<p>So there are three levels of AP Physics at my school (I, II, and C). I know a lot of people at my school take C and end up failing because the class is really hard, but it looks great for colleges. I am planning on majoring in Computer Science and I don't know what to do. Should I take AP Physics II or go with C? Is it necessary for colleges to see that you took the hardest Physics course possible? </p>
<p>Basically, do engineering schools need to see AP Physics C on your transcript? </p>
<p>No, they don’t “need” to see it, but it would be better for you to familiarize with hard physics before university instead if failing in college. You must try your best as long as you don’t get C’s constantly in AP. If you do, the uni won’t see you as an “engineer”. You can then either go to Physics II or get a teacher; learn from different sources;study more etc.I hope my answer helped.</p>
<p>Don’t view it as “hard” physics, but “real” physics. AP Physics C is calculus-based, just like the physics you’ll take in college and all of your engineering courses. Really, just like the whole of reality. You might as well get used to that now when you are in high school and the teacher will still hold the hand of struggling students than to try and jump straight into the deep end in college.</p>
<p>I and II are algebra based. Heard an engineering dean tell kids at an engineering open house that C is the AP physics worth taking, not I or II. Granted, will the AP course be your first course in physics, or are you taking HS honors physics first? I and II are glorified HS physics due to the lack of calculus.</p>
<p>If AP is your first look at physics, I could see why many kids at your HS fail AP Physics C. It’s tough with the calculus, especially if you’ve never done physics before. </p>
<p>I’ve taken Physics Honors before and I’m decent at Calc. Is a B or C or maybe D in Physics C worth more than an A or B in Physics 2?</p>
<p>Look, if you are going to get a D in AP Physics C, that doesn’t bode well for being able to handle engineering coursework to begin with. The entirety of every field of engineering is based on physics and calculus.</p>
<p>This^</p>
<p>The baseline is to have high school physics as preparation for physics in college.</p>
<p>AP physics 1 and 2 are somewhat higher level, but non-calculus-based, courses, which will give no subject credit for engineering majors. AP physics C (split into mechanics and E&M) are calculus-based courses that are sometimes accepted for subject credit (mechanics more commonly than E&M).</p>
<p>I also need to prepare for the SAT Physics II. I think AP Physics 2 will help me prepare a little more, but Physics C will help me get into an engineering school. Which one?</p>
<p>We’ve told you which one. Ultimately you had to choose, but Physics C is vastly superior in terms of college preparation, and if you take and learn calculus-based physics, the stuff you would learn in the easier version will be a cakewalk.</p>
<p>Your high school (honors) physics course should be sufficient for the SAT subject test. AP physics 1 and 2 combined should also cover it, but that is redundant unless your high school (honors) physics course was of poor quality.</p>
<p>ditto what ucbalumnus said. SAT subject matter test is based on HIGH SCHOOL physics, not college physics. As I stated in my earlier post, AP Physics I and II are glorified HS physics. Kids from “physics first” high schools often take I and II as a “real” physics course, since grade 9 physics first curricula don’t include the trig of a real physics course.</p>
<p>S took both halves of AP Physics C, and found freshman engineering physics a breeze. He could have opted out but chose not to, and in hindsight wishes he had.</p>