<p>I'm a high school senior, and I'm currently taking AP Physics (C). I was planning on taking the AP test, but now I'm unsure of whether that is a good idea or not. I believe that I have a good shot at getting a high score on the exam; I am doing well in AP Physics, and I did well last year in honors. However, my high school does not have much lab equipment, so my class hardly ever does labs. Would this make me unprepared for the next level of physics? Is it better to take Physics I during the first semester in order to adjust to the demanding academic schedule?</p>
<p>(Note: This question is not specific to physics at MIT.)</p>
<p>I would trust that the exam will sufficiently reflect your comprehension of the subject. FYI, I love physics. It's been my life's passion for many years. I felt the Physics C exam was challenging enough and covered the topics in the course very well. I made a 5 and now expect that I'm prepared for physics in college.</p>
<p>I don't think the amount or quality of lab equipment will significantly affect your ability to score well on AP Physics C. My school's "labs" never work, and we don't even have a class for the C exam, and everyone who took it last year did fine.</p>
<p>When you take the test... don't sign up for the "optional" sections. It may be free but... your score will suck. One of my friends got a 1 on the mechanics part (or something like that) and he was out of the running for AP Scholar awards :(</p>
<p>My understanding is that the lab requirement at MIT is one lab over the course of four years...so unless you want to take more labs than that, you don't need to worry about lab proficiency too much.</p>
<p>I guess I was unclear about my question. I meant to ask if having limited lab experience would make me unprepared for Physics II, not the actual AP exam. In other words, if I get a 5 and chose to move on to the next physics course, would I be at a great disadvantage?</p>
<p>Re dys2k6: physics c is split into two portions - mech and e/m. you can sit for either or both parts, so in a sense, both parts are optional :).</p>
<p>Nah I don't believe that taking that test reflects anything. I scored 5's on both sections, but I don't feel that my comprehension of physics is anywhere near where I would want it to be. Ultimately, tests are tests of knowledge and much less of full understanding and the ability to use it in more applications than the limited field given. That said, don't beat yourself up if you don't take it- but give it a shot.</p>