Now that Collegeboard divided the AP Physics curriculum into AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, when do they expect us to take the SAT subject test? I am going to be a junior this year (I haven’t taken regular Physics before) and I plan on taking AP Physics 1, but this covers only half of the content on the subject test. I can’t take it senior year either because I won’t even receive the scores until after school ends, or I would have to take it before I finish learning AP Physics 2.
Lots of students don’t have all their AP scores back until around the end of senior year. Colleges can tell you plan to take it on your app. I can’t see that it will make much if any difference in admissions, even at top schools.
The OP asked about the subject test, not the AP. The answer is that splitting physics B into 1 and 2 was a bad idea, as was dropping physics honors as many schools have now done. Your options are to take a different SAT2 test, which is what I would suggest unless the physics test is a requirement, or to do substantial prep work on your own over the summer to fill in topics you won’t have covered.
@mathyone thank you!
When do they expect you to? Well, this is yet another example of how the College Board has successfully managed to get schools to drink the Kool-Aid. While no Subject Test requires an AP course, as @mathyone mentioned, many schools eliminated physics honors (which one does need for the Subject Test) to add AP Physics 1 (which will definitely not adequately prepare you you the Subject Test. Your options, as @mathyone says are:
• Take a different test
• Do a lot of prep work to cover the major gaps from AP Physics 1.
Good luck.
Ah, sorry. I see. I guess I would take a different test.
The problem is that several schools recommend Physics, so self studying is the only option if you are applying to one of these schools and need a high score. IB Physics is also a 2-year course, I don’t think any HS Physics course covers everything, so at least everyone is at the same disadvantage.