Is it possible to get into an elite college without taking AP physics? I am signed up for AP physics, but will likely drop it. Literally everyone I’ve asked, including teachers have advised me not to take it. Not because I’m acedemially weak, but because they say it takes away from other classes and I already have too much on my plate senior year. In addition, the AP physics class at my school is notoriously difficult. I’m applying ED to Penn, and I don’t want to risk getting a C in that class senior year. I will likely get all A’s w/o AP physics. In addition, I already get the “most rigorous” checkmark in regards to my schedule throughout high school. I will likely apply as an english or environmental science major.
Have you taken any physics, or will you take regular physics if you do not take AP physics?
There is no regular physics option. We only have AP physics available. There’s no regular option for any classes at my school (only honors bio and Chem for underclassman).
So I have never taken physics.
Of course.
That one is more problematic. It it possible? Yes. Will the vast majority of the other applicants have taken a physics class? Yes.
Not a valid reason not to take a class, especially if one is looking towards elite colleges.
Can you take physics at a CC over the summer? If all of your teachers are advising against it, I would listen. Your chances of getting into Penn are low no matter what you do and struggling in AP Physics next year could hurt your acceptances chances at all of your schools more then it will help you with Penn.
I’m just so conflicted. I want to take it for the benefits and the experience (I know I’ll be taking it in college), and I know I should take it. But everyone is advising me against it, and my senior year will already be really stressful. I think I should wait to see what I got on the AP Calc exam. If I get a 4 or 5, I’ll take it. Do you guys think this is a good idea?
Which AP Physics do they offer? 1, 2, or C Mech, C E&M?
If you do get stuck taking it, get one of the AP Physics review books and teach yourself over the summer. ( I also advise this for kids who are about to start Calculus. Princeton Review is good.) If you have too much difficulty with it, see if you can hire someone from your school who took it the previous year to tutor you. Also take advantage of the Khan Academy AP Physics lessons.
What are your other options for science during your senior year?
What is your projected college major?
It’s AP Physics 1.
Senior year schedule
IB English HL2
IB Bio HL2 (AP Bio 2)
IB Environmental Systems & Societies SL
IB History HL2
TOK
Math SL
IB French SL (French 4/AP french)
AP Physics??? Spanish 1?
I want to be a liberal arts/ science major (pre-med likely). Maybe english of environmental science major.
You know that AP Physics 1 doesn’t involve any math beyond trig, right? So, how you did in AP Calc shouldn’t matter, right? AP Physics 1 is conceptually challenging, but not mathematically challenging.
Also, you’re taking IB Math SL after AP Calc? I’m not an IB expert, but isn’t IB Math SL kind of a mashup of PreCalc and AP Calc AB?
Yes, if you have taken AP calculus, there is no real point in taking IB math SL. IB math HL may be worth taking if you have AP calculus AB, but it may not be if you have had AP calculus BC.
You want to have some high school physics to prepare for physics in college. Otherwise, you will probably take a college physics for biology majors course as a pre-med and be behind the curve relative to other gunner pre-meds who had physics in high school before.
I took math HL this year. Math HL in my school is AP Calc BC (highest math class available). I didn’t think I’d do well in that, so I took the calc AB test. I don’t love math enough to continue on to Math HL2 and I have 3 HLs already, so I was able to drop math HL, and step down to math SL for next year. Math SL has a little bit of Calc at the end.
I think I’ve decided that I’ll stick to physics and if 2 weeks in I’m doing poorly, I’ll drop it so that it doesn’t jeopardize the college admissions process for me. If it comes to that, maybe after senior year is over, I can take a physics class before college begins.
Going to a lower level math course (IB math SL) after completing a higher level math course (IB Math HL / AP calculus BC) makes no sense and may raise questions to college admission readers. If you do not want to take the following math course that is offered, then it is better not to take math at all and take some other academic elective instead.
FYI AP phy 1 is watered down version of old AP phy B (alg based ) . Some (CB) consider it as entry level physics. So class should be easy for Calc students . However AP Phy 1 Exam is verbos and fewer students are getting 5. But by then your admission should have been sealed. Senior year workload is something you have to judge for yourself. Unless you are going for engineering I don’t know the importance of high school physics for college admission.
@ucbalumnus I understand what you’re saying, but I never planned on taking the second year of math HL (math HL2). I don’t know if you’re familiar with the IB diploma, but Math HL (both years) is generally thought of as the holy grail for people who want to go into a math intensive major and for people who genuinely love math. In addition, there’s also an IB test at the end of the 2 years in all IB classes (HLS and SL), and you have to receive a certain amount of points to receive your IB diploma. Knowing myself, and how I did in math HL this year, I am NOT a strong enough math student to continue on to math HL2, nor do I love math. Given that, and the fact that continuing on to math HL2 might jeopardize my chances of obtaining my IB diploma, I know it would be better to take math SL next year (my teacher agrees!).
@moshot thanks for your input. Honestly, I feel like if I just prep myself extensively before I take it in college, I’ll be fine. Some students I know taking it now have advised me not to take it because they say they’re not learning anything from the teacher. I had this teacher for another class and I had a hard time understanding the material because of his teaching style.
If you tell them premed, the competitive adcoms may be looking for that bio-chem-phys sequence. Yes, you could try a summer class at a local college. Do well and you’re done with it, for hs.
If you tell them humanities, they may jump past the missing physics. But you want to be prepared for the college course.
The full answer depends on the rest of what you’ll apply with, the academic and activities mix, and how well you present yourself.