The difficulty of the class depends upon the teacher. IMO, the exam is not difficult, but there are people taking the exam that just should not be taking an AP class in the first place, which has led to very low scores. Unfortunately, many schools have eliminated honors physics to make room for AP Physics 1, which is why we have many of these unprepared students taking the exam. The other negative with eliminating Honors physics is that none of the AP courses prepare one for the subject tests, which many engineering applicants need.
@Shanban1607 the review books aren’t great since the test is so new. I got the Princeton review one for extra practice tests (I took the AP class), and they weren’t super reflective of the questions on the test. There are really no numbers on this test… You might need your calculator once or twice, but that’s it. You need to be able to predict what would happen if you changed different variables (increase or decrease, no numbers lol besides ratio problems) and why. Luckily my teacher reworked the curriculum after hearing about the 2015 exam and prepared us pretty well, and I worked my butt off all year and got a 5 
It’s possible, just very difficult especially if you self-study, since I’m guessing the honors class will be the more traditional calculation-based physics.
Got a 3. Not surprised but still disappointed.
4 on chem (also disappointed), and a 5 on stats. A-/B+ class with a poor-ish teacher and a 3 on the practice test
@skieurope – My DS took Physics I and scored a 5 but the problem is that the material does not cover abut 50% of the material he needs to take the SAT in Physics which he does need to take and do well on in order to be competitive for the engineering schools to which he is applying. So this summer he is taking a physics 2 course at a local college as he wanted to both for the SAT and to get a good foundation before AP Physics C. I hear there is lots of consternation about he way the AP Physics 1 & 2 are not aligned with the Physics SAT & many schools eliminated Physics honors. Frustrating!
I was getting ready for a 2 or a 3, then I check my scores and its a 5! Don’t know how I got it LOL because my teacher literally had no idea what she was doing and had to cover circuits in like 3 days. Honestly, I think the key is just to understand the theory and not memorize calculations.
@eh1234 the difficulty of the class will depend on your teacher and curriculum. My S’s class was heavily calculation-based and mathy. The AP test itself was extremely theoretical/conceptual. My S was fine with that as he’s very good at grasping the concepts, but the kids who went into the test only expecting to crank out calculations had a very bad day. Based on his group of friends, I wouldn’t say the test was hard, just that there was a huge conflict of expectations.
@Shanban1607 I only used that book for review, but another person who used it alongside the course said it really helped her understand the concepts. I think she only got a 2 or 3 on the practice test though
You shouldn’t be very dependent on your teacher in this course especially if they are not pushing you hard enough to truly gain a deep conceptual understanding of the material. My teacher never taught an AP class before, and taught regular physics for only a few years, yet she still taught AP physics 1 with high expectations. At the end of the year she admitted that she could’ve done a better job if she was familiar with the expectations of physics 1. It was honestly all just a complete mess and I really wish I could retake this course knowing what I now know. If you really want to do well, you have to study on the side and do it EFFECTIVELY. To anyone who is going to take the course in the future, I recommend you to do as many practice problems as you can in your textbook or your prep books and get familiar with problem solving under testing situations because its going to be really difficult if you aren’t familiar with the testing environment by the exam day.
@CA1543 AP courses are never aligned with Subject Tests. AP courses are college level, while the Subject Tests are testing HS material. The fact that HS’s are no longer offering an honors physics class, which is what is needed to do well on the physics Subject Test, is more the fault of schools/districts, not the College Board. While I fault the CB with reinventing Physics B with Physics 1/2, nobody forced the schools to drink the Kool-Aid. However, I also don’t think that the CB envisioned that schools would be eliminate Honors Physics to make room for AP Physics 1/2
Quite frankly, I’m surprised that more schools have not gone to the CB and said, “Look, we tried it your way for 2 years. Based upon the exam results, this way is not working, We’re scaling back (or dumping) AP Physics 1/2.” But, what do I know? 
Actually, if you started AP Physics 1 in tenth grade and finished AP Physics 2 in eleventh grade, you would be well-positioned to take the SAT Subject Test in Physics at the end of eleventh grade. The subject matter in those two classes cover almost all the material on the subject test. However, you would have to heavily review the AP Physics 1 material before the test.
Since the usual progression is bio → chem → physics, that would require a double up on sciences sophomore year, which is not generally an option for sophs at most schools. Or, if the school allows, taking chem the summer after freshman year could be an option. However, IMO, any workaround on this issue is really akin to putting a Band-Aid on a gushing wound.
4 
@skieurope – Exactly – at our school – we have REQUIRED in NY: Earth Science, Bio, Chem -regents courses/exams & then - junior year can take AP Physics, Chem, Bio , Envir and something senior yr - not allowed thought to takes physics C as a junior w/o prior physics. My son doubles science with science research but literally no time to take more. I think too that schools should offer 1 year honors physics or a semester “on ramp” to Physics C or something. No summer school offered except for students who fail a course. Hence we looked for summer local college options but I feel it should not have to be this way… CB could take a look and work a bit more with schools though and come up with better courses or schools should as you say - stay away from the Kool Aid!!
Slightly disappointed by my 3 but happy I passed. I’m just worried what colleges will think when they see I want to major in Physics yet I only got a 3. Shouldn’t matter too much. Besides, I will be sure to get 5’s on both AP Physics C exams next year!
They won’t think anything.
It won’t matter at all. The only purpose that AP Physics 1 serves to a Physics major is that it is an introduction to physics. Algebra based physics will not count for your major, and 95+% of colleges limit your credit for AP Physics 1/C: Mech/C: E&M to 2 semesters anyway.
That’s the spirit!