<p>Since Freshman year, I have never taken an AP course. I don't go to a school that allows you to sign up. You have to be recommended, and I was never ever recommended for an honors or AP. Now, when I am a Senior, they change the curriculum so anyone can take an AP. Fair, I know... Anyways, I really wanted to take AP Physics, so I asked if I could take it. He responded by saying, you're not ready for it. End of discussion. Will this hurt me in anyway? Sorry for the length.</p>
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<p>Who’s he? And if they can reject you like that what’s the difference between this year and previous years? If you really want to take the test, just study it by yourself and take the AP exam on your own.</p>
<p>He being the physics teacher. I just wanted to take AP Physics, not for the exam, but because it’s interesting. I’m not self-studying it, not sure though.</p>
<p>I’m curious how they’re imposing that rule. Isn’t whether you take an exam or not CollegeBoard’s business?</p>
<p>wow your school just sucks. Sorry to hear :/</p>
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<p>My school doesn’t offer them until junior year.</p>
<p>Honestly, there’s this guy in my school who’s really annoying and don’t learn stuff very well. Let’s just say he easily gets behind and can’t process information well… yet he wants to take honours for everything. </p>
<p>I’m in no way saying that the OP is like this, but I’m just saying that there are reasons for policies. Hey, I’m one of those people who makes a big fuss about the school’s administration and its stupid policies (like actual stupid ones regarding taking challenging courseloads, not the logical ones like no smoking or no dealing drugs).</p>
<p>Have you had regular physics and are you enrolled in Calc now or already had it?
If not that may be why he does not think you are prepared.</p>
<p>Some schools do not offer AP and colleges know that. If your school does offer them top colleges expect you to take the courses that interest you (you don’t have to take every class just because it is offered, show what you are passionate about)</p>
<p>If your school is not challenging you enough have you looked to other sources to learn. Take community college courses, online courses, do opencourseware at MIT and take the AP test etc.</p>
<p>I had physics already and I’m taking calc now.</p>
<p>^Community college and online courses cost money</p>
<p>^^ The OpenCourseWare on the MIT website is free to all: [Free</a> Online MIT Course Materials | Get Started | MIT OpenCourseWare](<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/help/start/]Free”>http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/help/start/).</p>
<p>If you regular physics and are in Calc I would think you are well prepared for AP Physics.</p>
<p>In CA community college courses for high schoolers is less than $20.</p>
<p>^But who pays for it? Your high school, the board, or the state? </p>
<p>Taking community college courses in high school is so uncommon in Canada. I’ve literally never heard of it. It’s just non-existant here.</p>
<p>California is pretty special as far as community college systems go, though.</p>
<p>Are they discounted for high school students? From my understanding, it’s $20/unit, and most courses are three units. Still pretty cheap, but clarification is good.</p>
<p>I second MIT Open Courseware for free online ([Free</a> Online MIT Course Materials | Physics | MIT OpenCourseWare](<a href=“http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/]Free”>http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/)).</p>
<p>When my son was in high school, he self-studied two AP exams and got 5 on both. You do not have to take an AP course to take AP exams. It is the test score that counts toward college credit not the specific course you take. They are now noted in his college transcript!</p>
<p>In CA it is not per unit for high school students, it is a flat fee (not per class but per semester and this was less than $20).</p>
<p>The student pays for it</p>
<p>PiperXP, I have no clue how much they charge high schoolers, but I’m pretty sure it’s not discounted. I don’t think high schoolers are even allowed to take community college classes in Canada… I think people have to be actually accepeted into the college to take courses. </p>
<p>Yup… OCW is free… but there isn’t any sort of formal recognition other than if you write the AP exam. I mean, I guess you could mention that you spend 10 hours/wk listening to lectures on OCW. I totally agree that people should learn for the fun of it and not for recognition, but I’m still kinda jealous of people who could simply take a CC class. </p>
<p>If I’m correct, taking CC classes are regarded more highly than self-studying for AP’s, right?</p>
<p>Oh, and carpe noctum, I knew the student pays for the 20 bucks (which is almost nothing), but I’m sure that the course itself doesn’t cost 20 bucks. </p>
<p>Who pays for the other 980 dollars? lol (assuming each course costs 1000 dollars for a regular student)</p>
<p>You still have to buy the books, which add up to quite a bit. As far as who is subsidizing a high schooler, that would be the California tax payers (in the form of taxes that go to run a community college). I don’t think there are that many high schoolers that take advantage of this opportunity for it to cost the school much.</p>