<p>Ok, here's the question: I'm planning to major in Physics, wherever I go (preferably MIT please!!!). </p>
<p>And people start applying for colleges in the fall of their senior year right??? (when did you guys?)</p>
<p>So, should I show my interest in Physics by taking lots of Physics courses (or some kind of physicsy related courses, like Calc) in 9th,10th, and 11th? </p>
<p>Will colleges care if you took another Physics class after you applied to the college in senior year?</p>
<p>What do you mean, “show your interest?” If you’re planning on majoring in physics, I assume you LIKE physics. Don’t you WANT to take physics classes anyway? If you want to take them, go right ahead! If you don’t really want to take those classes now, are you sure you want to major in physics?</p>
<p>I know it sounds like a sort of nit-picky chicken-and-egg sort of distinction, but it’s really not, I promise.</p>
<p>But to address your other questions, you do apply during the fall of your senior year, but colleges will still see what classes you are taking senior year. If you can’t fit AP physics (or whatever) into your schedule until then, you won’t be at a disadvantage or anything.</p>
<p>Also, specifically for MIT, you do not enter MIT as a Physics major. You enter MIT as an undergraduate student and a some future point you declare a major in physics. Since you are applying to the entire university, it is not necessary to prove to the world your love of physics.</p>
<p>It is also not clear that just because you love physics you necessarily want to be a physics major. I know a couple of people who after some varied UROP experience decided that they definitely did NOT want to major in subjects they quite enjoyed. The issue being that enjoying physics, and enjoying the day to day job of a physicist are definitely not the same thing.</p>
<p>In addition, I think it’s wise to take AP Physics and physics-related courses during high school if you have an inkling you might want to major in physics, not because they’ll help you get into college, but because they’ll help you survive and thrive in college once you’re there.</p>
<p>It’s tough to be a science major anywhere without having taken some of the basic preparatory courses in high school, in the sense that your first few semesters in college will probably be a struggle without having taken them previously.</p>
<p>All of you people are right - I asked because my school only lets you take Physics in senior year, and I was worried that I couldn’t do any physics class before then. </p>
<p>I know you apply to MIT as a student, and I guess I forgot to mention that I did… :D</p>
<p>Can you take a summer course at a university before your senior year? </p>
<p>If you do, make sure it’s calc-based physics.</p>
<p>Also, if you want to take physics classes before calc, there are multiple options (long-distance, summer programs for high school students, etc.)</p>