<p>Hi :) I go to an international school that isn't the most well funded school in the area. Hence, we don't offer physics or many APs.</p>
<p>The problem is that I learned that MIT requires or highly recommends high schoolers to have physics in their transcripts. So if my school does not offer physics and there's no local universities to provide a course, then will it affect my application/chances negatively? If I take an online course, will MIT accept that? Is there any other options that might not require heavy financial investment? (Since an online course costs around $1,000-$2,000 ><)</p>
<p>(I'm a Korean international applying for class of 2015)</p>
<p>MIT certainly recognizes online courses for admissions, though only AP scores are accepted for credit once students arrive at MIT.</p>
<p>You can always self-study the course through inexpensive or free materials like MIT’s [Open</a> CourseWare](<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm]Open”>MIT OpenCourseWare | Free Online Course Materials). Many applicants who don’t have access to many advanced courses do this, and the admissions officers are used to seeing self-studied courses on the application. You could self-study and take the AP test, if you wish.</p>
<p>I don’t know whether a lack of physics will hurt in admissions (although I would assume it does to some degree), but it will hurt once you’re at MIT, if admitted. I came to MIT with no physics in high school, and getting through freshman physics as one of the only people who had never seen the material before was really tough. I would advise self-studying, if at all possible.</p>
<p>molliebatmit, can we actually mention the courses we have self studied?? And can we only mention a course included in the OCW or which has been verified through a standardized test like AP? Or are we supposed to include informal studies as well?</p>
<p>Of course you can mention courses you’ve self-studied in the application. It’s up to you whether you’d like to mention a particular subject or not.</p>
<p>There’s usually a spot on the application that asks for any information you’d like to provide that hasn’t been covered in other parts. This is a great spot to mention subjects you’ve self-studied.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply mollie :D</p>
<p>But how does MIT know that what an applicant said is true? Shouldn’t there be something to back up their claims?</p>
<p>^ Ideally, I’d imagine so. Doesn’t mean that it’s not worthwhile to report.</p>
<p>Hmm I’ll try self-studying Physics C and taking SAT II physics as credentials that I have at least some knowledge of physics.</p>
<p>Do you have any textbooks/review books to recommend for Physics C and/or SAT II physics?
Just wondering but how well does the OCW lectures (8.01 and 8.02) help for Physics C?</p>