I want to Major in Computer Science.
Which AP Physics should I go for? :
I
II
C : Mechanics or
C: E & M
Please help.
It depends on a number of factors. Have you taken any prior physics classes? Does the physics C teacher at your school expect you to have a background in physics? How rigorous of a courseload can you handle? E&M always comes after Mech but many schools combine them into one year so that each is a semester long course. This means that it will move twice as fast as a yearlong mech class. The same applies to 1 and 2. How strong is your math background? Physics C is calculus based so at the bare minimum you should be taking Calc AB concurrently. What grade are you in? If you’re not a senior you can start with 1/2 and move on to C next year if you don’t feel prepared to enter C. Ask other students at your school who know you and know the physics teachers.
I have scored a 4 on Calc BC. I am fairly introduced to Physics with a good deal of knowledge in modern physics. Which exam would be the best balance of Rigour and Credit? @Matt846 Thank you.
You’ll get the best credit for taking Physics C. Mech and E&M are both semester long courses at colleges so taking both in a year will get you twice the credit. I’m not familiar with how many colleges are willing to award credit for 1/2. If you already have a background in physics and Calc I’d recommend going for Physics C. A good portion of the mech exam is essentially just applying calc to various scenarios and the curves are very generous- I believe ~55% is a 5 on the E&M exam. For the course grade, people at your school who have already taken the course are your best resource.
Oh. Thank you. I have one more question. Is taking Physics 1/2 useless in terms of credit/absolution? @Matt846