Physics dilemma, please help!

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hello! I have a slight science predicament that I would really appreciate some advice on. I am currently a junior and following my freshman year I switched schools. The school I transferred from had a reversed science order (bio, chem, physics) from the school I am currently at. So as a junior, I was placed in a freshman physics class, which did not have an honors option and was conceptual physics, not lab physics. After being in the class for about ten minutes I knew it was a waste of my time since I am at a much higher level than the other kids in that class and then dropped out a few days later to get my art credit in another class. Since I am also in APES, I fulfill all the science requirements and dropping physics did not endanger my chances of graduating. </p>

<p>All that being said, my school is on a quarter system, so next term I have the option to go back to physics if I want, and I do not know if it is worth it. I am concerned that it will look bad on applications that I didn't take the class when it was offered to me. Still, by the end of this year I will have technically taken four years of a science since the first half of APES is Honors Bio at my school. In addition, taking the class would lower my GPA since all my other classes will be AP/Honors. Needless to say, I am very torn. Please help! </p>

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<p>It really depends on the colleges you are targeting and your potential career aspirations. Some top colleges suggest a year each of bio/chem/physics; others suggest x years of lab science. Is AP Physics 1 available? Depending on the HS, that usually does not have a intro physics prereq requirement.</p>

<p>Regardless, taking or not taking a class due to potential GPA impact is flawed at best, at least for college admissions. Colleges will generally look at the unweighted GPA or weight according to their guidelines. At the end of the day, though, the GPA hit is unlikely to move the needle far.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much! That is a huge help. Unfortunately, my school stopped offering AP Physics last year, so there is no other option.</p>

<p>Concerning GPA, I live in CA and if you are in the top 9 percent (I think that’s the number, I could be wrong) of your class then you are guaranteed admission to a UC school. I have been teetering that percentage line, so my GPA concerns are for safety reasons. </p>