<p>There was complete chaos in the first 2 months of learning. Before this year, I had taken 2 years of chemistry, so I had no knowledge of physics whatsoever. This semester, I have tried my best, and the highest I have received on a test recently was a 78%. I just can't figure things out, and it stems from the basics. I never learned the basics because my teacher was on a maternity leave and we were replaced with a woman who didn't use the teachers notes, but only gave us notes on concepts using variables, neglecting to give us a single useful example. I have a 79% in the class, and I have never received a C of any sort in high school. It all seems hopeless because no matter what else we learn, it seems to all draw from the same source of which I failed to learn. Anywaysssssssssssss, should I drop AP Physics second semester?</p>
<p>So let me get this straight. You want to drop AP Physics because you (barely) have a C? Don’t be a quitter. There are much worse things in life than a C in high school. Buck up and pull your grade up.</p>
<p>I’ve been trying all semester. I guess I won’t quit. It’s really demeaning receiving homework you have no idea how to do though. By the way, I usually fail/near fail quizzes and tests.</p>
<p>Try some physics videos!</p>
<p>[The</a> Mechanical Universe (by Caltech)](<a href=“http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html]The”>http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html) - This really helped me gain a good grasp on many of the concepts. This is done really well, though some of the material does repeat. The visuals are pretty cool and sometimes amusing.</p>
<p>MIT Lectures - [url=<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/video-lectures/]Mechanics[/url”>http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/video-lectures/]Mechanics[/url</a>] and [url=<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-02-electricity-and-magnetism-spring-2002/video-lectures/]E&M[/url”>http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-02-electricity-and-magnetism-spring-2002/video-lectures/]E&M[/url</a>]. I haven’t used these as much, but from what I’ve watched, the instructor is quite good at explaining the detail behind some of the math. And he apparently does some pretty cool demos.</p>
<p>Did you try studying the examples in the book carefully and doing as many of the easier problems as you can in order to reinforce the basics? When I had trouble with some of the material, I really practiced a lot on some of the easier problems to get the basics down and from there, I studied the solutions to some harder problems. It could also help if you got a problem book (like 3000 Solved Problems in Physics) or an AP prep book (AP Advantage and Princeton Review are the ones I use, and they’re decent).</p>
<p>Is there any sort of tutoring service at your school? Can you ask someone who’s doing really well in the class to help you? Or perhaps now that your normal teacher is back she could help you out? </p>
<p>Don’t get too demoralized. AP Physics C is a really hard class to take without any background in physics.</p>
<p>energize has good advice.</p>
<p>It’s not about proving you’re good…to yourself. There’s a fine line between bravery and foolish audacity. You must make the best decision, not the bravest and most respected.
However, be extremely cautious on this decision.
With that being said, </p>
<p>If you continue: The problem is not that the AP C material is hard; the problem is that you lack the fundamentals. Therefore:
Get a normal physics book, like “Conceptual Physics” or something.
Watch some videos, only about normal physics, not AP C.
If possible, ask the teacher for help (I know this is not pragmatic in a public school setting)</p>
<p>Some advice on how to think:
Translate everything physics into math into your head. Of course, you’d answer gravity if you were asked “Why does an apple fall” and all these other trends from outside experience, but you wouldn’t know that gravity is related to distance squared, or that friction is proportional to normal force.</p>
<p>Khan Academy
[Khan</a> Academy](<a href=“Khan Academy | Free Online Courses, Lessons & Practice”>Khan Academy | Free Online Courses, Lessons & Practice)</p>
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<p>He barely has a C in an high school AP class. You need to reexamine your definition of “foolish audacity.”</p>
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<p>The best decision is clearly to persevere. It seems like for the first time you are being challenged. Overcoming a hurdle that is actually challenging will push you to do better, give you confidence in your abilities, and help you realize what you are truly good at. If you were failing it would be a different story.</p>
<p>The real question here is…do you have balls?</p>
<p>I have balls and you can too!</p>
<p>I’m assuming that you mean a C in an AP class isn’t so bad. That’s opinionated. It’s like taking alot of courses early, and getting a mediocre result, rather than taking it later and getting good results.</p>
<p>I think he is dumb for taking AP Physics C with no real background in physics in the first palce. Now that he is in, in terms of college prospects, I think it would look just as bad to drop a class due to a C+ than it would be to end up getting a C (worst case scenario). If he adapts, he can easily get a B by the end of the year and come out better than before.</p>