If I take general physics will it help me get for physics based calculus?
I never took physics due to biology regents which prevented me from taking it. I had to pass it and my teachers won’t let me take chemistry or physics. I’m a rising sophomore at my community college.
Anyone? I need to choose if or rather take it.
Physics-based calculus? You mean calculus-based physics?
At most community colleges,
General physics = calculus-based physics
College physics = algebra-based physics.
If you’ve taken an algebra-based physics course, then as long as you have taken or will be concurrently taking a calculus course, you’ll be fine in calculus-based physics. Many students also jump right into calculus-based physics without prior physics experience, which is fine as long as you have a fairly strong background in math.
I took algebra based physics in high school and calculus based my first year after high school. Definitely taking the algebra based physics class previously made things a lot more tolerable in the calc based class, but honestly, calc based physics was more algebra than calculus. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve taken all three calculus classes before taking calc based physics since a lot more things come into view clearer than if not. Also, you can “cheat” around some problems with ideas from cal 3. But again, mainly just the ideas, and not necessarily calculus techniques. But I still managed to pull As without a prior calculus background.
In my community college it’s different
General Physics This non-calculus Physics course for technology, business administration, computer science, and liberal arts and sciences students covers topics in mechanics, wave motion, and heat.
Engineer physics: This is a calculus-based physics course for mathematics, physics, and engineering students. Topics include translational motion, particle dynamics, work and energy, momentum and impulse, rotational kinematics, rigid body motion, gravitation, vibrational motion, wave motion, and acoustics.
I’ve been in contact with a professor at Penn state who works in the Meteorology department. He said I should take the engineering physics course. The problem is that engineer physics you need calculus 1 and they only offered it during the spring semester. I’m applying to Penn state this coming fall and he said it would be fine to take it there instead of waiting for one year to just take one course. My question: Do you think I should take General physics just so I can get used to the subject? I will be taking General Chemistry 1 in the spring. I’m taking Intro to Chem (half semester)
I will be taking it during the summer semester at penn state
To reiterate, I was in this exact same position in my freshman year of college where I felt like I might not be smart enough for calc-based physics (equivalent to engineering physics in this case). So I contemplated taking college physics instead, which was non-calculus based. I decided that I would just take the plunge and save myself a year of the same material. I knew that even if I got stuck, I have the whole internet to turn to for help. Physics is still physics no matter where you go, just the presentation of the information may be different.
So what will you decide if you were me? take general physics now or wait for one year to take the class i need for meteorology
I would not have wanted to take Physics 211 at PSU without having a basic understanding of both physics and calculus. The class goes fairly fast, and there were some complaints about how it’s run (only two lectures a week; conceptual-based exams with no calculators; online homework that is graded on accuracy, no mulligans; etc.). I think my alg-based physics background let me focus on learning the new stuff. But maybe that’s just me.
Well I’m still having difficulty comprehending your situation because of some logic gaps. Do you NEED engineering physics? Like postively, absolutely, no-other-way need it? If not, then just skip it and go ahead and take general physics and satisfy the requirement. You’re very likely not going to miss too much if you just take general physics. But many of the derivations of equations and concepts are going to be a little more difficult or they may just pop out of thin air sometimes.
@bodangles I’m going to take precalculus next fall. I will be taking calculus 1 at my college, but if I have to wait to take Engineer physics that will not be for two years. Spring 2017. they only offered it during the spring. 
I need Engineer physics because that’s Physics 211 at Penn state.
Physics 211 is required for me since my major is meteorology.
Here are some questions that I would ask: Can you take the equivalent of Physics 211 at some other college such as a community college before then? I don’t know how Penn State works exactly, but introductory physics courses like that are quite seriously freshman or sophomore level courses. I don’t see why you couldn’t just take them at a community college and just transfer them in.
Here in Texas, we have something called Virtual College of Texas which is an organization for community colleges that provides a directory of any and all online courses that others are free to take for credit at their home college. If I needed a course not offered, I would take it through VCT.
Taking it elsewhere and transferring it in would help with the issue that you’d be waiting until 2017 to take it. And it’d probably be cheaper too.
Is your schedule already full or something? I’d see no problem with, during the spring, taking calc 1 and gen physics concurrently at the CC, then transferring and taking Calc 2 and Phys 211. Like the prof you talked to said, it would definitely suck to delay things so long if you wait to take engineering physics at your CC. I think people have also advised you in the past to take important classes at your transfer school, if possible.
what about Pre-calculus and gen physics 1 this semester? then calculus and no physics course?
I have 12 credits, but i need one more social science credit. So i might take one if this doesn’t work
Sure, why not? If you can fit gen physics in this semester, once you take calc you’ll be as prepared as anyone else taking engineering physics / Phys 211.
It fits in my schedule this semester. Spring 2016: General Chem 1 and calculus. sounds like a good plan 
One problem, I need six art credits since Penn state requires it. unfortunately There’s no art classes that I take this semester.
This seemed like you already had your mind made up about wanting to take general physics but you just wanted someone to agree with you