To take AP Physics or to not take AP Physics - for that is the question!

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So, Senior Year, I am faced with a predicament - I want to take an AP science course, (most likely AP Bio) but I haven't taken Physics yet, so I haven't completed the holy trinity of Chem, Bio, and Physics. </p>

<p>I COULD take AP Physics but it is notoriously difficult at my school, and I'm more of a humanities person, so advanced math (which is often required in Physics) isn't my forte. I could take Honors Physics, but I'm in AP Environmental right now, I don't want to drop down honors in any discipline (For instance, I took APUSH in 10th grade, WHAP in 11th, and I'll take AP PoGo in 12th) -- I want to do the same for science.</p>

<p>Alright - right now I'm in Trig/Pre-Cal, I have a steady A in the class, but I work my butt off to maintain it... out of all of my courses, Trig is my only honors course out of all AP's - and somehow, I end up studying the most for it. Basically, I'm a good math student, but not naturally good... </p>

<p>So.</p>

<p>AP Physics? Yes? No? (If I did take it, I'd also be enrolled in AP Calc BC along with it.)</p>

2

<p>I think it might be a good idea to take AP Physics and then see how Calc BC goes in the first few weeks, then act accordingly. It’s usually easier to sign up for it and then drop it than to try to get into the class after it’s already begun.</p>

3

<p>Is it B or C? If it’s B, you should be fine. I’m almost through the first semester, and the math is very simple; it’s basically just moving around variables in equations and then plugging your numbers in.</p>

4

<p>So from the way this reads, I’m guessing you’re planning on taking AP Physics C?
Does your school not offer AP Physics B? While the concepts you learn in AP B are pretty much the same as the mechanics aspect of AP Physics C, it is not calculus-based.</p>

<p>Also, even calculus-based, the calculus component only covers derivatives/integrals, at least for mechanics. It isn’t <em>that</em> bad - I think by the end of your pre-calc class, you should cover at least basic derivatives and integrals.</p>