<p>Our school doesn't have AP Physics, but so far I plan to be a physics major so I figured I'd do AP Physics as an independent study. Basically it'll be 2-4 kids every other day in a classroom reading physics/doing problems and if we need help the teacher will do his best to help us. Anyways, there isn't really a cirriculum and I know only half of last year's AP Physics students actually did physics work that period. He has the college textbooks in his classroom, I was wondering which review book to buy (Probably Princeton I guess) and if there is any sort of cirriculum I should follow. If there is a site online some teacher made with their course outline that'd be pretty good. I suppose I should study for Physics B since C is supposedly QUITE hard and this year is when I take AP Calculus, but I don't know if I'll know the calculus I need during the course of the school year for physics.</p>
<p>Try apcentral.collegeboard.com. You'll have to create an account, but it has sample syllabi as well as standards and what's supposed to be covered.</p>
<p>If you want to be a physics major, you may want to reconsider doing Physics C instead. I assume you won't be getting evaluated by anybody, that the studying will be truly independent. If that's the case, why not go for the harder version? Physics B is, for credit, useless to a physics major, and, for preparation, far less useful than Physics C. You could just cover the basics until your Calculus class gets into simple derivatives (then you could quickly learn basic integration on your own), because that's all the calculus you need. Even though you won't be as strong with integration for a while, the Mechanics half of Physics C is less integral-heavy than the second, E+M, half. Just food for thought.</p>
<p>I suppose I can try that. I'm just worried since Physics C is supposedly freakin' hard and I wasn't sure how self-studying that would go.</p>
<p>the people who call it "freakin hard" are the ones that aspire to be humanities majors...if u plan on being a physics major...Physics C is the least hardest physics course u will take</p>
<p>Well, then I guess I'll buckle down and go for that. I guess even if I do find it hard self-studying, it'll be a good experience before college.</p>
<p>This has to be a joke - Physics C, the E&M part is very difficult for students to comprehend. The curve on the test which allows students to get high grades gives them the illusion that they understand the subject. Trust me, I know, I teach the course at a local university and virtually everybody has difficulty - particularly the concept of a field that frequently persists beyond this course.</p>
<p>Back to physics B then :)</p>
<p>dont give up...u can be successful as in any class if u work at it...and plus Physics C will look 10000000000000x better if u plan on being a physics major</p>
<p>im also taking Physics C this year (self-studying also...lack of teacher so i basically have a textbook and assignments to complete independently..distance learning)</p>
<p>Nobel laureate Leon Lederman comments that he really likes the conceptual physics books by Hewitt, and wishes all of his graduate students had had instruction like that in high school before majoring in physics. That might be the way to start. Unless you have had a LOT of calculus, you're better off starting with Physics B for self study (which is also a better syllabus for preparing for the SAT II test in physics).</p>