Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Science Registration

Note: Please be sure to check with college admissions requirements and counselors regarding specific questions. Admissions requirements change frequently, so some information may be outdated.

Q: I'd like to take two science classes, how do I do that? <back to top>
A: With the current budget status, it is unlikely that students will be able to take two science classes. Students are limited to taking one science class for upcoming school year. If there are some spots in a specific class in the fall, then a few students may be able to "double-up" with a second science class. If you would like to be considered for these spots (given by seniority and lottery), then you should put your second science choice as a 7th class option. You will be signed up for the first six classes in the initial scheduling pool. Any extra science classes that are put as "alternates" on your schedule will increase your chance of getting a second science. In the fall, you would be contacted if the science class that you wanted as your 7th class becomes available. R.O.P. Engineering does NOT count as a second science, which means a student COULD take physics (or any other science course) and R.O.P. Engineering.

Q: Does R.O.P. Engineering Technology count towards the FUHSD science graduation? <back to top>
A: R.O.P. Engineering Tech DOES count towards the physical science requirement for high school graduation. For more information on the class, please contact Bruce Kawanami or Cathy Katz.

Q: How much science is required for graduation from Monta Vista? <back to top>
A: A student must take at least two science courses to graduate. One of these science courses must be a life science (Biology, AP biology, or Physiology) and one of these science courses must be a physical science (ISC, Chemistry, Chemistry Honors, AP Chemistry, Physics, Physics Honors, AP Physics, or ROP Engineering Tech).

Q: Is there a minimum grade in science for UC/CSU admission? <back to top>
A: Yes, you must receive at least a "C" in your classes for it to count towards admission.

Q: For the UC Requirements, do they have to be one life science and one physical science? <back to top>
A: The two "D" level courses must fall into at least two of the three "fundamental disciplines" (chemistry, physics, or biology). Their literature says, "Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three disciplines: biology (which includes anatomy, physiology, marine biology, aquatic biology, etc.), chemistry and physics. Laboratory courses in earth sciences are acceptable if they have as prerequisites or provide basic knowledge in biology, chemistry or physics. The appropriate two years of an approved integrated science program may be used to fulfill this requirement. Not more than one year of ninth grade laboratory science can be used to meet this requirement."

Q: Is there a way other than taking a class to meet UC science requirements? <back to top>
A: Students should take the class or repeat if necessary. However, students can be able to meet UC requirements by SATII examination alone. You can check the requirements on the UC Reference Site. Be sure to contact the UC system for your specific situation.

Q: Should I make sure that I take all three types of science courses (biology, chemistry, and physics) before graduation? <back to top>
A: Your first priority is to ensure that you fulfill the MV graduation requirements (one life and one physical science). Then you want to ensure you fulfill the requirements for the college to which you might want to apply. If you are applying to a School of Engineering or Computer Science, then you should definitely take some physics in high school. If you are applying to a School of Biological Sciences, then biology and possibly AP Biology is/arerecommended. The best thing for you to do is visit the Career Center and look at the specific recommendations for the schools that you are applying for. The UC material states the following, "The University requires two years of laboratory science in high school, but many majors require additional science courses. Programs in the biological sciences and some natural resource fields require high school biology, chemistry and physics. Programs in the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, agriculture and the health sciences require chemistry and physics, and recommend biology." This comes from their UC Quick Reference Site.

Q: How does taking a summer "prep" course compare to MV courses? <back to top>
A: Summer "prep" courses offered at other, non-FUHSD schools are an imperfect substitute for MV courses, particularly in the depth of the curriculum and the time spent in learning. Also, courses taken at other schools, unless they are pre-approved by an MV assistant principal, will not appear on a student's MV transcript, and will not earn credit toward graduation. Check with your MV assistant principal for more details.

Q: Can a student take Chem Honors AFTER having taken Chemistry or take Physics Honors AFTER having taken Physics? <back to top>
A: These would be considered REPEAT classes. Courses that are repeated earn units only once, unless otherwise noted in the course description. Example: A student earns a D in Chemistry and then takes Chemistry the next year earning a B. The first Chemistry will remain on the transcript and will have a "repeat" notation next to it but will earn no units. The class with the higher grade (the Chemistry with the B grade) will earn the units and that new grade will be the one calculated in the GPA. A minimum grade of C is required for college eligibility.

Q: Why is the recommended math requirement for Physics Honors concurrent enrollment in Precalculus? <back to top>
A: Students that have taken Precalculus have familiarity with trigonometry. Physics Honors students constantly use trigonometry, vector addition, analysis of slopes and areas of graphs and multivariable algebra. Experience in Precalculus is also recommended because the students will have additional experience in applying math concepts to physical situations and will have extra practice with word problems. Concurrent enrollment in Precalculus will help because students will be more successful with the additional math experience and more understanding of slopes and areas.

