<p>I wanted to ask how important is studying Physics in High School. The IB school i'm at doesnt offer Physics as a sub in the IBDP. How will it affect my chances of getting into a top university in the US. I plan to keep an engineering subject as my major in college.
Should i switch schools and look for ones that do offer Physics?( i have studied 2 years of phys in grade 9,10)</p>
<p>I suppose unis would be understanding as long as your school as whole does not offer physics as an IB subject. I'd do the IB at the HS I was most comfortable at; academics is important but a long commute/unfriendly setting/stress in changing school/etc would not be worth it, imo.</p>
<p>What about doing physics at a nearby HS, and/or learning it on your own and do the SAT II (some tutoring would ofc be needed, but im sure you will manage a lot on your own). </p>
<p>But yea, you should definately do some physics the last two years in HS...</p>
<p>You have had physics in 9th and 10th grade so you are all set admission-requirement wise.</p>
<p>yea, the school doesnt offer physics as a subject for the IBDP. so explodapop, you suggest that i do the SAT II subject test for phys. as far as doing physics in a nearby HS is concerned, i dont think that would be feasible financially.(i'm a foreigner in China)</p>
<p>re b@r!um : for the top US universities, studying physics in just the 9th and 10th grade is fine?(by saying that i've studied physics in 9th and 10th grade, i mean i have done my O-level GCSE in phys and have an 'A' grade)</p>
<p>Yep, it's fine. In the US students usually study only 1 science per year. An American college prep kid might take physics in 10th grade (college prep or honors), chemistry in 11th grade (AP) and biology in 12th grade (AP). Physics in college starts from scratch anyway, so even students who haven't had any physics in high school could major in physics if they wanted to.</p>
<p>And the IB only assumes that you take one or two sciences anyway, doesn't it? The IB is recognized as a very rigorous program in the US, and completing it prepares you academically for any college, including the very top ones. (Though good IB scores by themselves won't get you into Harvard, but that's a different story.)</p>
<p>grateful for the advice, b@r!um
so not studying physics wont really put a dent on my college application.....will it have an effect on my college admission decision?</p>
<p>P.S: on a totally unrelated topic, are you in college or in HS :)</p>
<p>I am a sophomore in college.</p>
<p>
[quote]
will it have an effect on my college admission decision?
[/quote]
It might if you are applying as a prospective physics or engineering major to very competitive colleges (Caltech, MIT, Harvard...), but otherwise probably not.</p>
<p>but if i dont declare the major, it'll be fine, right?</p>
<p>I guess it wouldn't matter for 90% of your applications. For the other 10%... oh well, that's life.</p>
<p>Honestly, you'll be fine :)</p>
<p>being the pesky-overly anxious student that i am, does the other 10% you referred to, include the top universities?.....:S</p>
<p>suggestions.......ANYONE?</p>
<p>Try to ace the SAT2 Physics.. and you'll be fine.. you need not even declare major anyway..</p>
<p>thanks mate.....so what i've gathered is as long as i do good on my SAT II physics, i have nothing to be worried abt(physics wise)</p>
<p>I was assuming you would apply to 10 top universities. One might care, the others won't.</p>
<p>Same; and doing the SATII in phys (getting 800 is not THAT hard) will prove that you take physics seriously. I guess that is the most viable option.</p>
<p>And yea, the IB does not allow you to take more than 2 sciences unless you are some hardcore kid that does 7 subjects..</p>
<p>But HF doing the IB - I sure did.. eeh.</p>
<p>so b@r!um..just out of curiousity, can you specify the one which might raise an eyebrow on the absence of phy on my college app?.
P.S : i know i'm running the risk of nearly being labelled a pain in the neck, but cant help it</p>
<p>Hey i have a question within this question. I did physics in grade 9 and 10 but it was two general science classes, amd there were physics units. does that count or does it have to be a full physics course?</p>
<p>yea, i'll like to know that</p>
<p>Don't worry about it. Even at the most competitive scientific and engineering schools it truthfully does not matter. What matters is whether you take maximum advantage of what your school does have to offer. Most students do not have many options about
a) where they get to go to school
b) what the school actually offers
So nearly all admissions offices count neither of these against you.</p>
<p>It is a significant myth that your school needs to offer a specific program. File this along with the myth that you need AP's for admission. What you need is to show that you are passionate about learning, and that you seek out academic challenges. That being said, if you are going to write an admissions essay about your passion for physics (which btw is usually a poor choice) then you better be able to demonstrate how that passion manifiests itself.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice Mikalye...!!</p>