<p>I posted this question on another thread that is less well visited and wanted to open it up to a wider audience: D's school recommends AP Bio, AP Chem, or AP Physics for the Academy kids to take Junior year. Isn't that progression unusual? D has done well in both Bio, and now Chem this year but we are puzzled as to whether she should take Physics next year. She does very well in math and sciences but will not have taken Calc. Also, I am not sure if it is B or C Physics.</p>
<p>My school does the same thing. I took AP Physics B junior year without any prior physics, and did alright. However, it was extremely difficult and required a lot of extra time, and the material is pretty tough to understand if you aren’t good with mathematical logistics and reasoning. I would recommend taking AP Chem or AP Bio, and honors physics as a basis. Then, senior year, take AP Physics. Or if she’s good at math and logic, take AP Physics B this year and C next year. It’s probably B being offered since I think it’s a prerequisite for C.</p>
<p>I took the college equivalent of AP Physics B (I know, not necessarily the same thing, but material and concept-wise, we’re on target) without having taken a ‘high-school’ level physics class. The concepts were more difficult for me to understand because of that lack of prior knowledge, but it could also be a good thing. Physics is (by my cobbled consensus at a number of schools in a number of districts) pretty difficult. If she are willing to work hard in AP Physics B, it might also be to her benefit not to have to ‘relearn’ Physics the correct way, primarily because how physics is approached and the mindset needed can vary greatly from level to level.</p>
<p>Well, I think it may be different at my schools because most students in AP Physics B have not taken a physics course before, so the teacher obviously takes this into account. If most students at your D’s school take a physics course prior to AP Physics, it may be different. </p>
<p>If she has not taken a calculus or physics course I would suggest not taking AP Physics C, but if it is AP Physics B, she will probably fine if she is good at math/science and is willing to work hard. </p>
<p>AP Physics C is similar to AP Physics B, but C goes into more depth and is calculus-based. B uses very basic algebra and trig. The concepts are the most important (and difficult) part of physics, not the math, especially for AP Physics B. The difficulty of the course definitely depends greatly on the teacher, so I wold take that into account too.</p>
<p>I took AP Physics C as my first physics course and did fine. In my experience having a strong calculus background was much more important. It could be that Physics B would be harder without a physics background because there’s no calculus to tie many of the concepts together, and because it has greater breadth.</p>
<p>In some high schools, AP physics B is used as the honors alternative to the regular high school physics course.</p>
<p>AP physics C is the one that requires calculus.</p>
<p>AP Physics B without prior Physics is very doable and is quite common. Course prepares students well for SAT-ii Physics.</p>
<p>AP Physics C is a parallel course intended for future Engineers and Scientists. AP Physics C is also doable without any prior physics knowledge, but not without mastery of differential Calculus (Calc AB level). Ironically, the harder Physics C leaves some gaps in SAT-ii preparation (e.g. optics, thermodynamics, etc).</p>
<p>In some rare instances, some schools occasionally allow select students to sign-up for Physics-C and Calculus AB/BC simultaneously. Be forewarned that this brutal combo is just about the hardest thing a student can attempt in high school, and not advisable except for the MIT or Caltech bound. My child and 2 other kids (in a cohort of 600+) did this in Sophomore year successfully, but it was pure hell during the first quarter (imagine 4 periods of calculus every day, and all the homework that goes with it).</p>
<p>Our school had the Bio, Chem, Physics progression, but AP Physics C was taken in 12th grade and the kids did have or were taking AP Calculus.</p>
<p>Our HS offers Physics but for STEM kids recommends IAP - Integrated Analysis and Physics, aka pre-calc and Physics taken together as one double course, team taught. Physics II can only be taken after Physics or IAP with the latter preferred.</p>
<p>Will your daughter take an SAT Subject test in the sciences? If yes (and a few schools/majors require that you do - check and see if any of her possible schools do), take the class that prepares you for that test.</p>
<p>I think that calculus is at least a coreq for Physics C, not sure about Physics B.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Me too. Optionally, skip physics honors junior year but take AP Physics along with Calculus senior year.</p>
<p>DS took AP Phys B junior year - had not previously had physics. It was difficult, but he worked hard and did ok. Took it at the same time as Honors Intro to Calc. Currently tasking AP Phys C and AP Calc AB), and doing very well in both of them.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>We aren’t finding this combo brutal at all. DS is certainly gearing for engineering in college next year, but definitely not MIT or Caltech! He is also taking AP Chem at the same time. Did well in all for the first quarter. Several of the kids in AP Phys C took AP Calc AB last year (when they took AP Phys B).</p>
<p>Now if DS can drop all English and SS classes (which he is taking honors) and take more AP science classes, he would be happy. Too bad for him that is not an option!</p>
<p>Overall, it depends on the school. I would go by what the teachers are recommending, talk to your guidance counselor and then talk to your kid. I firmly believe they will rise to the occasion in the classes they enjoy (for us, it’s science) and will resist the work in classes they don’t (for us, it’s Eng and SS). As a parent, it is not my wish to kill my kid while in HS just so he can say he has X number of AP classes. Yes, he needs to be challenged, but not at all costs.</p>
<p>My older son took Calc AB and AP Physics C co-currently and had no problems, A’s/5’s in both. He had no previous physics (although lots of practical knowledge). He certainly had nice options but wasn’t MIT bound.</p>
<p>My son took AP Physics B without a prior Physics course. It was hard but totally doable. He was taking AP Calc at the same time but Calculus is not necessary for Physics B.</p>
<p>If your D had Chemistry last year it might be better to take AP Chemistry her Jr. year and AP Physics as a Sr. That why Chemistry is still fresh in her mind and she will have another year of math under her belt before taking Physics.</p>
<p>Calculus is a co-req of AP Physics C at our local public high school. All physics courses (Physics I, AP Physics B, and AP Physics C) were allowed as a first physics course.</p>
<p>I started a similar thread last year at this time ( not sure how to post link)</p>
<p>Honors Physics vs. AP Physics B?</p>
<p>And the consensus was that it is possible for a bright student who is good in math and science. My son (then a sophomore) spoke with his Algebra II Honors and Chemistry Honors teachers, and also spoke with the Physics teacher. The Math and Physics teacher said to go ahead and take it, which he did. (He took AP Physics B)</p>
<p>The followup is, it was the right decision. We did not realize we were going against the customary progression, and we were a bit thrown off at the beginning of the year to discover that he is the only junior, and the only one who had no previous physics experience in his class. But he’s done absolutely fine: near the top of his class. His current math class is Math Analysis/Calculus Honors.</p>
<p>Here it is calla1:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1299502-honors-physics-vs-ap-physics-b.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1299502-honors-physics-vs-ap-physics-b.html</a></p>
<p>^^ thanks, DeniseC. Can you please tell me how you copied it as a link? I am not very tech-savvy!</p>
<p>Me either! This website does it for you automatically. I copied the url in the browser bar from that thread and pasted it into the reply.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I just confirmed with guidance that it is AP Physics B and that about 20 academy kids take that class, and that about 60 take honors physics. I guess the rest must take AP Chem or AP Bio.</p>
<p>TV4caster, Do you mean she is now taking AP bio and AP chem and doing well? If that’s the case, she will have no trouble doing AP physics B next year. AP Physics B does not require any calculus. If she knows trig, she is in good shape for that. Even if she hasn’t taken AP bio or AP chem, as long as she has strong math background (up to pre-calc level) she is good to go. In my opinion, AP chem is a lot harder than AP physics B.</p>