Q: The recommended math requirement for Physics is concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2/Trig. What if I am in Algebra 2? <back to top>
A: Algebra 2/Trig will give you an advantage in terms of being comfortable with the math computations in Physics. However, students that are in Algebra 2 can still be successful in Physics, but may need more study time.

Q: Why is the recommended math requirement for Chemistry Honors concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2/Trig? <back to top>
A: The math that is used in Chemistry Honors includes scientific notation, significant figures, order of operations, multiplying/dividing/adding/subtracting very large or very small numbers, exponents, writing equations for graphs, and interpreting equations with two variables and other basic algebra. Students enrolled in Algebra 2/Trig tend to be more comfortable with the math concepts and are able to do the math computations in Chemistry Honors more quickly and accurately.

Q: Should I take Chemistry or Chemistry Honors? <back to top>
A: To be successful in Chemistry Honors, you should have received a B or better in Biology. Also, you should have received a B or better in Geometry/Geometry Enriched. Finally, you should be concurrently enrolled in Algebra 2 or Algebra 2/Trig. Students that receive a C in Biology should not consider taking Chemistry Honors. We have compiled data comparing Biology grades to eventual Chemistry or Chemistry Honors grades. Please review this data to help you make the wisest decision.

Q: Where can I get more information about graduation requirements and guidance? <back to top>
A: The Fremont Union High School District maintains an extensive Guidance Website. The site has information about college requirements, scholarships, and more.

Q: I'm not sure what science class to take...how should I decide? <back to top>
A: There are four major factors that should go into the decision. First, be sure that you are fulfilling your graduation requirements and admission requirements for the college you want to go to. Second, consider your interests and goals. What kinds of sciences do you enjoy - life or physical? Third, consider the teacher's recommendation for which science course to go into. Your teachers want you to succeed and will try to make a recommendation based on your strengths and interests. Finally, consider what other classes and commitments that you'll have next year. Try to balance academic and extracurricular commitments.

Q: Is it possible to take AP Biology without taking Biology, AP Chemistry without taking Chemistry/Chemistry Honors, or AP Physics without taking Physics/Physics Honors? <back to top>
A: It is not recommended. The AP science courses are designed as SECOND year courses. Students are expected to know and understand the material from the first course. Students that try to skip and go directly to the AP course will not have the adequate background knowledge to succeed as well as students that have had the previous experience. For this reason, we recommend you take the first year for each of our AP science courses.

Q: I'd like to skip Chemistry or Chemistry Honors and go straight to AP Chemistry as a sophomore. Is this possible? <back to top>
A: It is extremely challenging for someone to start learning chemistry by jumping right into AP Chemistry. As a Chemistry rookie, a sophomore would be putting in probably 4-5 hours per night, while a typical AP Chemistry student might put in 1-2 hours per night. There are so many basic assumptions that the teacher will make about what the students know, so a student without prior knowledge can fall behind very quickly. Chemistry Honors is itself a challenging course, and an excellent and logical stepping stone for success in AP Chemistry during the junior or senior year.

Q: Is AP Biology difficult? If I struggled in biology, will AP Biology be difficult for me? <back to top>
A: Performance in biology class is a good predictor of success in AP biology. Students tend to do relatively the same in both classes, and several do even better. Using AP Biology student grade data from the 2001/02 school year, 55% of students do equally well in biology and AP biology; 33% of students did better in Biology AP than Biology; and 12% of students of received a lower grade in Biology AP than biology.

Q: Will I be prepared to take AP Chemistry if I took regular Chemistry instead of Chemistry Honors? <back to top>
A: Chemistry students have, historically, struggled in AP Chemistry, primarily because of their lack of exposure to challenging and detailed topics. Chemistry Honors students are much better prepared for AP Chemistry, having "heard about" these difficult topics once before. Furthermore, the pace of AP Chemistry is quite fast, closer to that of Chemistry Honors. Please review Chem AP Grade data to help you make your decision.

Q: Will I be prepared to take AP Physics if I took regular Physics instead of Physics Honors? <back to top>
A: In the past, students who have taken AP Physics after having taken regular Physics were significantly outperformed by students whose preparation included Physics Honors. Over the past three years, approximately ten students have taken AP Physics after having taken regular physics. The typical grade for these students is a C, with D grades being quite common. Taking Physics Honors will give you much more preparation for AP Physics.

