<p>I'm currently a sophomore and think I probably want to go into engineering of some kind, maybe mechanical engineering, in college. However, I haven't taken any physics yet and am planning to take Honors Physics senior year (was going to take it next year, but I wanted a second AP so I bumped physics for AP chem). This means I won't be able to take AP Physics C as a senior OR the Physics SAT II by the time I'm applying to colleges (I'm planning to take chem, math 2, and French). I was wondering how much physics colleges will want to see if I apply as a mech. engineering major. I am very strong in math and chemistry, but would that all be moot if I haven't taken much physics? Thanks!</p>
<p>Just take the AP test on your own, if you can learn that way.
If not, just take whatever works and don’t worry too much about it.</p>
<p>A good thing to do would be to look at your perspective colleges curriculum for Mech. Engineering and go from there. Some colleges require more physics based classes where you really need a strong base in physics while some don’t. So I suggest you just do a little research ;D</p>
<p>It won’t be moot just because you haven’t taken physics by the time you apply. In fact, colleges see your first semester senior grades.
There will be no difference in how your application appears if you take chem sat II rather than physics sat II.</p>
<p>However, why not take physics junior year and then take AP chem senior year?
That extra AP junior year makes no difference.</p>
<p>IMO, physics is much, much more useful for MechE than chemistry is (MechE can almost be considered applied physics), and thus taking it earlier would give you an idea of whether mechE is right for you as a career.</p>
<p>Well, I was originally thinking to take Physics junior year, but then I would only have one AP junior year (French) and would have to end up taking 5 or 6 senior year, which I thought might be a little crazy. So I wanted to space the APs out more…Do you think taking Physics soon is more important than that, though? I’m very indecisive.</p>
<p>as much as you can, if youd like. get as much comfort solving word problems and identifying images/setups. physics problems are way more different than math/chem problems. a lot of them are multistep-realworld-reasoning type problems.</p>
<p>ive always been math oriented, but for some reason in high school i did awful in my physics class. i think i was playing counter-strike/diablo2 or something haha; i got an F, D, D+, D in the first four quarters, then somehow I magically got an A on the final; rounded it out to a nice C.</p>
<p>in community college, is a different story; I’ve Aced all my physics classes except E-M, with a high B.</p>
<p>It’s fine to wait until senior year and take honors physics then. The most important thing is to have a very good, strong handle on algebra and as much calculus as you can take.</p>
<p>Is it not possible to take one of those senior year APs (other than chem) during junior year?</p>