@scubadive I completely agree. However, at this point I think it’s the best to go with what I have even though I could potentially change my schedule. Too much work at this point. I have other meaningful ECs…
The general consensus on this old thread:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1753097-ap-physics-c-without-physics-1.html
Is that you don’t need an intro to physics class beforehand; the math concepts are more important, and I took AB Calc this year. However, I am one of only three kids who have taken calc going into the class next year, and so the teacher will likely teach as if no one has learned calc; therefore, it should be easier. For the AP exam I will just study hard, hard, hard.
^actually, not the consensus. The consensus AND the requirement by the CollegeBoard is that you DO need a Physics class beforehand.
Change your courseload. Your future self will thank you. If PHysics C is a priority then prioritize it and remove 2 other APs.
@MYOS1634 The CollegeBoard website states that the only prerequisite is to have taken Calculus or taking Calculus concurrently…
I’ll consider not taking APHUG and only self-study it (the United States Geography Olympiad contains a lot of information from APHUG and I’ve studied extensively for that)…
The collegeboard classifies it as a level2 class, like AP Chem. It means it’s the second level class in that subject’s sequence.
(The odds of doing poorly without a first Physics class are very high and college adcoms won’t think “oh this sophomore challenged himself with a level 2/Senior course”, they’ll think “hubris/lack of self awareness” and judge you poorly for it.)
APHUG is an easy “gateway to AP” class but you could just save it for an easy elective senior year to confirm your interest in geography (if you apply to CS+Geo). Don’t self study, colleges want you in class, participating, doing the work with others, taking tests.
You still need to cut one AP if you want to prioritize Physics C.
I’ve long ago figured out that this OP is going to do what he wants to do and there is no changing his mind. That said, it is wrong to assume a “general consensus” based on a 4 year old post with 6 responses by high schoolers. I will further say that some of those responses were from boarding school students. So while Physics C without prior physics knowledge may be possible by some high achieving students at Philips Exeter, it may be more of a challenge at the local public school. On the flip side, which some users seem to overlook, is that the OP is just taking mechanics, and taking a year to do it. IMO, with the right dedication and math background, it is possible to do as a first physics course. I would rarely recommend a student take mechanics + E&M as a first course, especially as a sophomore.
Just don’t. As is common with the age group, you just do not yet know how much you do not know. There are just so many better uses for your time than even considering this Sisyphean task.
On another note, I don’t see going from Physics C to AP Bio/Chem in later years as a decrease in rigor. Regardless, users who think that an AO, in the 10 minutes they spend on an application, are simultaneously calculating rigor over time are seriously overestimating what an AO can/wants to accomplish in those 10 minutes.
@skieurope Lol ya but I was accepted to Phillips Exeter last year…
I know, which is why I used that as an example. However, you will not be attending. I know from experience, taking classes at a school like PEA is not like the LPS. So just because you could have taken physics at PEA does not mean you will do well with the course at the school you will be attending. I hope you do, though.
@skieurope Ok, I understand now. Thank you!
My sons school was the top school in our state for like 15 years and all honors school with APs. They do physics first year then chemistry then bio. Most take AP Chem or AP physics senior year with either Calc 2 or multivariate Calc senior year. Some do double up with AP Chem /physics during this time. This way your progressing with rigor as stated.
As far as Ecs your missing the point. Schools don’t want robots… They will take a few kids that fit your mold since they are building a class and want diversity of students and idea’s. But they want involved kids doing great things on their campuses. So some keys are doing a few activities at your school or outside of it for 3-4 years. This shows commitment and dedication and shows you as an individual.
Somethings my son did was track (discuss and shot put)… If the kids joined a team they could forgo gym class junior /senior year so they could take another academic class so like everyone joined something… Guess what happened? The kids were at the top academic school and knew what hard work is. They actually excelled at sports once giving it a try. My son’s distances improved yearly… He got to mention this in one of his essays. But he also had a few other outside things for engineering and was a peer tutor etc.
Being part of math peer tutoring or the like would be a positive thing to do.
Also if going into cs you should have some cs activities… If your school doesn’t have any then start your OWN club. My son with friends made a fun club in sophomore and then another one in junior year. Guess what… At Michigan he didn’t like any of the 1,000 or so clubs there either and he started a club there also which is a tech club that just got mention in trade press and they put on a major conference around it.
Colleges want active students. This is how their colleges become great. Taking a lot of classes also doesn’t make you interesting. Your just another dime a dozen kid. Colleges want interesting kids. You don’t have to win any major award or being in the selection process for the Nobel peace prize. Just have to be doing things that are unique to you and interesting to the colleges. They should want to learn more about you. Right now, You stand a chance that they won’t want to. It’s not all about grades and scores but those will help. Getting a 33/34 Act seems to be a good target point for most colleges for CS. Having a good GPA of 3.7 unweighted and up seems like a good goal. But if you don’t have any activities that set you apart then you will be just one of the “thousands” of kids with the same profile.
Don’t do that.
@Knowsstuff You probably haven’t seen my most popular thread:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/athletic-recruits/2137023-full-send-or-no-send-soccer.html#latest
Soccer has been the center of my life since I was younger; sports have defined me. Now, my focuses are changing.
I also have another EC thread:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/2142142-are-extracurriculars-really-that-important-for-non-t20-cs.html#latest
I will look into math tutoring next year, thank you for the idea.
As you can see though, this thread is only focusing on my courseload. I’m not a one-dimensional robot. But I can always improve.
I have no interest reading all the threads. I skimmed the first page to get an idea.
My son was a competitive chess player on a top ten state team. He also participated in the school’s chess camp for younger kids. Plus he was a chess tutor to a 9 year old with a college IQ and made $25.00/hour… Guess what… A good friend of ours is a college high school counselor and does this professionally. She looked at my sons resume and said “what else do you have… It’s all chess and that counts as like one activity /interest”. That is when the light bulb went off to get more involved in things he truly enjoys doing not just for a college application.
Don’t be the cliché computer geek kid. There are thousands of those kids applying to colleges.
@Knowsstuff I’m just not that, but ok thanks.
My other example of many is my friends kid who wanted to go to Princeton. He was all A in an all honors /AP school. Top instate. 35 Act and pissed he didn’t get a 36. Debate champ on a national debate team for like 3 years running. Invited to pretigous debate camps each summer. Taking the most rigorous classes imaginable.
His mother couldn’t understand why he was outright rejected. In the hallway I can hear his counselor talking to his mother saying “it’s not all about grades” “schools want more well rounded kids”.
Looking back this kid confessed that after reading his essay like 4 years later and through a different lens that he was just a one trick pony boring kid. Nothing interesting about him at all. He said he wouldn’t take himself if he was an AO. This is a great kid and not conceited in anyway, just a very smart intelligent dude.