors concurrently.
AP Biology is an introductory college-level biology course where students cultivate their understanding of biology through inquiry-based investigations as they explore the following topics: evolution, cellular processes, energy and communication, genetics, information transfer, ecology and interactions. There is an emphasis on experimental design and the analysis and interpretation of data.
Students develop and apply the science practices throughout the course covering the four big ideas that underscore the biology unit concepts. These include the process of:
- How do biological systems use energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce and maintain dynamic homeostasis?.
- How do living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes?
- How do biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions exhibit complex properties?
- How evolution drives the diversity and unity of life?
The course will have core unit formative/summative assessments, inquiry-based laboratories, and a mock examination in April using AP level questions and essay prompts.
“AP Biology is definitely challenging - the course is fast-paced, and a lot of textbook reading is involved. However, AP Biology is extremely rewarding and goes far beyond just sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture. The course has lots of lab opportunities, so you'll also be able to experiment and learn how to write lab reports. The class sizes are also generally smaller, so you're able to form a closer-knit bond with your classmates and teacher“
- Lauren Tse (Class of 2025)
“AP Biology is most definitely a difficult yet immensely rewarding course—one in which you a strong passion for biology, research, lab work, and peer collaboration is definitely important! My biggest tip in choosing this course is to be honest with yourself—heavy, heavy reading, consistent practice outside of school, dropping in for office hours at least once a week, and most of all spending hours digesting the very in-depth and extensive learning targets there are to learn—will be a major portion of taking this class. Having said that, go for it! AP Bio is one of those classes that's made me fall in love with the subject even more, and you're ensured lots of “ooh“ and “ahh“ moments that will deepen your passion for biology!”
- Laura (Class of 2025)
“AP Biology can be best described by one word: 'heavy'. You will be learning nearly everything there is to know about biology (except anatomy) in one year! This course also teaches valuable lab techniques that are used in research, as well as how to write up the lab report afterward. There is a lot of reading and homework to do after classes, and one way that I was able to understand the topics better was by going to office hours. Expect many summative assessments and lab reports, but as long as you study hard, you can definitely succeed in this course. This course will give you a strong head start for college biology.”
- Arthur Zhang (Class of 2024)