Q: I am struggling in one of my science classes, what can I do? <back to top>
A: First, all teachers have office hours - talk to your teacher, attend tutorial sessions, or use some of the resources your teacher may provide you (websites, practice materials, etc). If you are Chemistry student, there is a special tutoring program that you can join. Chemistry tutoring is a peer tutoring program that involves collaboration between Chemistry AP, Chemistry Honors and Chemistry students where the Chemistry AP students will tutor Chemistry Honors students and Chemistry students, once a week, at lunch, under teacher supervision, on various concepts of Chemistry . Please talk to your Chemistry teacher if you are interested in this.

Q: How do I find out what designation (A-G) does the UC system give for a certain course? <back to top>
A: If you go to the UC Course Search Website and type in "Monta Vista", you will see the current list.

Q: What is the equivalent DeAnza Course to our Physics AP class? <back to top>
A: Physics AP as taught at MV is calculus-based physics, which is equivalent to the DeAnza classes Physics 4A and 4B. The Physics 50 class is algebra-based physics, which would be roughly equivalent to Physics or Physics Honors. Please note that DeAnza courses will not appear on a student's MV transcript, and will not earn credit toward graduation. However, if taken after completing the 10th grade and before beginning the 12th grade year, the classes can earn college credit. Check with your MV assistant principal for more details.

Q: What is the equivalent DeAnza Course to our Chemistry AP class? <back to top>
A: Chemistry AP is probably most equivalent to the Chemistry 1 series at DeAnza (1A,1B, and 1C).

Q: What type of summer school does our district offer? <back to top>
A: Traditionally our district has offered summer school Biology for those students that failed during the school year. Second preference is then given to students with a "D". The course is not for students that want to take an enrichment course or take Biology early. Final information on what we'll offer and who can take the classes will be distributed by the District around April/May.

Q: When is the best time to take the SATII for Biology - after Biology or after AP Biology? <back to top>
A: The best time to take the SATII for Biology would be after taking the AP Biology course. Most of the topics are introduced in 9th grade biology, but the SATII goes into more depth - so a student will be more successful if they take it after the AP course. For the Biology SATII, there are two options that you can take: E or M. E is for Ecology, M is for Molecular. The Monta Vista AP Biology program is more molecularly-focused, so you may want to take that section. Based on the 2002 scores, students that took the M version had an average score that was 81 points higher than the E version. If a student did NOT take AP Biology and would like to take the SATII, then we would recommend the E version - since this information is fully covered in the 9th grade course and a student that didn't take AP wouldn't have some of the M information. Remember, though, that it is your choice on what to take and you should look over practice materials to help you make your decision.

Q: Do Honors and AP Classes have a different 'weighting' for the GPA? <back to top>
A: The transcript that our high school provides does not weight classes. That means an A in chem honors is worth the same as an A in chemistry in our district's GPA calculation. Some colleges will "weight" a certain number of honors/AP courses. For example, the UC system assigns extra grade points for up to four yearlong honors level or AP courses taken in grades 10, 11, and 12. (An A=5 points, B=4 points, C=3 points). A maximum of two yearlong courses taken in grade 10 are assigned honors points. Grades of D are not assigned extra honors points and are not recognized as "completion of course."

Q: How can I find out more about what a class is like? <back to top>
A: Several short descriptions of courses are below. Also, you can visit the course websites by going to the Science Department Webpage from the Monta Vista home page.

Chemistry is a class focusing on the relationships among the structure of matter, chemical reactions, and properties of matter. The objectives of this course will be to use observation and analytical skill scientifically to learn about chemicals and their properties, and to put that chemical understanding to use in a realistic context. Through textbook readings, lectures, class discussion, and extensive labs, students will investigate: the properties of matter, the structure of the atom, chemical reactions and equations, the Periodic Table, chemical bonding, properties of aqueous solutions, kinetics and chemical equilibrium, redox reactions, nuclear chemistry and organic chemistry. These topics will focus on chemical knowledge as a practical, applicable part of students' lives.
***Chemistry Class Website***

Chemistry Honors is a full year of intensive college prep chemistry, intended for those students who wish to pursue science related fields in college. The rigor and effort required is equal to demands placed by any honor level college prep course. Students are expected to demonstrate independence, self-motivation, diligence, punctuality, and consistency in performance. Students will be introduced in depth to the various concepts of physical and inorganic chemistry and will be introduced to organic chemistry. Topics that are covered include: Matter and Change, Atoms and Arrangement of Electrons, Periodic Table, Bonding, Stoichiometry, Gases, Liquids, Solids, Acids and Bases, Kinetics, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions, Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Chemistry. Weekly labs will introduce students to chemistry lab procedures such as paper chromatography, unknown qualitative analysis, titration, Flame Tests, Colorimetry using Spec 20. Students will continue to improve their scientific writing by writing professional lab reports during the year which will require analysis of large amounts of data. A majority of a student's grade is based on tests and labs. This course in addition to providing in depth understanding of the various chemical concepts also emphasizes on the mathematical aspect of various chemical phenomena.
*** Chemistry Honors Class Website***

