I’m currently a junior in high school and am enrolled in honors physics because our school does not offer any of the AP Physics classes, but I found out recently that next year our school will start offering AP Physics 1 and theres no room in my schedule for me to take it next year. The material covered in the classes are supposedly about the same and i am planning on taking the AP Physics 1 exam this year (maybe even 2 also if i get around to studying for it). I know colleges look at the courses you take in context of those that are offered at your school but will they be able to know that AP was not offerred this year or will they look at my schedule and think that i wasnt challenging myself to the most rigorous workload possible? I am planning on majoring in biological sciences and hope to get into a relatively prestigious school like UC Berkeley or UCLA, if that makes a difference. Thanks in advance. (not sure if this is the right category for this question but couldnt decide what it falls under)
Just let them know that it wasn’t offered and they shouldn’t hold it against you. The common app has a section where you can add anything you want to say, or your counselor can mention it.
If your guidance counselor checks that you have taken the most rigorous coursework available at your HS in his/her recommendation I don’t think any explanation is necessary.
^^^Adding…If any explanation is given, it should be come from your guidance counselor’s LOR, not from you. But you will not be penalized for not taking classes that aren’t offered/can’t fit in your schedule. Plus if you take the AP exam you will show mastery of the material.
For UCs, there is no counselor report.
However, if your honors physics course is listed as honors in the UC a-g list, then it should not be a big issue for UC purposes. Also, AP physics is not that useful for subject credit in college anyway.