Hello everyone. How are you all today? Hope you’re all well.
I’m very sorry if this is a silly or rude question, or if I come off rude in any way. After thinking about what I want to take in junior year (I am a sophomore right now), which the deadline for is coming soon, it comes down to two choices that I’m okay with: Regular or AP Physics 1. I am taking Honors Chemistry this year and getting a 97 in the class, which I am very happy about. Because I’m not very into the STEM field and did pretty poorly in Science in elementary school, and ended 9th grade Science Bio Honors with a B+, however, I am quite hesitant to sign up for AP Physics 1. I plan on majoring in something in the creative writing/film/humanities and social studies field. I will be taking 3 other APs: English Lang, US History, and Psychology, alongside 2 honors courses: Spanish 4 and Pre-Calc, alongside one regular course of philosophy and world religions.
I asked something like this earlier in another thread where I was asking about making my upcoming junior year, but I wanted to focus on this one issue as it is the biggest issue I have currently and was wondering if I could get individual responses from people who have taken both or either one of those courses. What were your experiences in those physics courses?
Once again, I’m sorry if I’m coming off rude, or if this is a silly question. I just really wanted to make sure of all of this before I signed up for a science course.
Thank you for your help and time, and have a good day!
P.S. Happy Early Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
I’d recommend not taking AP if you’re not trying to go into STEM. If I’m not mistaken, some colleges have a physics gen ed requirement so I think taking regular physics will give you a good background for later.
@Candyblossom1245 Thanks for the advice! From everyone I have asked so far, people have recommended AP. Out of curiosity, do you mind if I ask you for a reason why it is better to not take AP? I’m really sorry if I’m nagging you, and I hope you don’t mind. Seriously, though, thanks for the advice!
Have a good day and happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
I’m really sorry to do this, but bump. I was just curious if there’s any more answers. Sorry if this is bothersome. Thank you!
Have a good day!
I wouldn’t do AP, I would do regular. I’m a year older than you (currently a junior) and also plan on doing something humanities related but I’m in AP Physics 1. Granted my teacher is terrible (midway through they year and on chapter 5 of a 40 chapter book) but I’ve seriously been miserable. Having taken AP Biology and honors chemistry before, this class is just so different and if you don’t really enjoy math and science it is pretty terrible.
@hopestobe Thanks for the advice! Just wanted to say, though, that I like all science besides biology, and especially love astronomy, and I’m very impartial on my feelings for math. Either way, seeing that most of you on here want me to sign up for regular, I’ll probably discuss this with the counselors and teachers at my school at this! @hopestobe and @Candyblossom1245 Thanks for your help again!
@hopestobe I’m very sorry to hear that you have a terrible teacher, and that the class is miserable. Best of luck to you in the course! It’s very interesting to hear you find it much more challenging than AP Bio! How was that class for you? I am very, very terrible at biology, so I always find it impressive if someone is good at biology.
Have a good day!
My kid is currently in AP Physics 1 due to a scheduling conflict. She loves the class and adores her teacher. That said, he teaches it like a college physics course, complete with hours of problem sets and exams curved up to a C average. A significant number of kids in her class took on-level physics prior to taking Physics 1, and her teacher would make on-level physics a prerequisite course if he could.
At my school, we have all students take physical science freshman year (an intro to chemistry and physics.) We do not require students to take regular physics before AP physics 1. However, both AP physics 1 and AP physics c at my school are the hardest APs at my school, besides AP chem.
DO NOT take physics 1 w/ three other APs. That is a death sentence. AP physics 1 requires a lot of time and effort, and if you don’t consider yourself wanting to go into stem, don’t put yourself through the pain of the all nighters.
Take regular physics if so.
I also have a question though (for all who have taken AP chemistry): would AP physics 1 be doable alongside AP chemistry? Or should I just take regular physics?
It seems a hard decision to choose between AP1 and regular physics for many lol.
Nor do most HSs.
This is going to be very student-specific. Many highly motivate students can take 4 APs simultaeously.
As with many APs, the actual workload will depend in part on the teacher. The OP should ask current students. One thing I will say on a global level, AP Physics 1 has one of the lowest percentages of 5s on the exam (5%) and one of the highest failure rates (60%), so the OP might want to compare the results from his/her school before deciding. But for the OP’s career goals, AP Physics 1 is not necessary.
Again, it’s student-specific. For the motivated student, it’s fine.
The biggest drawback, IMO, with AP Physics 1 (aside from the high failure rate on the exam) is that it will not prepare one for the Subject Test, if that’s a consideration.
@allyphoe That is very interesting and good advice! Thank you very much! In my school, almost everyone in AP Physics 1 is a junior and taking physics for the first time. In fact, it is recommended that if you want to take physics a second year and if you took regular physics in junior year that you sign up for AP Physics C: Mechanics in senior year if you had or are taking AP Calc alongside it. Either way, very interesting and helpful advice, thank you! Please let her know I wish her luck in the class!
Have a good day!
@skieurope @equationlover I saw the advice you guys gave me much later due to internet lag. Sorry for not responding soon enough. Thank you for your advice, you guys! To @skieurope , thanks for looking out for me on the SAT subject tests. However, I have no intention on taking a SAT Subject Test for Physics. Thanks, anyway. It’s helpful to know.
Have a good day!
Oh yeah, I forgot it really depends on the school. In mine, AP physics 1 is twice the pace of a regular AP class. Meaning, the teacher teaches EVERYTHING in one semester, then reteaches it second semester. The curves are also really bad. The teacher used to be a nuclear engineer, so stuff he finds easy is actually really hard (that’s why he gives bad curves compared to a regular physics class, and why he spends such little time on a unit.)
Generally, if you consider yourself a math person AND science person, take AP1. However, if you aren’t planning on going into stem, it’s not worth the effort to try and take the AP class over the regular class.
I would ask current students in the class what it’s like. That’s often better advice than what the actual teacher would say.
@equationlover Thank you! I will do that. All of you have been very helpful in answering. I really appreciate it.
Have a good day!