AP Chemistry is a second-year chemistry course class that extends students' knowledge of chemistry. Topics covered in first-year chemistry are reviewed and investigated more deeply. Students are expected to be able to work independently on various topics. The objectives of the course are to increase student understanding of advanced chemistry, and to prepare students for the AP exam offered in May. Topics that are covered include: predicting reaction products, thermochemistry and thermodynamics, aqueous equilibria, quantum theory and the Periodic Table, advanced chemical bonding, kinetics, intermolecular forces, electrochemistry, organic chemistry, and the chemistry of coordination compounds. A majority of a student's grade is based on exams and quizzes.
***AP Chemistry Class Website***

Biology is an introductory course designed to teach students the basics of scientific reasoning as well as the principles of biology. Topics covered in Biology are: ecology, biomolecules, cells, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, cell division, genetics, protein synthesis, evolution, and human body systems. There is a heavy emphasis on hands-on learning through labs and projects such as the macroinvertebrate study at Stevens Creek and the pig dissection at the end of the year. In addition, students are taught basic information processing skills such as how to pull important ideas and supporting information out of a science textbook, take Cornell-style notes, and how to conduct scientific labs. Students also engage in cooperative learning, discover the importance of teamwork, and develop strong laboratory skills.
***Biology Class Website***

AP Biology is a second year biology course. Students will build on their previous biology experience through a focus on how biological processes happen at a molecular level. Topics that are covered include: organic chemistry, enzymes, protein synthesis, DNA replication, evolution, cellular energetics, plants, and animal systems. Weekly labs will introduce students to biotechnology tools such as gel electrophoresis, pipetting, restriction digests, PCR, and bioinformatics. Students will continue to improve their scientific writing by writing at least one large professional lab report during the first semester. During second semester, the focus is on preparation for the AP exam and a culminating project where teams of students design and build a functional, biological product. Students can expect to put a large amount of time studying for exams and completing assignments such problem sets, readings, and lab conclusions.
***AP Biology Class Website***

Physics: This full-year introductory physics course covers topics in mechanics, waves, electricity & magnetism, and modern physics. The emphasis is on basic physical concepts and their relation to familiar phenomena and technology. At the same time, mathematics is applied widely in this course so students should have strong algebra skills and a willingness to apply them.
***Physics Class Website***

Physics Honors is a first year algebra-based physics course. Students will learn the basic rules governing the motion of matter and use them to develop a detailed understanding of the behavior of complex systems like musical instruments, eyeglasses, electrical circuits, and pendulums. Topics that are covered include: kinematics, mechanics, energy, momentum, waves, optics, electrostatics, field theory, circuits, and magnetic induction. Students will be expected to independently read and understand complicated material, and to know and correctly apply concepts from geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. There will be biweekly laboratory activities that will require students to analyze large amounts of data and to write clearly and effectively. The majority of a student's grade is based on exams and quizzes.
***Physics Honors Class Website***

AP Physics is a second year physics course. Students will build on their previous physics experience while using calculus to analyze dynamic (changing) systems. Topics that are covered include: kinematics, mechanics, energy, momentum, rotational physics, electrostatics, field theory, circuits, and magnetic induction. During second semester, the focus is on preparation for the AP exam and a final unit where students will study topics in modern physics like the theory of relativity or quantum physics. Students will be expected to independently read and understand complicated material, and to know and correctly apply a variety of mathematical concepts. The vast majority of a student's grade is based on exams and quizzes.
***AP Physics Class Website***

Physiology is a second year life science course that covers the basic principles of anatomy and physiology with a strong emphasis on health education. Students will explore different methods of achieving and maintaining optimum health and learn the importance of working to improve the health of their community. Throughout the year, students will engage in a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of all human organ systems. Additional topics of study include: stress and its effect on the human body, the importance of sleep, the basics of exercise physiology, body image and its relationship to eating disorders, and the components of a healthy diet. Students enrolled in this course will be trained and certified in proper CPR techniques and Basic First Aid. In addition, all students will be required to perform several hours of community service as well as an 8-hour internship with a healthcare professional.
***Physiology Class Website***