<p>So I'm a sophomore in high school. I am trying to self-study physics honors take AP physics C junior year. I am also skipping a math class over the summer with help from a teacher. I need help making a decision concerning physics. Talking to the science director at my school and many teachers they all said it would be difficult and people generally don't do that. Some are completely against it, while other want to support me but are worried if it's possible. I also talked to students who have taken the classes and they say it's difficult but support me. My parents are not helping my decision much. One day they are in total support, the next day they are completely against it. They are concerned that it will hurt my gpa and if i don't succeed is will ruin my chances at applying to colleges. In addition, they aren't form America and don't understand he system. They misinterpret information and don't understand why I want to do this.
I am very interested in all the sciences, always get good grades in them, and know fro a fact that I will study physics, hopefully at a good school. My problem in school is that I work up to or down to the class. What I mean is that in my normal English class (i hate english) i get eh grades. While in honors classes of more difficult subjects, i get all A's. I feel that I can succeed in accelerating through physics even if it is difficult because I actually enjoy the course and because it's difficult. I like the challenge.
But teachers have made good points against it. for instances taking calc before ap physics instead of simultaneously is helpful.
so I am really torn now, because i feel confident I can do it, but I'm worried if i mess up. Or if i actually get into the class and then mess p the AP test.
I need some opinions. Maybe some of you have done something similar.</p>
<p>Disregard parents and teachers, acquire physics.</p>
<p>5 people in our class self-studied Physics B last year and are self-studying Physics C this year, and we’re doing pretty well. (I’m not exactly the smartest guy in my grade, either, I just put in the work.) All of us are also learning calculus at the same time, so that’s not much of a problem; all you need from calculus is pretty much just AB/first semester BC material, and that’s not too hard to pick up on after some practice. Go for it, especially since you’re interested in science and it’ll challenge you. (Physics is my favorite science, so I’m a bit biased here. xP)</p>
<p>It’s also kind of hard to mess up the AP exam if you have a good and/or difficult class; the curve is about 55-60% (and 60% is conservative) for a 5.</p>
<p>I would advise against it and here’s why: most of the difficulties people run into in upper-division science courses in college are a direct result of not having a strong enough grasp of freshman-level material. Everyone wants to skip the entry-level classes, and then they pay a one letter-grade price for it usually junior year when things start ramping up. If you really think you’re ready for Physics C, ask your teachers if you can take the final exam for physics just to see where you stand. If you aren’t already prepared for that, you won’t be prepared for Physics C.</p>
<p>Look if u get anything above 4 ur qualified for any physics class at college. Not too scary if u miss out on a few things its only one semester of classes (mechanics). Getting aheah of ur peers thhrough ap credit and attending higher classes is always good for ur resume</p>
<p>well the ap teacher is willing to help me with labs and such which i need for credit. I understand/easily grasp the concepts.
the other problem is that i am also planning on ap chem and ap bio. chem junior year and bio senior. I was thinking that physics and chem would be easier than physics and bio because bio more different.
another point that was brought up against skipping ahead was calc. one teacher said i should simply skip ahead in calc, get in BC and then be ready for physics senior year. because if i am working on two subjects i might only make calc AB. on top of that, they said it would be much easier in physics if i did calc the year before. But the normal way is to take them concurrently, and students do fine.</p>