<p>I have heard that 4-year university physics and mathematics are very very difficult compared to those of local community colleges. I will have taken all first year physics (mechanics through nuclear physics with calculus) and some first and second year(?) math (multivar through diff eqs and linear algebra). Is it better that I retake both physics and math in freshman year (probably to get a higher gpa), or would it be better to take higher level courses and maybe graduate early?</p>
<p>I want to be an engineer and i am currently a high school senior, so this is a tough decision I will have to make. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>I suggest retaking these courses. At the more/most competitive universities, the academic quality of your peers, the expectations of your professors, and the overall rigor of these courses is such that AP and/or CC completion alone may place you at a disadvantage when taking higher level courses that depend on the foundations provided. </p>
<p>First, when you register for classes, you will have a chance to talk with your college adviser (engineering). They will review what courses you took and make a recommendation. Don’t worry about it now :)</p>
<p>They are likely to recommend you don’t skip some of the calculus curriculum, while they typically don’t have an issue with you skipping the physics (via DE credits). Either way your college adviser is best positioned to make a recommendation. It’s also not that uncommon for students to decide to not re-take the Calc classes, even if the college adviser recommends that they do. It’s really based on how comfortable you feel. You may want to take a look at some old Calc test (you should be able to find them on-line) and if you feel that you’ve mastered that material, you may want to move on.</p>
<p>This really varies by university. I’d suggest not even thinking about it until such time that you’ve been accepted and decide to attend. Once that happens, the freshman advisors can give you some direction based upon their experiences.</p>
<p>Most college and university departments have placement exams for students who come in with some advanced coursework. When you know where you are accepted, and you are deciding between programs, ask about this. </p>
<p>If I take the easier route and not skip, then my GPA would probably be higher than if I skip and take the harder courses. But would employers/internship programs look more at my course load as an undergrad or my GPA?</p>
<p>Wait until you figure out where are you going. It really depends on the school. Certainly, you can ask the math or physics department for advice before making a choice. It also depends on your high school/community college. If they are known for producing string math students, then you probably can start in a higher level class. If, however, your school has more recently started teaching, say, linear algebra, they may ask you to either take a placement exam or recommend retaking the class.</p>
<p>For example, D’s high school has a very weak linear algebra class with a well liked but lazy teacher. If you were coming from her school, I’d suggest retaking the class.</p>
<p>I think you are going to find the school you attend will have its own requirements. My daughter goes to an engineering tech school, and my nephew is in the engineering school of a major university. Both had to take placement tests. Both had not had Calc in high school, both were placed in calc with about half the class having had high school calc. My daughter is doing fine, my nephew is struggling. Daughter’s friend who placed into Calc II was doing so poorly that she dropped out of school in October, but I think she’ll return and start in the lower level.</p>
<p>Many engineering schools will only give gen credits for AP classes, but want all students to take those basic classes at the university. For many years, Colo School of Mines wouldn’t give AP or IB credits, but now gives some limited credit. Almost everyone takes the same series of core courses.</p>
<p>My son is in engineering. He was taking Calc ll and was completely floored when he got his test back last week. He did so poorly on it that he was advised by his advisor and prof. to withdrawal from the class so that it would not bring down his GPA. The only way to would have passed that class was if he got a soild A on the final exam. He didn’t feel like he would have been able to accomplish that score. His roommate failed the test as well. The classes are harder and move much faster.</p>
<p>He had entrance exams prior to being placed in math classes. His college did not accept AP physics scores to test out of it. It was still a requirement. </p>
<p>That really depends. One cannot universally state that physics at a university is harder than physics at a community college. It depends on the teacher. There are physics professors at many community colleges that are every bit as qualified as professors at many top schools. There are community college professors that got their PhDs from the same schools as the university professors and have had many of the same research and employment experiences. There are also physics professors at universities that are underqualified for their jobs and don’t care as much about their students as they could. </p>
<p>Many people make a comparison between the two via transferring from a community college to a university. Obviously the difficulty level is going to increase in that situation. They’re transferring into the upper level courses! They get harder as they go along. That’s just the nature of any field. They’re upper level courses because they’re more difficult. </p>
<p>Retaking the courses may not be a bad idea. It would help solidify your foundation in the material, but it may not really be necessary. Depending on what type of engineering you’re interested in, you may not even have to take any more physics classes. Many engineering fields only require the introductory physics courses, and then typically a few more specific ‘engineering physics’ type courses. Your best bet is to try and get your hands on some old final exams from the relevant physics courses and see if you can work through them. You’d want to talk to an adviser at your schools of interest as well. </p>
<p>I think my high school calculus class has prepared me very well, not really my multivar class, but I expect my Linear Algebra and Diff Eqs class to be near top notch (i think the community college is well ranked in math + physics). So would it be worth getting ahead with a lower GPA or staying back and getting a higher GPA?</p>
<p>Don’t decide until you decide which university you will attend.</p>
<p>Once you decide which university you will attend, and have figured out which of its courses of your AP scores and college credit will cover, try the old final exams for those courses. That way, you can assess how well you know the material from the university’s point of view. If you know the material well, or just need light review, then skipping will effectively give you additional free elective space in your schedule, which you can use to take additional advanced in-major courses later, or additional out-of-major courses of interest. But if you are lost on the old final exam problems, then it may be better to retake the course.</p>
<p>Many universities admit transfer students who have taken the introductory math and physics courses (or other courses for their majors) at community colleges. They expect such transfer students to be ready to continue on to the next level courses, rather than retake those courses that they already took at community colleges.</p>
<p>Math 1A = calculus 1
Math 1B = calculus 2
Math 53 = multivariable calculus
Math 54 = linear algebra and differential equations
Physics 7A, 7B, 7C = physics for scientists and engineers
course numbers with H prefix = honors courses (harder problems, more theory)</p>