<p>I want to take AP Bio, because I hear that there's not much to understand, just a whole lot of information to memorise. Consequently, the AP Bio techer gives out a WHOLE lot of homework and projects. I honestly don't want this my senior year, but all my friends are taking it. That'll make it a fun period, but a class that's hard to concentrate on. In 8th grade I took Living Enviroment Regents (for New Yorkers), and I've already taken Chem Regents and AP Chem: some perks for Bio.</p>
<p>AP Physics requires, I here, a lot more understanding than memorization. The AP Physics teacher doesn't give out a lot of homework either, which is a bonus considering the 5 APs (5th one being a science AP) I plan to take next year. Our AP Physics teacher has an accent which, people tell me, makes it difficult to understand him at times. My older brother also adivsed that taking AP Physics complements AP Calc BC (which I will also be taking). I also heard from a friend that taking Bio in college is easier than it would be in high school and vice versa for Physics.</p>
<p>Can anyone confirm the things I've heard, and help me make my decision? Oy, perhaps I should just take AP Pysch...</p>
AP Physics requires, I here, a lot more understanding than memorization. The AP Physics teacher doesn't give out a lot of homework either, which is a bonus considering the 5 APs (5th one being a science AP) I plan to take next year.
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<p>Keep in mind that often in classes with very little assigned homework you're supposed to do homework anyway outside of what the teacher assigns. Our school's like that -- most of my teachers don't assign homework but if you don't do problems on your own you fail the tests.</p>
<p>Well, which subject do you like more? physics or biology? I took physics over biology and chemistry since it was one of my deep interests. Your friends should never be a reason why you should choose or choose not to attend an AP class either.</p>
<p>I'm in AP Physics C right now and only one of the few students that has an A in that subject. Most students have difficulty either because they lack proficient knowledge in trigonometry (unit circle, sin, cos, and tan being the most important), cannot simplify problems down to an algebra problem, and cannot relate or derive given variable(s)/formula(s) to another of which was/were unknown. Memorizing formulas will the be the least of your concern; you'll naturally memorize it as you participate and learn it quickly if you can relate it to geometry and other known physics formulas.</p>
<p>I see AP Physics more of practical algebra with some calculus involved. My class has only studied mechanics so far by the way. Electricity, light/optics, gas, and heat could be different, but after studying them for SAT II Physics, I believe what I said about this class is valid to these subjects also.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. And as for Birdkiller's question, I honestly think that Bio would be more interesting, but I think I would be better at Physics. Also, the word of the seniors are that the BIo teacher takes extra measures to prepare his students while the Physics teacher seems to lack in that department. </p>
<p>Perhaps I SHOULD take Psych... But then again, I hear the teacher doesn't prepare students for the AP... >_< Arghh.</p>
<p>I was in dilemma like yours my junior year. My math background wasn't that strong, so I wanted to wait until I had a math class that complimented AP Physics (namely, my Calculus class this year) to take it. </p>
<p>My story goes: I took AP biology junior year. The class itself IS a lot of memorization (there is understanding, too, but definitely not as much as physics)-- but sheer amount of it was so insane that the amount of studying I did for that class that year was probably greater than the amount of time I put in for my other six classes combined (that might just be me, however). </p>
<p>I have AP Physics now, and it is definitely one of my harder classes. I don't study as much for it as I did biology (read: I have senioritis). But I know that I would be absolutely DYING in that class if I hadn't waited until calc to take it. </p>
<p>Wow res__nullius, your post almost makes me want to take Physics now, but I don't know. Learning Physics just seems to be so much more... stale than learning Bio. Perhaps I will wind up taking Physics.</p>
<p>And to respond to a778999's a response: I never took a Physics class before, but I have taken a Bio Regents class. I don't know if it's because I was in 8th grade, or if it just doesn't click with me, but I did REALLY bad in 8th grade Bio. My final average would up being an 89 (lowest grade on my high school transcript). This is just more more response that pushes me towards Physics.</p>
<p>AP Bio is a memorization suicide class. Unbelievable. I was the only A in my class and that class was one of the only classes that actually challenged me. Unbelievable amount of critical thinking and memorization. The average grade in my class was around a 56 percent. I got a 90.5%. Very close. Second semester, my teacher had to give 10 percent boosts because if she didn't, 3/4 of the class was going to get F's. </p>
<p>However, Physics is, in my opinion, one of the hardest subjects you can take. It is especially difficult for me because I suck at math, so instead I took AP Env. Science and dropped AP Physics. If you are good at math and have a good.....GREAT work ethic, AP physics will be survivable. AP physics might have half the work that AP Bio had, but AP Physics requires hours of practice and extensive knowledge in math and critical thinking is a must. Memorization will only get you so far in AP Physics...</p>
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My story goes: I took AP biology junior year. The class itself IS a lot of memorization (there is understanding, too, but definitely not as much as physics)-- but sheer amount of it was so insane that the amount of studying I did for that class that year was probably greater than the amount of time I put in for my other six classes combined (that might just be me, however).
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<p>That's what happened to me too...so. much. work.</p>
<p>I'm taking both AP Biology and AP Physics C right now...
While Biology has a lot more work, a lot more to memorize, a lot more to do, I think it is a lot easier than Physics. However, in freshman biology, the AP Biology teacher had to sub frequently for my class and I was extremely interested in the extra things she taught us. So, I've found memorization really easy because it's almost a repeat of freshman Biology.
In Physics, the equations are easy to use and memorize, but there's a lot of extra work you have to put in for understanding the concepts and how to apply one concept in different places. It took me one semester to realize this, and at the end of last semester I just did a lot of practice problems and focused on all the conceptual problems my teacher gave the class. So with this knowledge I'll try to make second semester much easier for me.</p>
<p>Physics and Calculus BC go really well together. My school is on two-semester class schedules, and some of the Calc AB really struggled because they hadn't learned some of the math you use...</p>