<p>Little description about me; I am currently enrolled in AP Physics 2 and I feel like I would like to challenge more by taking AP Physics C , which is a harder course. I don't have any prior knowledge about Physics and it is my first time taking it as a junior.</p>
<p>I would like to go STEM universities(MIT/GT/Caltech) in the future. MY FIRST CHOICEC IS MIT. I WANT TO GO THERE SO BAD!!</p>
<p>Today I talked as to what I should take, my AP Physics 2 teacher storngly recommended me to stay AP Physics 2 and It will be unwise decision if I change class to AP Physics C and told me to take AP Physics C Mech after AP Physics 2 as a senior. I will have to let him know tomorrow what I have decided.</p>
<p>So my question is, do top colleges prefer to see AP Physics C? or Should I just follow my teacher's advice? Will this look bad If I take both AP Physics C and AP Physics2?
The reason why I am trying to take challenging class is because I took very a easy science class as a sophomore and am regretting right now.</p>
<p>What my teacher is recommending is to take both AP Physics 2 as a junior and AP Physics C Mech as a junior.
Do you think it will be waste of time and look bad?</p>
<p>Well Calc bc is more rigorous and the more advanced and regarded course. I’m confused by the physics 2 vs physics c choice, the way our school is doing it is you take physics 1 then you take physics 2 or physics c. With no physics background I’d say physics c would be hard though</p>
<p>Since this is your junior year, I recommend taking AP Physics 2. You’ll need calculus in order to thrive in Physics C so it’s better to know it before hand rather than learn it side by side.</p>
<p>If you really want to show MIT that you’re a fan of physics, join the physics Olympiad at your school(or make one) or try to find some physics related research you can do at a local university next summer(there are some resources somewhere on this forum) or just do physics related EC doesn’t have to be too competitive as long as it shows your love for the subject.</p>
<p>It’ll look much better than just taking a class. </p>
<p>What my AP Physics teacher recommend was to take AP Physics 2 as a junior and AP Physics C Mechanic as a senior. Also, I will feel like colleges won’t favor it. Even though I am fan of Physics, I don’t want to take same materias with different methods… I have to decide by tomorrow and I really don’t know what class to take.</p>
<p>I took AP Physics C:M my junior year, got a 5 on the exam, and had no knowledge of calculus entering the course. If you want to major in engineering/STEM, then this is certainly the course to take, and if you’re truly qualified for CIT/MIT then you should do fine. AP Physics 2 is for people who just need a solid physics background to move onto other science backgrounds</p>
<p>Dang this website really hates on Algebra based Physics, it’s not that easy, AP Physics C isn’t offered at my school and it doesn’t have lots of science clubs but people have still gotten into MIT and Princeton.</p>
<p>I find it kinda odd how you haven’t taken a Physics class and you would go to AP Physics 2, AP Physics 1 is where all the mechanics and intro to circuits is, I feel like it would be a better intro to AP Physics C, AP Physics 2 has optics, thermodynamics, fluids, nuclear, electricity and magnetism, only electricity and magnetism is covered from that class in Physics C. </p>
<p>I’d go with AP Physics 2 junior year, then AP Physics C senior year, unless it’s common for juniors to take AP Physics C with no prior Physics or Calculus. Either way works, as long as you take AP Physics C. It would also be beneficial to do what your teacher suggested, since you haven’t taken AP Calc yet. It is possible to do well in AP Physics C with no Calculus beforehand, however it would be a lot easier if you already took it. You might not do well in AP Physics C with no knowledge of Physics or Calculus, and it’s not worth the risk. Getting a bad grade would have a much larger impact on your application than taking AP Physics C your senior year.</p>
<p>Try to take AP Calc BC (unless your school has AB as a prereq for BC). Some schools have it so that AP Calc AB is Calc 1, and AP Calc BC is just Calc 2. If your school has AP Calc BC as Calc 1 and 2, then it’s best to take BC. AB isn’t “worthless” but it’s not the most rigorous. If you want to go to MIT, you should take the most rigorous courses possible. However, AP Calc AB is still good, especially for a junior. Some students still go to prestigious schools even without Pre-Calc (that’s why there are Pre-Calc courses at these schools) so it’s not like taking AB will get you an automatic rejection.</p>
<p>Honestly just take whatever you want. Don’t spend all of high school trying to impress schools you may or may not get into. Wondering every waking moment if everything you do will help you get into a specific school isn’t worth it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>No matter what, remember that you’re going to college Even if you aren’t accepted to MIT, remember that you’re not worthless. You will get accepted to schools. Some of your acceptances to safeties may be rejections to high reaches for other students. I know this isn’t really relevant to this post at all, but I thought I might as well point it out. You just seemed exclusively set on MIT, and I don’t want you to feel like a failure if you get rejected. I’m not trying to discourage you at all, though! It’s great to set your goals high, but it seems like you’re extremely enthusiastic and I don’t want you to be extremely depressed if you don’t make it :)</p>
Even if you aren’t accepted to MIT, remember that you’re not worthless. You will get accepted to schools. Some of your acceptances to safeties may be rejections to high reaches for other students. I know this isn’t really relevant to this post at all, but I thought I might as well point it out. You just seemed exclusively set on MIT, and I don’t want you to feel like a failure if you get rejected. I’m not trying to discourage you at all, though! It’s great to set your goals high, but it seems like you’re extremely enthusiastic and I don’t want you to be extremely depressed if you don’t make it :)</p>