I’m currently a sophomore in regular Physics, and I have 100 percent in the class right now and I did last semester as well. Physics is my favorite field of science and I’d love to learn more through taking AP Physics C (only AP Physics class offered at my school). However, I will be taking Precalculus Honors next year, so I haven’t taken Calculus yet. The rest of my classes next year are also all AP and Honors classes.
My counselor strongly recommends against taking this class next year but I want to take harder classes next year to possibly lighten up my senior courseload. Out of all the classes I want to take at my school, this is the one I probably want the most. Is it worth trying to convince my counselor once more? I’ve typically done well in my previous AP and Honors classes.
And I’m ready to invest my time and effort into studying with others (I have some friends taking it next year as well) and doing the work. They just changed the math requirements this year to at least concurrent enrollment in regular Precalc, also.
Please help me; this decision is stressing me out and I only have two days to decide.
Physics C is calculus based and designed to be taken concurrently or after calculus AB. You will be at a big disadvantage in C without a better math foundation. Wait until Senior year.
Well, that’s just folly. So in addition to teaching Physics C, the teacher has to teach you calculus? This will not bode well come AP exam time, IMO. Wait a year.
You dont need much calculus for physics C, you dont need series or anything, just simple differentiation, integration maybe some few limits stuff. I’m pretty confident that if you visit khan academy once a week for calc, you will be fine.