<p>I haven't taken any physics in high school and I'm a senior. This is going to look bad on my transcript no doubt. I've taken Bio Honors, Chem Honors, AP Bio, and IB Bio in high school. I really don't know if this excuse is worth even mentioning:</p>
<p>In 9th and 10th grade, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Then in 11th grade, I took IB math which had some calculus and really liked it so I started considering engineering more. Now I'm in AP Calculus and I love it and really want to do engineering. </p>
<p>I only realized in 11th grade that I wanted to do engineering, so I would've taken AP physics, but our school makes us follow a track where since we're IB students, we have to take either AP bio or AP chem our junior year, and then IB bio or IB chem our senior year, since the school does not offer IB physics. </p>
<p>I had 1 elective option for senior year and I chose AP calculus since I felt that was more important for engineering, especially since IB math SL (our school doesn't offer HL math) was a very watered down version of calculus. I tried signing up for a physics course at a CC but the next semester starts after college apps are due. </p>
<p>Should I mention this excuse or would it just make matters worse? Thanks for reading.</p>
<p>Don’t mention it. There are gazillions of reasons why someone doesn’t take physics. It’s opposite with you, but my D didn’t have any social studies or foreign language her senior year. By cc standards, I am sure some would freak out. It didn’t harm her in anyway. However, you’re wise to take physics at a c. college. I’d recommend calculus physics if it’s possible. Without taking physics and talking engineering it is just talk. If you don’t like physics or can’t handle it or it takes waaay too much time then re-thinking engineering would be in order. Good luck.</p>
<p>I wanted to apply to some top engineering programs so should I just let them know that I plan to take physics in the spring semester? Like put it in the additional info section?</p>
<p>If you are going to take it (100% sure), I don’t see why you can’t list the course under the “current year courses” in the academic section of the common app. The instruction says, " Please indicate title, level (AP, IB, advanced, 100-level, 200-level, etc.) and credit value of all courses you are taking this year (e.g. Honors English .5 credits , English 101 3 credits)…"</p>
<p>The high school transcript confirms the current courses, so I would probably need a transcript from the college as well? I’m pretty much 100% certain I’m gonna take it at this point.</p>
<p>Wrongbelief, I think you will find that some schools require physics for engineering majors and some recommend it. If you math grades are spectacular, than it may not matter. Apply to a range of schools and this will be a non-issue for admittance. However, know that as an engineering student, you will be seeing physics for the first time, and some of your peers will have taken Physics or AP physics, so they will have a leg up on you the first semester, so just be ready for it.</p>
<p>Snowflake- I have good grades in math and a good SAT math score. Some of the schools that I looked at were Columbia and Penn, and Columbia actually requires SAT II Physics while Penn “strongly recommends” it. </p>
<p>I wanna apply to Northwestern and I feel like if I were to take physics it would help a lot considering their acceptance rate is around 20%. It’s like I’m going to be applying against other people with very high stats and who have taken AP Physics B/C. </p>
<p>Cornell was actually my number one choice until I realized they make me take one unit of physics in high school. It would just open so many doors and make freshman physics a lot easier.</p>
<p>Think I agree to list it as a planned 2nd semester class, at the cc, then follow through. Yes, you can add a short note in Addl Info, explaining the conflict, (but phrase it in the positive.) Also, see if your GC can mention this plan in his/her LoR and the schedule issue. In general, competitive colleges would like to know their engineering applicants have some experience with physics. But, many IB schools throw some wrench in, somehow. Taking the class at cc is a good solution.
cross-posted.</p>