<p>Do colleges look down on kids who haven't taken physics? I've taken honors chem and AP bio and plan on major in English or poly sci. Despite this, my counselor told me that I couldn't get into a good college without taking a physics course. Please tell me this is not true!</p>
<p>What do you consider a "good college?" Different colleges require different numbers of science credits.</p>
<p>You should take the physics course. Your GC is correct.</p>
<p>probably not...as long as you've taken a challening science course every year it's fine. The normal route for my school is bio honors,chem honrs, bio ap, chem ap, for the top students. I just took physics with chem soph year, but it's probably no big deal</p>
<p>I think it is mistake on students parts to say that not taking basic courses doesn't hurt admission chances. It does. The following are the basic courses.</p>
<ol>
<li>4 years of English</li>
<li>3rd Level of FL.</li>
<li>3 years of science (PCB)</li>
<li>4 years of Math (to calculus)</li>
<li>2 years of History</li>
</ol>
<p>That is a basic curriculumn for a high school. Don't short cut it if possible.</p>
<p>It depends on the high school but in the Gatekeepers, it did say it's a red flag. My D HS counselor said it does not hurt in D's case, she said our HS gets tons of people in top colleges without Physics. The reason is the school has a basic science requirement(2-year) so unless you're double up in some year(science subject), you will not be able to get the trio completed(Physics, Bio, Chemistry). I don't know for sure( D chances), but I'll know next year. I think if you are a science person, you need to squizze in all 3 science subjects, if not, it might be a slight negative, you need to have other aspect of your application to be in good shape.</p>
<p>During a school visit at an Ivy, an engineering prof told my son not to bother taking physics in high school if it was not calculus based (ie completion of calc before starting). He recommended taking all the math you could get your hands on instead. S took Bio & chem and got in without physics.</p>
<p>^^Great to hear that. I had Physics on D list for senior year but I'm always ready to modify the schedule if there is something D really wants to take. She prefers to take a visual performing art instead.</p>
<p>Would it be feasible to take physics at a nearby community college during one's senior year in addition to the norml schedule? I don't know that I want to double up on science, but I, too, do not want to mess up my chances by not taking physics. Do admissions officers look down on those that don't have a physics course during their high school years?</p>
<p>I think it depends what you are planning to replace physics with. If you replace it with something that makes sense in the context of your interests and other courses, I think you should be OK.</p>
<p>I didn't take it and was fine, but I took 3 foreign languages each year instead because that was where my interests were, so there just wasn't space in my schedule.</p>
<p>I'm taking 4 AP courses plus anatomy and physiology as my science. Still, I will take physics if everyone thinks it is necessary.</p>
<p>I know several people in my freshman class who'd never taken a physics class before coming to college. And I go to Williams. The student body is diverse. Wouldn't it be boring if most of the students have taken physics befoere?</p>
<p>^^Is science their major?</p>
<p>If you plan on majoring in engineering or any hard (i.e. not social) science, you'll probably need to take physics in college. This means one of two things:</p>
<ol>
<li>You had better take it now, or you'll be left way behind in your college physics classes.</li>
<li>You shouldn't bother taking it now unless it's calc-based, since you'll be getting the same stuff in college.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the two it means for you depends on how comfortable you are with science and math, and how well you pick up new subjects. If you think you might need to be exposed to physics twice before learning it, #1 applies to you. If you tend to get things the first time through, #2 may apply.</p>
<p>I think physics in high school is almost required nowadays. Anyways, there are some people at elite schools (ex: Williams) who did not take physics in high school, but that is a small minority. Also remember that any tech school basically requires physics unless you have a very valid excuse. Williams' kids can get away with no physics more than others because Williams is more humanities oriented than most liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p>It really depends on your future goals. If you're going into engineering, definitely take physics. Most students who have not during high school find introductory physics excruciatingly hard at my university. If you're going into the hard sciences, again, physics is good. Since you're looking into English or Political Science, I think you should be fine without the physics course. Use the extra spot in your schedule to take a class that furthers your passions.</p>
<p>Check the harvard university website; you will find the following:</p>
<p>"four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; "</p>
<p>I never took physics in high school, applied to 2 schools (Chicago and JHU) and got into both. I then took physics my freshman year and did very well. I don't think not taking physics will have a big affect (if any at all) on your application.</p>
<p>^^^: Lot of students would get into Harvard also without Physics but the point is what you can do to cover yourself. If you have a chance to take Physics you should take it.</p>