No Physics in High School?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>I'm a rising senior, and so far, I have taken Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science. Next year, I am going to take Marine Biology Honors - I will not have taken any form of Physics by the time I graduate.</p>

<p>Will this be a serious detriment to college admissions? My GC said that it isn't, considering that colleges only look for Physics on your transcript if you declare a STEM type major. The thing is, I want to double major in political science and English, and then go onto Law. I really have no interest in Physics, or science/math for that matter, and I know that Physics, at least at my school, is extremely math intensive and I am not the best math student. </p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

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<p>^ I’m taking Honors Bio next year 9th grade. I’ll take Chem H, AP Bio, and AP Chem in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades respectively. I’d also like to know the answer to this question since I won’t be taking physics either.</p>

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<p>I dislike the “I only want to take classes that relate directly to the job I’ll have when I’m 35” mentality. Colleges have distribution requirements too. Though I think would be okay to skip physics in favor of taking something you’d like more.</p>

<p>To answer your question, physics is recommended but probably not strictly necessary and they’re not going to reject you because you don’t have it. It’s akin to a fourth year of foreign language.</p>

<p>Some colleges do require physics, though. Make sure to check that the ones you’re applying to don’t.</p>

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<p>I think you’ll be fine without Physics. Or if you’re really worried, just swap Marine Bio for Physics or take it at CC.
For the majors you’re interested in you don’t really need it though</p>

<p>I took Biology, Chem, AP Biology, and this upcoming year I’m taking Anatomy & Physiology. I want to major in Nutrition or Nursing so I think it’s fine</p>

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<p>I’m taking 4 years of a foreign language, simply because I love Latin - however, I don’t even see it as something students should even think about if they aren’t crazy about the language they’re in. Its interesting to see Physics the same way - is that really an accurate comparison, because that gives me so much peace of mind, lol.</p>

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<p>I don’t know. I made it up.
But a fourth year of language is “recommended” in the same way that physics is “recommended.” You can get in without it.</p>

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<p>Will top-tier universities care if you don’t have Physics? Should I take a summer physics course online next summer?</p>

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<p>All of the schools I plan on applying to require 3-4 years of lab sciences - at my school, all of the sciences are considered lab sciences.</p>

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<p>You really should email the specific colleges and ask. My theory is that they probably won’t reject you for not having it, but it helps…and at top-tier universities, everyone needs all the help they can get. A lot of times people take something less challenging than physics instead of it (sorry for that horrible phrasing), and that’s going to count against you in terms of class rigor. I think it would count against you less if you used that space to take a more advanced class in a subject that interested you.</p>

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<p>I won’t have it either,
8th: Earth Space Science Honors
9th: Biology Honors
10th: Chemistry Honors
11th AP Chemistry
12th: AP Environmental Science</p>

<p>Honestly I don’t think it could hurt, because you have a full schedule of sciences. I think I got extra lucky because I get a 5th one</p>

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<p>@Halcyonheather I plan on taking Bio and Chem 9th and 10th grade and then AP Bio and Chem 11th and 12th grade (since both Bio H and Chem H are prerequisites for AP Bio and Chem). Do you think not taking physics will count against me in that situation since I’m taking AP instead? My other option is to fork over $500 for online physics :/</p>

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<p>A little more than half of the people in my school will probably never take physics in high school. Don’t worry about it.</p>

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<p>But when you apply to top colleges you’re not competing with a bunch of average high school students (many of whom probably aren’t even going to college in the first place). You’re competing with the best of the best. </p>

<p>I would still recommend taking physics, because it’s a fundamental branch of science, but I don’t think most colleges would have a problem with AP Chem or something being taken in its place.</p>

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<p>No. Unless you’re applying to schools like MIT, caltech. </p>

<p>Other than that, shouldn’t be an issue.</p>

<p>I took physics, teacher left half way through the year and had a sub. Felt like I learned nothing.</p>

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<p>@halcyonheather Thanks. My mom said that taking Physics online would be a good idea. Will taking honors physics suffice? I don’t plan on becoming an engineer.</p>

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<p>Here’s an anecdote of how not having physics in HS could hurt. My son is starting at WUSTL this fall. He was in an IB diploma program and chose biology as his science course for 2 years. Now at WUSTL, students can NOT take 1st year chemistry unless they have had 1 year of physics in HS. As he is going to follow a premed curriculum I was somewhat concerned about this. He is taking physics in his freshman year and will probably take chemistry over the summer then biology and organic chem as a sophomore. My advice is to even look at the curriculum at colleges you are I tested in to see what particular nuances they have.</p>