Can you take AP Physics C without taking Calculus beforehand?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm taking AP Calculus senior year, and I want to self- study for AP Physics C senior year. I heard that it is super hard but is it possible to get at least a 4 if I take Honors Physics and Pre- Calc junior year? My school doesn't offer Physics C and there's no way I can take Calc before senior year. Oxford requires that all American apllicants have all AP Physics tests with at least a 4 or 5 in all of them (you get predicted grades and get a conditional offer, so you are accepted if you follow through).</p>

<p>I know this is sort of a strange situation, but I was wondering if anyone had any opinions?</p>

2

<p>No no no no no no do not self-study Physics C. Especially if you haven’t taken Physics B before. Also, you will have to learn more calculus in Physics C than you will in AB. And that’s in like the first couple weeks. My BC teacher kind of got ****ed off when all the Physics C people learned differentiation and integration in the first three weeks of school when BC hadn’t even ventured into differentiation. Dude, Physics C is the application of Calculus BC, and therefore harder.</p>

<p>Edit: Also, Oxford requires AP Physics? I looked into Oxford to apply this year (missed the deadline due to UCAS malfunction :() but it didn’t outright require AP Physics. It depends on your major.</p>

3

<p>My son did Calc BC and Physics C concurrently (5 on both). However, the physics teacher and the calc teacher conferred extensively, and the calc teacher did some rearrangement of the material to make it possible. It was the first year the physics teacher agreed to try it. I never heard whether or not it worked well enough to allow concurrent enrollment in subsequent years.</p>

<p>Your situation is different, and it sounds like it would be more difficult for you to master t the material.</p>

4

<p>At my school, basically everyone takes Physics C and Calc BC concurrently (I’ll most likely be doing that next year). Your situation might be different because you’re self-studying, but at least at my school most people take the two at the same time.</p>

5

<p>alright. thanks to everyone who answered. I have decided not to self- study for it :)</p>