<p>Generally speaking, what classes are required in high school so one could be a Physics Major? Is it usually the same prerequisites for all schools?</p>
<p>They are pretty much all the same. You need to be prepared to take Calculus I in your first semester so that you can also take Physics I. That is about all you need.</p>
<p>So if you take Calc I in HS, you would be able to jump right into the Physics?</p>
<p>Jack -
As a Physics major myself, the only classes I took in HS that held any authority once at uni were those in mathematics. Your HS transcripts and ACT/SAT scores will tell the college what the highest level of math you’ve completed was, and that is where you will start off in the math core. Example: If the highest level of math you completed in HS was precal, then you will have met all the prereq’s for Calculus and you will start off there. The physics courses you take in college are at a university level and HS Physics won’t match up. On that note, aside from satisfactory math, I don’t believe the staple Physics courses have prereqs. They generally follow in sequence though, i.e Physics I leads to Physics II, Computational Physics I & Computational Physics II. </p>
<p>In digression - There is no requirement to be a Physics major. Taking the highest level of math you can in HS will launch you directly into the pathway without having to spend extra time taking a classes prereq. Precal doesn’t count towards the degree but is required to take Calculus. So if HS math didn’t get that far you will have an extra class to take before you can start the math core. </p>
<p>Hope this helps,</p>
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<li>HG</li>
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<p>The only classes that really matter are the math classes. You’ll be starting in physics at the same point regardless of taking it in high school or not. Taking algebra, trig, and pre-calc is a good foundation. If you can take calc I in high school, it’s even better. </p>
<p>Aside from that, there really are no prerequisite courses you can take in high school. Taking some high school physics will be beneficial, but it’s not in any sense necessary. You’ll learn it from the ground up in college either way. </p>
<p>In high school, you want to take math through at least precalculus/trigonometry. If you can take a decent calculus course while in high school, that is even better. High school physics is sometimes listed as a recommended prerequisite for physics in college. High school chemistry may be helpful if your college’s physics major requires chemistry courses. The usual other high school college-prep course work (English, history and social studies, foreign language, art or music) should also be taken.</p>
<p>Once in college, you need to take math courses (calculus 1, calculus 2, multivariable calculus, linear algebra, differential equations; some students start in a more advanced course than calculus 1 if they have had calculus in high school) and physics (calculus-based, usually a three or four semester sequence) in your frosh/soph years, in order to prepare for more advanced physics courses starting in junior year. Some colleges’ physics majors require up to a year of general chemistry. Of course, general education requirements specified by your college should also be taken.</p>
<p>My kid is a freshman planning on majoring in physics. His HS AP credits allowed him to go straight to calc 3 and physics 2. So it is possible that your HS courses can give you a bit of a head start your first year.</p>
<p>Poster above me makes a great point - AP courses count towards college credit. I’m not 100% positive on this but I want to say that university level math starts at Calculus. Meaning unless you took AP Calc you will have to start at calculus regardless. I know that trig is considered a prereq to calculus, too. You might want to browse the websites of the universities you’re interested in and see their requirements. I think anything above a 2000, i.e “Math2110” is considered upper level. 3000/4000 range is considered junior/senior and most of your major specific courses will have to be in that range. </p>
<p>Course numbering systems vary at different schools.</p>
<p>One common method is to have three or four digit course numbers with the starting digit indicating the level: 1 = frosh level, 2 = soph level, 3 = junior level, 4 = senior level, 5 = graduate level, although students can take more or less advanced courses than their actual class level (e.g. a frosh with a 5 on calculus BC from high school may start in a soph level math course).</p>
<p>Another method sometimes seen is to have 1-99 = frosh/soph level, 100-199 = junior/senior level, 200-299 = graduate level.</p>