Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

this year as a sophmore i am taking honors chem and next year as a junior i am going to take ap bio and ap enviornmental. as a senior, i want to take ap physics ab w/o having taken regular physics. i know people in my school do it all the time but i was just wondering if any of you have done it and found it very hard.

By Okrogius (Okrogius) on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 04:14 pm: Edit

I was in a simualr situation in a way. However the issue wasn't taking the physics b class without a previous physics class - instead I took the AP exam after only going through the first year class. It wasn't bad. Granted I doubt I got a 5, I can see a 3 or a 4.

As long as you have some sort of common sense you shouldn't have much of an issue doing your plan in my opinion.

By Jnatkins (Jnatkins) on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 04:50 pm: Edit

I took B last year, and it was my first physics course...I got a 4 on the test

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 04:58 pm: Edit

the issue isn't whether or not you already have some phyiscs, it's really how much math you have. If you will have had calculus, or at least be taking it concurrently, you will be fine.

By Physicskid123 (Physicskid123) on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 08:19 pm: Edit

I took physics C mechanics without taking any prior classes and i didnt even have calc this year. It wasnt that hard, I think I got a 5. Just pay attention in class, take notes etc. and you'll do fine.

By Vtoodler (Vtoodler) on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 08:21 pm: Edit

Many people at my school take AP Physics w/o taking regular and they do fine. Just do like physickid123 says and you'll be alright.

By Thermodude (Thermodude) on Wednesday, May 26, 2004 - 03:37 am: Edit

Ya...i took AP Physics B as a soph more with no previous Physics class and no previous Calculus class (since Physics B only requires knowledge up to trig)....in the end I managed to pull off a 5. This year...i self-studied for Physics C while taking Calc concurrently...and I think i did tolerably well on the AP exam. My personal belief is that, as Texas137 said, the Physics class you take is moreso related to one's mathmatical knowledge. For Physics B....i'd say to take it if u've already taken or will taken concurrently an algebra 2/trig course. Physics C, I would reccommend some knowledge of calc.