Alternatives exist for Chemistry
Freshmen were hopeful that the class would become optional
Counselor John Allman poses while working on students’ course selections on March 28. He has to make sure that students have a good balance between difficult classes and easy classes, and determining wether a student should take Chemistry or not is a major part of the process.
April 1, 2019
For what seemed like since the dawn of time, sophomores have always been required to take chemistry, and an almost universal deposition for the class existed do to its difficulty and inevitability. However, it seems that the freshmen of next year no longer have to face the struggles of chemistry.
Chemistry for many is the hardest of the sciences, and many students struggle in the class.
“I’ll be happy if I have a passing grade in my chemistry class by the end of the year,” sophomore Taha Qureshi said. “I bet many others in my class feel the same way I do.”
In fact, there is almost a universal fear of chemistry that haunts freshmen.
“I’ve heard so much about chemistry,”freshman Will Davis said. “Everyone has been telling me about how it’s so difficult.”
Thus, when it was announced that Chemistry would no longer be a mandatory requirement for next year’s sophomores, the same scared students were ecstatic.
“I’d love it if I didn’t have to take Chemistry,” freshman Avi Fruman said. “Its a real dream of mine.”
However, the dreams of students like Fruman are unfortunately crushed by the reality of the decision made by the school.
This is due to the fact that the real change made was in providing more learning opportunities for struggling students.
“Now students can take Biology, Active Physics and Geosystems to get their three science credits,” Counselor John Allman said.
Considering the academic mindset of most McLean students, very few of them are eligible for the schedule without a Chemistry class.
“As long as they’ve passed Algebra 1, most students are going to take Chemistry,” Allman said. “I’d say probably around 90 percent of sophomores next year are still signed up for Chemistry,”
Despite their crushed dreams, students are still ready to take on Chemistry and complete the course.
“I knew it was going to be difficult the moment I signed up for the class last year,” sophomore Isaac Arny said. “So I decided to take the challenge head-on, I study the material whenever I can: before class, during highlander time, sometimes even on the bus. I am always ready.”
There is a google form at https://forms.gle/CDHStTsJ7AnxSLNX8 if you would like to fill out a questionnaire on how you feel about your science classes.