<p>I am currently a sophomore at UIUC majoring in Math/CS (BSLAS).
I am currently thinking of transferring into CS (BS) in college of engineering, which requires 10 credits of physics, and a semester of general chemistry. I am really strong in math (I think...), and had A's in all calculus classes (I, II, III), and B+ in discrete mathematics.</p>
<p>The problem is I haven't had much experience of physics back in high school. People tells me that physics is the biggest weed out course, which worries me a lot. If I do take physics, and do bad, it would be a waste of time. </p>
<p>What are the particular reasons that people find physics incredibly difficult? Any advice of how to succed in physics would much be appreciated.</p>
<p>If you did well in calculus you will probably do well in Physics. They share many concepts. But this is coming from a student taking AP Physics C. I don't know what 10 credits encompasses.</p>
<p>The 211-212 physics course sequence at UIUC is difficult and they are considered by many weed-out courses. First, though they are each 4 credit hours, the class time is closer to 7 hours because of lab and discussion. Second, they require a lot of study and you must keep up (in fact, that is the key to doing well). Some run into problems because of overload -- their ego tells them they can easily take 17 hours a semester and then they discover they need to spend huge amounts of out-of-class time on physics and the result is that they don't end doing so because they have too much else to do. Third, the exams are difficult and it is not unusual for 25% to 30% of the class to get D or lower and another 15% or more to withdraw to avoid getting that D or lower. Being good in math helps and many actually do get A's and B's.</p>
<p>At my school the first engineering physics class is also a major weed-out course.
1. The book is so easy that it has nothing to do with exams
2. One chapter each lecture. The class covered both mechanics and thermody)
2. There is on-line homework (weekly) that is extremely tediously and freaking hard.
Ex:answer to the online problem is usually like "(4pi^2<em>R)/l(ambda</em>g)" (We need to type that)
3. My prof taught straight from the book, covered only VERY BASIC concept, that I can read it myself. (He never used chalk; he used powerpoint slides)
4. The lab experiment has nothing to do with the class. 3 hrs each week. Lab report. TA's can't speak English and lab manual is !@#$%. And some experiments require computer software which takes lots of time to figure out what the hack going on.
5. There are 2 lab pratical which we need to perform two experiments individually.
6. There is "another" written homework on problems from the book weekly.
7. There is "another another" online MC homework weekly
7. Each exam is only one hr and very challenging.
8. The exam has nothing to do with class lecture or lab. And there is no "number," all answers are in symbols (pi, l, m, lambda, t, g)</p>
<p>However, somehow I managed to get a B+ for the class, which I am very happy with. The class is designed to torture you, to see if you can survive with everything going against you and test if you really want to be an engineer. My advice would be doing lots of old exams, which really helps.</p>
<p>that will definately be a weed-out course.Infact,in my school,i need physics to get into the college of engineering.......i got a B+ in E&M,but was a total pain studying for it.Assignments will take u a huge chunk of time,and exams are no cake walk.But if u can do math,thenu should be all set.</p>
<p>From speaking with upperclassman and talking to others... physics is definitely a weeder even if they don't say it. After that, it's a home run to graduation!</p>
<p>Physics at Princeton is very hard. Harder than any state school, and probably harder than Berkeley. The exams comprise of equations and derivations rather than solving actual physics problems.</p>
<p>When I think about freshman year years from now, I'll always cringe about freshman physics kinematics + e&m. In large part because it'll probably be my first and last B- or C+. Every kid I know that has an A or B+ took AP Physics or had an intensive physics course in highschool.</p>
<p>auscguy: I can relate</p>
<p>The first year of engineering = crappy
In retrospect, the only reason I am doing it is because I am not going to graduate school and my major (financial engineering) is what I am interested in... well, I hope so... reverting from an engineer is a pain...</p>
<p>actually in my school,the weeder course(as far as chemE is concerned) are physics 1,genchem1 and 2,calculus 1 and 2,and chemE 120(material and energy balances).</p>