<p>I know most Engineering programs recommend taking Physics in high school but here's my dilemma. My school only offers a regular physics class (no honors, AP, dual credit). No one really takes this class and it's not weighted. At this point in my high school career, I have a pretty good GPA and taking anything that isn't weighted would just hurt me. Can I go in to Engineering without high school physics? </p>
<p>Yes but admissions folks aren’t going to like that you had the option to take it but opted not to do so.</p>
<p>Why not take it, do well, and move on. I think you’d be better off than trying to game your weighted GPA. Most schools don’t look at your school’s weighting anyway. The calculation differs too much school to school. If they measure “rigor” they’ll likely do it by just looking at your course work. Physics will look glaringly absent. It won’t likely keep you out if you don’t, but if you’re looking to strengthen your chances, an A in regular Physics will help you more than an A in AP Stats or AP Econ.</p>
<p>I never took physics in highschool and ended up doing better than many of my peers in Community college who did all the ap physics etc… Why dont you register at a local community college and take it there?</p>
<p>Going into physics in college without having had physics in high school will make physics in college harder.</p>
<p>Is there a reason that you feel a need to game the GPA and class rank to the point that one non-weighted class will change it by enough to matter? E.g. are you in Texas and your class rank is very close to the top 7% or 10% threshold for the public universities’ automatic admission thresholds?</p>
<p>“Going into physics in college without having had physics in high school will make physics in college harder.”</p>
<p>*Going into physics in college without having had physics in high school will make physics in college harder than if you took physics in high school. *</p>
<p>Physics will still be hard, with or without physics in high school. Yes, you can go into engineering without having physics and succeed. Just know you will be going in without any background information. I think it will be worth it to take the physics course. With the background knowledge, you’ll be able to more easily apply harder concepts and problems that your professor gives to you.</p>
<p>From current experience (this semester), I’d say go for the HS physics and do your best; it’ll help you by leaps and bounds in engineering school if you have a course right now, even though it’ll be simply to help you understand your physics courses in engineering school.</p>
<p>I never had high school physics (among other necessary courses…) and doing them now in community college before applying for transfer to engineering schools is showing me how helpful it would have been to have a HS physics groundwork before getting into the tough stuff. I’d say definitely do the class, and hey, if you like mechanics, angles etc., the course will be kind of interesting whether you like the teacher or not.</p>
<p>You could take Physics at a local community college/university and see if your high school will give you credit </p>