<p>After reading some posts, im convinced that i should get as much credits as possible</p>
<p>I basically have a 5 on bio and thats about it (failed the history with a 2)</p>
<p>I'm currently taking Psych, Stats, Calc AB, Chem, Physics B</p>
<p>I will probably get a 5 on chemistry</p>
<p>my school does not offer Calc BC so i had to take AB which apparently COE dosn't accept </p>
<p>even a 5.</p>
<p>COE takes only a 5 on Physics B but although i have straight As in that class, i learned </p>
<p>absolutely nothing and definitely not ready for the test </p>
<p>so here are my questions</p>
<p>hows first year physics in cornell? is it brutal to the point that i should pull all nighters and try to get a 5? </p>
<p>I heard there is a departmental exam to get out of one of the math requirements(1920)
can anyone tell me a little bit about this test? is it same material as Calc BC?
should i study over the summer and take that test?</p>
<p>Ok, first, you are totally right in thinking you should get as much credit as possible for first year engineering. Those classes are curved extremely low, and even many extremely intelligent people I know who’ve taken the material before end up with B+ or B.</p>
<p>The Bio credit won’t be useful in getting rid of your requirements unless you’re a Bioengineering major. The ones you want for sure are Calc BC, Chem, Physics C, either English Language or Literature, and maybe Comp Sci.</p>
<p>There are 3 physics classes in the typical CoE sequence: 1112 (Mechanics), 2213 (Heat and Electromagnetism) and 2214 (Waves, Optics and Quantum Physics). It varies by major, but 1112 is generally taken first year, and the others are taken sophomore year. I took the AP credit for 1112, but from what I’ve heard it’s fairly easy for those who’ve gone through a few high school mechanics classes.</p>
<p>1920 is Multivariable Calculus. The exam you want that has the same material as Calc BC is the 1910 departmental exam. If you are so motivated, you can study over the summer and take it, but be forewarned: the exam is at the same level as the 1910 class’ exams. So make sure you study well.</p>
<p>I highly doubt many people pass the 1910 departmental exam.</p>
<p>It is a previous Math 1910 final, and the way they teach math at Cornell is very different from high school. It is almost entirely proof based, and no one I know who came directly from high school was prepared enough in that kind of thinking to pass the final.</p>
<p>I skipped 1910, but 1920, 2930, and 2940 had virtually no proofs. That’s the entire reason engineers have a separate math sequence from math majors, because we need to know how to apply the math, not prove it.</p>
<p>that said getting a sufficient score on the BC exam would be easier than passing the 1910 departmental exam, but I guess since you can’t take the BC exam, study a ton over the summer.</p>
<p>here’s the info including the final exam with solutions from the fall 2009 offering which you could use as a study guide, note that this link could change at anytime. I don’t see any proofs on that exam btw.</p>
<p>thanks for the replies so far
I’m really disappointed by the lack of my school’s AP classes :(</p>
<p>I think i would have tons of time during summer would you guy say studying like 3~4 Calc BC AP books would be sufficient to pass the exam? has anyone taken this test?
Prism: thanks for the link it will be really helpful</p>
<p>Physics 1112 isnt that bad? how are the mean grades? at this point i would rather take the freshman class because my AP physics class have absolutely taught me nothing, but i was afraid of all these sayings about terribly low curves, and cut throat competitiveness in freshman classes.</p>