<p>So I've always been interested in physics and I absolutely love math and don't want to stop taking any math courses, but the physics program at my school is really bad. I've taken honors physics, which is the exact same curriculum as AP Physics 1, and then come senior year there is no Physics B and instead my school only offered Physics 1. I didn't take the class and took AP Bio instead because I felt it would be a useless repeat of Honors Physics. I said on my Common App I was going to independently study for Physics C: Mech (I'm about 1/4 through the material as of now), but my question is: given that I go to a top tier university for physics, will it be difficult for me to keep up in the physics classes, especially considering that most physics majors at these universities will have much more experience and knowledge than me? I sent in an ED app with physics as the major, but I'm really worried that I'm going to be very overwhelmed when I get there due to my schedule. I'm currently taking Calc BC and I'm excelling in it to give any reference point. </p>
<p>You’ll be fine. While there will be a fair amount of physics majors that took AP Physics in HS, there will be other folks that didn’t know they wanted to be a physics major until their 1st or 2nd year, and THEY mostly likely wouldn’t have had any HS Physics. I was a physics major and only took one semester of physics and AP Calc in HS… 5 years before I went to college, and I was fine. Sure, I had a little catching-up to do, but I am far from a genius and still made it.</p>
<p>Also, if might be easier to get into a school of your liking if you apply as ‘undecided’ for your major. I didn’t get into a certain school because I applied with the intent of majoring in physics, and I didn’t get in because I didn’t have enough “pre-reqs,” although I know I would have done fine. Something else to think about.</p>
<p>Good luck! Physics is awesome!</p>
<p>Physics (for physics majors) in university will probably have a prerequisite of high school physics as well as calculus. Not having had AP physics should not delay your progress in the physics major.</p>
<p>I would definitely suggest you to look into non credit options for college physics at the local community college. In a non credit class it will not count against your GPA and you can learn college level courses to see if you really like the upper realm of physics. Also, in many states you can take a college level class and it will count for highschool credit towards your graduation. I have even heard stories of homeschoolers dual enrolling and completely skipping the last two years of highschool and leaving with a highschool degree and an Associates. Before you do anything though I would suggest seeing what the minimum age for dual enrollment is at your local CC and have a talk with a highschool counselor or college planner and go from there.</p>
<p>Also, some universities offer dual enrollment if your not comfortable with a CC/JC</p>
<p>The most important thing is that you are prepared for Calculus in your first semester in college. The physics can be learned in college. I had a horrible physics teacher in high school (many, many years ago) but it wasn’t a problem once I got to college because I had the calculus under my belt from an early admission program at UIUC (no AP courses back then…). I’m still doing physics as a professor in my 32nd year.</p>
<p>Being prepared mathematically is the most important thing. I’m a physics major, and I never even took ANY physics in high school. Having some more exposure to it earlier on is going to be beneficial, but it’s far from necessary. Physics without calculus is kind of like patchwork physics. When you do physics within the realm of calculus, things change dramatically. </p>