AP Chemistry [versus more advanced physics after AP physics C] and Engineering

fretfulmother
Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:44:24 +0000

It probably matters which physics classes OP is considering. Just being “post” his AP classes does not necessarily demonstrate rigor. I would feel the same way about engineering electives. Some of these classes are clearly at the high school level, whereas in theory, an AP class is at “college” level. If OP is taking a college class in optics, sure. If OP is taking a high school elective, maybe not.

Perhaps the guidance counselor needs to weigh in as well. We don’t want OP to be compared unfavorably to students from the same school, even subtly, in that letter.

ETA: it used to be that students applying to MIT from the school where I teach, were told that they could just take “two of the three” AP Bio/Chem/Physics. That is no longer the advice, per the guidance department, to be competitive.