I’ll be a sophomore in the fall and I want to know if I should take AP Physics 1 next year.
Next year I’ll be taking:
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
English
Civics and Economics
AP Biology
Spanish 3
I am currently signed up to take AP Psychology, but I’m considering changing that to AP Physics.
I plan to apply to a STEM school for junior and senior year, and I think that Physics will look a bit better than Psychology. I am willing to put up with a large workload, and was wondering if Physics 1 would be feasible, in addition to all the classes listed above.
Please let me know what you think about taking AP Physics 1. Also please add your experiences with the class if you’ve taken it, or what you have heard about it. Thanks!
Are you on a block schedule? If not how are you taking Calc AB and BC simultaneously? Have you taken a previous physics class?
Why not take calc BC instead?
I took physics 1 this year. It really isn’t bad if you’re willing to put in effort, and the AP is actually pretty easy.
You can’t do both (at the same time) AB and BC, College Board doesn’t allow it.
I would do AP Physics 1 & AP Calculus AB sophomore, AP Physics 2 & AP Calculus BC junior, and AP Physics C (both) and Mulitvariable Calculus senior.
We’re on a semester schedule, so it’s AB first semester, and BC second. You only take the exam for BC, but you get an AB subscore.
If you take AP Physics 1 first semester, is it hard to take the exam at the end of the year? Is there a lot that one would forget?
My son just took the AP tests for Physics1and Physcis 2. He expects 4s or 5s.
His high school teaches the material for both of these AP tests in one year. He said that the class moved fast but that is wasn’t too bad. I think you should be OK given your advanced math track.
I have not seen the Calculus AB and BC scheduled one class per semester.
Our Calculus AB is a year long class that covers one semester of college calculus.
Our Calculus BC is a year long class that covers TWO semester of college calculus.
Students take either AB or BC but not both and then take the corresponding AP test.
AP Physics 1 is a joke. I bet most 8th graders could handle it without much trouble. Don’t worry about it.
Honestly, if you’re taking calculus and applying to a STEM school, you’d be better off with Physics C. If that’s not an option, go ahead with AP Physics 1 and take the AP Physics: Mechanics exam in addition to or instead of the AP Physics 1 exam. Spend a bit of time reviewing before the AP test, and you should be fine.
I have; AP Calculus is one of those subjects that I have seen many different iterations in how it is structured in high school.