This year, as a junior, I took AP Physics 1. Next year, I’m thinking of taking AP Physics C. Do colleges see that these courses are nearly the same/would it look bad to go from Physics 1 to Physics C?
It’s fine. In many schools AP Physics 1 has replaced honors physics as a first physics course.AP Physics C almost universally requires a previous physics course. AP Physics 1 → AP Physics C is very common.