This semester we covered:
Data Analysis
1D Kinematics
2D Kinematics
Dynamics
Equilibrium
Circular Motion
Work/Power/Energy
Is my class behind?
@BarryYung42 We’ve done everything but circular motion. Doing that right now, so I’d say you guys are ahead, atleast for my class.
Edit: We also haven’t started equilibrium yet. So I guess the real question is whether my class is behind
For us, out teacher told us that we’re taking both the physics 1 and 2 AP tests in May. So, we’re covering both the materials for physics 1 and 2 over the course of two semesters. Is there anyone else who’s doing this at their schools?
@bobobobo214 My class is learning all of AP Physics 1 and 70% of AP Physics 2 so our teacher recommended self studying the rest which kinda sucks but yeah
My teacher makes us take an exam with 30-35 questions in an hour with FIVE answer choices. The actually exam has 50 questions for 90 minutes and four answer choices -___- And we only have 15 minutes to take an FRQ no matter the length. The class is hard, but our teacher has a 92% pass rate. We have one more unit, then we just purely review for the exam. I think he’ll prep us well 
My teacher is definitely not preparing us for the exam. All he does is teach formulas and barely go over the conceptual understanding that the new exam is over. He basically makes easy things hard. His FRQs are basically questions from the textbook so we aren’t getting the style of questions the AP Exam is going to give us. Funny thing is that he go overs how to do the his “FRQs” in class but everyone still finds the class extremely hard.
I bought the 5 Steps to a 5. I know the exam is new so no one really knows how it’ll be, but do you guys think it will be good enough for exam preparation? I know I will be screwed for the exam if I don’t do stuff outside from what my class is doing.
Hello, Ladies and Gents. How are you all doing on this fine evening? It seems I’m stuck in a bit of a pickle currently and could use some of the collective wisdom on this forum. Here’s the situation as it currently stands:
-My teacher: Smart guy, can definitely teach. Problem: He’s never had formal college physics classes in his life and can be a bit of a scatterbrain at times.
-Where we are: We are slated to start Electrostatics on Thursday and then do DC Circuits (resistors only) before reviewing.
-Class makeup: 19 kids. 14 seniors, 5 juniors
-Textbook: Giancoli, Physics with Applications, 6th Edition
-Review Books that I currently have: PR, 5 Steps to a Five
-My weaknesses: Rotation, Waves (More rotation than waves)
-Additional Notes: I’ve recently been using the edX AP Physics 1 course (handled by Boston Univ.), which is fairly well done.
So thoughts?
I need help, too. I’m consistently scoring in the upper 40s on tests (raw score). My teacher lets us do corrections where we can earn back half credit and he also gives us a square root curve. When all is said and done, I usually raise my score to the low 80s. Any advice for studying for tests? I’m also using the edX course and I’ve gone in to see my teacher multiple times to get help- but none of that has helped.
bobobo214: My son has the same Physics curriculum you described.
My question is whether it is worth it to even take the exams since the physics dept at Purdue only grants non-distributed credits unless you get a five, which my son predicts as extremely unlikely. He plans to study engineering so this type of physics would never replace that curriculum’s Physics requirement anyway. If he takes Physics C AP exam and scores a 5 he will place out of the course. Also unlikely!
Honestly… i’ll be lucky to get a 3. My teacher is an earth science teacher and got stuck with the ap physics course due to know teacher. Not only that, but i frankly just don’t understand anything in the class. I’m going to grab a review book read it inside out and pray for the best.
Is there really any point in passing this test when you know you have to take the same course again in college?
Is anyone planning on using a review book to prep for this exam? I feel like everything is just logic/learning how to solve the problems, and nothing is too difficult…
It depends on the college; some have an honors version for those that passed the AP test.
I will be a senior next year, and I will be taking ap chem, lit, and spanish. I have to take physics in high school and I enjoy science, but I am not sure if I should take ap physics 1 with the aps Im already taking next year. How easy is the math in physics 1? I know it’s algebra based. I am in algebra 2 this year and im taking pre calc next year. I am not incredibly interested in math, but I want to take physics to aid in my understanding of other sciences. Any comments appreciated!
What review book are you guys planning on getting? I am thinking about princeton review
@food98 The math isn’t hard at all. It’s the content itself that will get you.
@kkpanu9 My physics teacher recommended 5 Steps. From the little I’ve read of it so far, it looks like a concise, but good, book
I’m using my entire textbook to prep. This will be fun…
Princeton Review is the king of Review textbooks (in my very skewed opinion). Barron’s is too un-succinct, often providing unnecessary information (the Calculus BC book, for example, has a section on power series involving imaginary numbers, which is just lol-worthy). 5-steps-to-a-5, in my opinion, is literally a review book. Meaning, if you realize you don’t know a topic very well at all, it won’t teach it to you.
I think Princeton Review provides the best combination of “cutting to the chase” while still retaining self-studyability.
I completely agree. I have been reviewing in the Princeton Review book for a few weeks now, and it reviews the simple things while digging deep into the complicated things.
To be honest, I’m only a little worried about the free response. That is, if it directs us to design an experiment.
On Amazon it said the PR Physics 1 book wasn’t all that helpful since they just removed some of the AP Physics B content. Is it helpful for you so far?