I am applying to college this fall as a computer engineering major. I took Honors Physics my junior year but I am not taking AP Physics C this year. I am also taking AP Calc AB. I am applying to these schools: Rowan, Rutgers, college of New Jersey, university of Maryland, northeastern, university of Pittsburgh, Georgia tech. Will I be at a disadvantage in the college admission process for not taking ap physics? I have heard that engineering programs want you to take higher level math and physics through high school.
Yes, but nothing can be done about it now, so why sweat it. There will certainly be admitted students at some, if not all of those schools with a similar background.
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Are you in NJ? What are your GPA and test score? How many students in your school typically take AP Physics C and Calc BC? (I think not having the latter will be a bigger factor than physics).
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Yes I am in NJ. My gpa is 5.15/6.0 weighted, 3.8 unweighted. My sat score is 1400. Not a lot of kids at my school take ap Calc bc and ap physics c. There are maybe around 10 kids in physics c this year from my class.
Ok. If not a lot of kids take it, it might not affect you as much. Rowan and TCNJ should be fine. Rutgers may work out too.
UMD is going to be tough, and Georgia Tech and NEU a reach. Put in an application to UPitt asap and you’ll get an answer soon. They have rolling admissions. Their decision will also help guide your selection of other schools.
Good luck.
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UMD is my dream school. Should I self study and take the ap physics exam? Or take a community college class right now?
Self studied APs have less value. I think a DE Calc course might be more valuable. But that’s just my opinion.
The range of SAT scores for engineering admits at UMD is 1390-1510 (with math 710-780) but that includes in-state applicants - who make up the majority. Average weighted GPA is 4.56 out of 5, which again, includes in-state applicants. So I think it’s going to be a tough admit, but give it a shot.
I assume all the schools on your list are comfortably affordable?
Self-study would not make sense at this point. The exam results would be out well after acceptance decisions are made. And in general admissions officers want to see results in a classroom setting rather than having students cram for an AP exam.
Any community college class taken next semester would also be late for decisions for any rolling/EA schools
I would focus on doing your best in the classes you ARE taking.
AP exams are generally given in the spring, so how would that help your application this fall? A community college class might help…But isn’t it too late to register for fall semester? I suppose you could register for a spring class and list that on your application as a planned course…But honestly I think you just need to work with what you’ve got. It’s a bit late in the game to try to change your schedule/strategy.
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Apply early action. UMD admits the majority of its incoming freshman class during the early admission round.
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I don’t see this as a disadvantage. Wile it’s four years ago, my kid had calc AB, did not have AP Physics C and got into UMD with $5k merit.
I don’t think this is really an issue at most schools.
And definitely don’t self study AP.
I assume you’ve had three years of lab science. Bio, Chem, physics.
I think it’s iffy at best you get in but it won’t be because of this.
Why UMD ? From OOS it’s not cheap. Are you open to other geographies ? Pitt as suggested or Delaware, UConn or UMass or if you want to stay in that area or even an Ohio State and an outside shot at a Purdue like school. And if money matters, you can head south and get great merit.
But personally I don’t see this as eliminating.
For engineering? UMD admits by major, so admission requirements vary.
OP hasn’t mentioned a budget or cost concerns. Let’s see what they come back with.
Yes, my son was an engineering major - and he got into - I want to say it’s called Scholars program - not the highest level of Honors.
If the student has 3 years of lab science - and he had Honors physics - I don’t think he’s shut out from anywhere. My son got into Purdue, UF, UMD -trying to think of any other acceptances were more selective. I remember there were 14 but I think those were most selective - ERAU, Florida Tech, Bama, UTK, Arizona, etc. He got WL at WUSTL - but I suspect (but don’t know) if he ED he would have gotten in. My god, they beg you to ED 
Yes, I asked about budget - because when you list NEU, UMD but also Rowan - you want to ensure the student can afford the choices. And if it’s a - I want to leave NJ scenario there would be other great choices cost and/or geographical preference dependent.
I want to apply to UMD because it has very good engineering and computer science programs. I know it’s an expensive school but I was hoping to get some kind of scholarship. They have the Banneker key scholarship for which you need a 1500 sat. I am retaking the sat in October to get a 1500+. Rowan and Rutgers will be about $8,000 per semester.
Getting a 1500 won’t necessarily get you a B/K scholarship - nor will a 1600. The B/K is very, very competitive and is based on a holistic review of the app, so you should not count on it. You could get a smaller scholarship - maybe $3-5k, perhaps up to $12k/year. But you should assume you will pay full price as UMD does not give out a lot of scholarships.
What is your budget? (hard $$ number that your parents are comfortable paying)
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When you say $8k a semester, you’re talking about tuition - not all in. But you’re going to live on campus - so that’s another $15K ish or $7500 a semester - correct. So a tad over $30K.
So - not saying you are interested but throwing this out - UMD is $60K all in. Let’s assume you get no money. Even with a 1500, the odds of getting money are slim to none.
There are others but in this example I’ll use U of Alabama. Right now you get $26.5K off of $48K tuition room and board - so you are at $21.5K. If your SAT goes up 20 more points, $26.5K becomes $30.5K and your tuition, room and board are $17,500 a year.
That’s why budget matters - you can go to some schools for less than even in state schools - if that’s a desire or concern. There’s 842 New Jerseyans at Bama likely for this reason and there are other schools like this but I note them because I’m most familiar.
So budget matters. If you’re not willing to pay $60K for UMD, you can apply - but don’t have expectation. Maybe UMASS is a better sub - recognized for strong programs and will come in less than UMD and be an easier admit.
If you’d like to get a solid education and fine outcome at the lowest cost possible - then there are others. Maybe SUNY, schools like Bama, UAH, Mississippi State. Maybe a Miami of Ohio might come in lower as well.
So budget does matter. Geographical preference matters. But trying to understand how it might matter to you, etc.
PS - you say this and you are picking this up from magazines and I’m not saying the statement isn’t true because it is. I want to apply to UMD because it has very good engineering and computer science programs I agree but you can make that same statement about a zillion other schools - from Delaware to UConn to Umass to Maine, etc. if you want to stay closer to home.
No you really can’t.
There are “ok” programs, good programs, and great programs. And “CS and engineering”? Even fewer schools that would fall into the good/great categories.
But I think you can - again, I get UMD is well thought of but there are many very good schools out there. Many have similar challenges (bureacracy), many have their specialties, some have better facilities than others, etc. but I stand by my statement.
But I’m trying to get to the monetary aspect.
Because many kids from any of these schools (just like mine at Bama) are in the same programs/jobs as kids from the “higher pedigree” schools.
Maybe CE is different than a MechE or Aero but in general purposes, I do think there are many “similar” programs out there.
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