<p>So, here's the issue. I'm a senior right now and am in the IB diploma. My school doesn't offer IB physics, and in fact only offers regular high school physics (because our "physics" teacher actually has a degree in biology or something like that and probably shouldn't really be teaching physics anyway). I could have taken the high school physics class, but I would have had to drop classes that I really couldn't afford to drop (IB program and all that jazz) and didn't want to put up with the terrible physics teacher. </p>
<p>I am taking IB Chemistry HL and have taken AP Cal AB (scored a 5) and BC (not taken exam yet, but expect to get a 5). So it should be pretty obvious to colleges that I'm strong in math and science. But I've just applied to 3 schools (Auburn, University of Alabama, and UT Austin) and am freaking out that they won't accept me to the engineering program because I didn't take physics and didn't explain myself in the "additional info" box because I didn't really think about it at the time. I'm also applying to Duke, Vanderbilt, and UI at Urbana-Champaign and am planning on explaining my lack of physics in the additional info box.</p>
<p>My question is, will these schools accept me as an engineering student if they see I haven't taken any physics? Could I self study AP Physics or take an online class or something to convince them I can handle college physics? I'm pretty sure I can handle physics, but I don't know if they think I can handle physics. If it matters, I am a girl, so maybe that would sway them in my favor even if I haven't taken physics?</p>
<p>Physics is not a prerequisite for entering an engineering program, which is why they have you scheduled to take all the physics classes in your first couple years.</p>
<p>However, you may have to work harder in university physics if you have not seen some of the concepts at the high school physics level.</p>
<p>You’ll be fine. (And it’s not because you’re a girl).</p>
<p>Intro to engineering courses are pretty much physics so it should be no problem.</p>
<p>It depends on the university your are applying to. My son had a similar problem because he is in a magnet program with applied technical sciences but only 1 semester chemistry and physics. University of Pittsburgh, CMU and Cornell all told us that he would not be accepted without one year course work on Chem, Physics and Bio. He was actually rejected at Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt despite great stats (unweighted GPA of 3.9/4; SAT M+ CR 1500/2190; ACT 33). We decided that he should enroll at a community college to take Chemistry. He has taken SAT2 Physics with a score of 720 and has done an engineering internship where he applied physics principles for programming prosthetics. He appealed the rejection at Pitt and he just received a letter of acceptance to the college of engineering with the note that they will ask for his Chem class transcript upon matriculation. On a happier note he was accepted at Penn State Engineering and Univ of Alabama Engineering without problems. But we spoke to admission people at CMU and Cornell who both told us that he would not be accepted without the Chem and Physics requirement. The CMU admission people suggested that he should take SAT 2 in physics and chemistry but also take the chemistry course. My son self-studied Physics but was not confident about Chemistry so he decided to register at the community college to fulfill the requirement.</p>