<p>My school doesn't offer AP Physics as a class, but I am taking Honors Physics next year and honors courses at my school are made to cover everything on the SAT II tests.</p>
<p>Is it reasonable to think that I can take Honors Physics and then go through an AP text book and teach myself whatever extra material I need to know for the AP test? Or would that be rather difficult?</p>
<p>Also, if you were in my shoes, would you do B or C and why?</p>
<p>I did the same thing this year. Honestly I think this is almost a better way to do it than actually taking AP Physics. If you have a good teacher for the SAT II class, you will really only have to do fluids. Other than that it really isnt much different. You’ll be fine if you go through the princeton review book. I got a 4 but it is definitely possible to get a 5. I know a lot of people who took the actual class and felt rushed and didnt understand a lot of key concepts because they had to go so fast. If you just take the SAT II class you will have a solid foundation to teach yourself the extra material for the AP. And definitely physics B, physics C is calculus based and the SAT II is not.</p>
<p>alright, well its good that you are at least taking honors physics next year.
I took Ap physics B this year, and it really covers a lot, a lot of topics, a lot of which are not even discussed in a regular physics course : Mechanics (which your course will most likely focus on), Fluid Mechanics and Thermal physics, electricity and magnetism (touch briefly most likely), Waves and Optics, and Atomic and Nuclear physics. There so much to learn, and we were working to the week right before the test. It was even really difficult with a seasoned teacher (got a 4 on the test miraculously). </p>
<p>soooo this is why i would definitely recommend C, especially if you are taking calculus, because the things that are tested on their are a lot more focused. just mechanics, OR electricity and magnetism. </p>
<p>hopes this helps! i can answer any other questions if you would like i was kind of in a rush haha despite the wall of text…</p>
<p>The SAT II and physics B coincide better in terms of material than the SAT II and physics C. That being said, if your taking calculus AB/BC and this is your first calculus course, I would definitly recomend trying to do physics C: mechanics. If you already have had a calculus course, or are in your second year of calculus, I would recomend trying physics C: E&M. Otherwise go with Physics B.</p>
<p>Thanks for your experience and insight everyone</p>
<p>At this point it sounds like Physics C: Mechanics would be a better choice, since I am going to be taking Calculus AB next year, and Physics C’s curve is also much more appealing than Physics B’s (27.3% fives vs 15.5% fives).</p>
<p>If anyone has anything else to throw in, please do :)</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Before the AP Physics class was introduced at my school there was an Honors Physics class, and the students in that class were allowed to take the AP exam so I think it would be reasonable to take the exam.</p>
<p>yeah especially if you’re doing calculus next year try physics C, you have to learn a little physics for the calculus course too so it’ll be a good compliment to each other. Like for the AB course you will learn about positive and negative velocity and how if you take the derivative you get the acceleration and if you take the integral its the position lalala (sorry if you don’t get that) but you get what i mean</p>
<p>Hey guys, I know that Physics C has more calculus to it, but is it necessarily harder than Physics B if you are taking calculus with Physics B or C? I don’t really get the difference between the two as in difficulty levels if you take out the calculus. Would Physics C look better to colleges? And is it overkill to take both Physics C Mechanics & Physics E&M?</p>
<p>Personally, I think Physics C would look better to colleges. Although Physics B is somewhat difficult due to the vast amount of material covered, it isn’t necessarily “difficult”. Physics C, on the other hand, requires much more mathematical ability and outside-of-the-box type thinking.</p>
<p>And no, taking both Mechanics and E & M is not overkill. E & M is looked at as basically the logical progression from Mechanics, so to take both is completely normal.</p>