<p>How well does ap physics C prepare you for the MCAT? i have 5's on both ap physics C exams. is that sufficient?</p>
<p>Material-wise, overkill if anything. Read through one, make sure you understand the material. Do not bother trying to take the test; just make sure you know all the words it uses.</p>
<p>Of course, test-taking skills and critical thinking on the MCAT are not the same as the ones tested the AP. So you'll still need to study for the MCAT.</p>
<p>The point to this exercise is this: if you know the material already, don't worry about taking the course before taking the MCATs. Load up on extra biology instead.</p>
<p>how's APB physics BDM? is it a bit overkill as well?</p>
<p>Depends on your high school course - if you had a good course and you understood all the concepts well, then you're probably set. MCAT physics is not calc based, so it's pretty similar to physics B. </p>
<p>On the other hand, just because you have all the concepts down doesn't mean that you'll necessarily ace the thing. MCAT passage based questions take a bit of getting used to.</p>
<p>how's physics B compared to the general physics course in college? i don't know if u guys can answer this, since each college is different</p>
<p>but the material wouldn't include extra stuff from physics C right? since that's for engineering</p>
<p>Physics C isn't necessarily "for engineering."</p>
<p>At my school, we have three General Physics sequences: an algebra based sequence, a calculus based sequence (which I'm in), and a physics for engineers.</p>
<p>Although I personally never took AP physics, I know one person in my class (general physics w/calculus) who says the college class is in much, much more depth (in terms of the math and principles behind concepts) than AP was; and I've got an engineering major friend who's in physics for engineers, who says his course is light years ahead of his high school AP Physics class.</p>
<p>All in all, it doesn't make a big difference; either B or C will be a good intro to college physics (both alg and calc based).</p>
<p>just to clarify, could u have taken alg based? (b/c med schools only require that right?) but u chose to go more in-depth w/ calc based?</p>
<p>I think ap physics vs. intro college physics really depends on the school that you go to and the level of the physics course that you choose to take. If you go to a tougher school, chances are it'll be a lot more difficult than your high school class and will likely go into more depth. But it's not as if the fundamental physics concepts are any different. Chances are you'll derive more things, look at more specialized situations, tackle more complex problems. And assuming that you go to a school with students who are smarter/more motivated than your AP high school class, your college curve will be tougher.</p>
<p>But as far as the basic concepts go, which is really what you need for the MCAT, you pretty much learn them all in a good AP physics class. To be perfectly honest, I could have taken the physical science section of the MCAT after having completed AP physics and AP chem and I would have done as well as I would do now. The only really new stuff that you get in college is orgo.</p>
<p>so since u learned most of the concepts in the APs, did u feel like u could use your study time for the more complex stuff and not spend it all on the basics?</p>
<p>would u recommend taking AP chem/physics, even if u may not get a great grade, but at least for the learning?</p>
<p>There isn't really anything terribly complex on the MCAT. The material in my college classes was way more advanced than anything on the MCAT. But by not having to re-learn everything so much for chem and physics, I was able to spend the most time on bio (which since it's a lot of info rather than a smattering of concepts, took the most time for me) and was also able to do a LOT of practice. Which is the most important ingredient. </p>
<p>And I'd definitely recommend taking AP chem/physics... you'll be so much more prepared for those tougher college classes.</p>
<p>thanks for the rec akx</p>
<p>i wasn't clear enough on my 1st comment
sry i meant like for your chem/physics classes, did u find that u had more time to study the harder, newer material and less dawdling on the basics since u had already taken AP chem/physics in HS? btw, was it B or C?</p>
<p>Definitely. I was able to take more advanced physics and chem classes than I would have otherwise been able to and I had a much firmer footing in the basic concepts. I took AP physics C, and I feel like the stuff that I learned in high school I learned really well. Can't always say the same about college material, probably cuz it really is that much tougher. Which is why you really want to give yourself the biggest head start possible with your high school classes. </p>
<p>A lot of people also repeat the college equivalent of their high school physics courses (ie algebra based calc) and having taken the class in high school is again a huge leg up. There will probably be a lot more material and more challenging problems, still, but you'll be far ahead of everyone else so it'll be easy in comparison.</p>
<p>that's good to hear, b/c if i can spend more time and get the harder stuff down pat, then i can get over the curve</p>