<p>I loved having honors physics too! Hard as hell, but well worth it. Liked being curved to the normal physics classes.</p>
<p>I'd give honors physics an F+, which is the grade I should have gotten, even though they gave me a B. Come on, really, those GRs were difficult to the point where it wasn't even worth studying. Personal example time: between Phys 110 and 215, we took a total of seven GRs. My grade on each of the first six was between 42% and 56%. I finally earned a 69% on the last one, and was insanely proud of myself for passing without the curve. Still, everyone else did poorly enough that I earned a B and a B+ in those two courses. This is not the way things should work...</p>
<p>I agree. When I took it, our grades ranged between 60 and 90, so not quite the ridiculous nature that it was for you guys. But, 70+ was an A because it was tuned to the regular classes curve. Who taught the classes for you?</p>
<p>Physics has always been hard for Potterfan, but Academy physics made having her wisdom teeth pulled look like a walk in the park. The teacher wasn't even a physics prof.</p>
<p>I always thought that something was wrong with a course if they had to curve it that much.</p>
<p>I think it is a little different when they are curving an honors course though. Remember, this isn't like HS where you get extra points for taking an honors class. With GPA being so critical, who in their right mind, would ever take an honors class if it wasn't curved against the regular class.</p>
<p>True to what Petko said though. My DS always felt like a failure when he took the first physics honors class because he had never had physics before, but he was smart enough to get EI twice a week from the very beginning. When he got his 2nd semester schedule and honors physics was on there again, he was sure someone had made a huge mistake. He stuck with it though and and ended up doing really, really well in that class. Of course, having Calc III, Arabic, Chem 222 at the same time as you are learning physics for the first time surely didn't help the first semester go any easier either.</p>
<p>We had Maj Allred (PhD from MIT) first semester, and when he explained physics to us it was like us trying to explain to a 3 year old that 2+2=4...it came so easily to him he couldn't explain it...nice guy though, I have him again next semester and am really looking forward to it (except for the schoolwork part, of course)</p>
<p>We had Doc Patterson second semester. He's a lot more down to earth but tells really bad jokes (shh...). I laughed anyway. It must've worked because I pulled an A in those classes...</p>
<p>PS. Taking chem 222 was the worst idea ever!</p>
<p>Chem 222? Well, I really enjoyed it, but from what I understand, it was awful for everyone in the following semesters since then (Fall 2006). I'm also a chem major, so go figure. :)</p>
<p>Chem 222 wasn't exactly easy in fall '06 either! The big benefit for me was it was a 1 semester class...</p>
<p>Oh kiddies...</p>
<p>WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY back in 1979...we lucky members of the class of 1983 had the "honor" to have as a guest professor in Chemistry a Nobel Laureate.</p>
<p>We'd all be in the lectinar (combined classes for this high honor) and the faculty (no civvies back then, all military) were in the back rows as well.</p>
<p>This guy...he would write with his right hand, and erase with his left hand. I've only seen that many Greek symbols in museums on ancient tablets.</p>
<p>Now...back then we got $40/mo out of our paycheck...about 10 of us got together and bought a tape recorder to record his lectures. Like that was going to help...might as well have been in Navajo or Urdu or any of a thousand other obscure languages 'cause we had no clue what he was saying.</p>
<p>First GR...mean was in the "teens" and by prog we all had VERY SOLID "F" grades.</p>
<p>End of the semester we all got "C" and that was the end of the Nobel class.</p>
<p>I would love to have that happen now. :) teens for grades or not!</p>
<p>good ole chem 222 back in fall 06. what a great class, not to mention giving us credit for chem 141, 142, and 222</p>
<p>titration anyone? ;)</p>
<p>I'll titrate you!</p>
<p>On the bright side, haven't done a single titration in chem ever since, not even THOUGHT about it! lol.</p>
<p>That was one of the only parts I was good at...except when I added the indicator to what it indicated. :(</p>
<p>What is so tough about 222?</p>
<p>nothing when we took it. apparently the new course director made tests tougher somehow. thats what i heard from friends who took it after i did</p>
<p>Two things this "old" grad will pass onto you younguns...</p>
<p>a. GRADES matter...later in life: Grad School...grades matter
b. When/if you decide to go to civvie life...what you studied at Camp USAFA will MATTER!
c. Learn ALL YOU CAN...it will be helpful!</p>
<p>Example...I left active duty for the ANG/AFRC...lost my full-time slot and had to go find a job!!! Yes, really; a JOB! </p>
<p>I know how to drop bombs, shoot missiles, rockets, guns, and generally create large amounts of mayhem quickly, but WORK??? Uh....no.</p>
<p>My USAFA education afforded me the ability to be hired at Motorola as a EE...even though I do NOT have an EE degree (mech type here). </p>
<p>"They" said..."...but...you took EE classes in school, you should be able to handle it!"</p>
<p>Thank you mother blue!!!</p>