Technically, AP Physics 1 is a prerequisite, but I want to self study the material, since I will have done Calc by the time I do C.
AP physics C was the most challenging class my D had in HS. Her school required honors physics as a pre-requisite.
I would not recommend taking it without the prerequisite class.
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Was it hard because of the complex math involved or the physics concepts?
Yes, I have been hearing the same thing at my school about Physics C, but I feel like doing AP Physics 1 only for the content to be repeated in C would be detrimental.
Will your school allow you to register without the prerequisite- is the first question to answer.
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I don’t think you will have a repeat in content. My daughter’s honors course was essentially AP physics I.
The pace follows a college course since it’s one semester of mechanics and one semester of E&M. Lots of new material to digest and understand in a very short period of time. The math was not an issues (she also had calc).
I am not sure, but I think that if I self study and get a 5 on the AP Exam, my counselor would let me bypass the prerequisite.
That’s something I will keep in mind, though.
Thank you for the detailed insight!
I am not a fan of self-studying most subjects in general, nor physics in particular. I remember even in my first physics class in high school (before calculus) that we ran a number of experiments, and these experiments were important. You can read about experiments or watch videos on YouTube, but that really is not the same thing. There is a lot that you learn by doing the experiments yourself with an experienced teacher in the area to see what you are doing.
I took physics without calculus in high school. I took physics with calculus in university. These are not the same thing. One was not a repeat of the other.
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Thank you.
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So are you planning to take C at some point in high school? After you’ve self studied and taken the AP exam?
Should probably check with them first before going down this route. As noted above, the lack of actual lab work in self studying may be an issue.
At our HS it is not possible to take AP Physics 1 before AP Physics C, because both are offered only to seniors. All students taking Physics C are also taking AP Calc concurrently (calc is not offered at our HS before senior year) so they are learning calc at the same time.
All in all, Physics C is probably the most challenging and fast paced course offered at our HS… only our top students take it, and most of them survive it… 
So I would say it’s possible to do without Physics 1, but probably it would be a lot less stressful than it is at our HS if you’ve already had Physics 1 and calc.
AP Physics C has enough experiments. I think it’s fine to self study AP Physics 1 to place into physics C.
Also, OP, the college board does not recommend requiring any previous physics experience; only calculus: AP Physics C: Mechanics – AP Students | College Board
I’m not sure yet. Just exploring options.
Thank you everyone for your replies!
AP Physics C is definitely the hardest class that my son has had at his high school so far. He unfortunately took it at the same time (not after) AP Calc AB. I would not recommend as his first few units in physics were basically teaching him the accelerated calc he hadn’t learned yet in order to do the physics. There are even some kids who somehow take it at the same time they are taking trig. I have no idea why they allow this, but they do try to teach the math concepts in the course. He also had Honors Physics as a prerequisite the previous year.
In college, calculus based physics commonly has a prerequisite (not corequisite) of calculus 1 or calculus AB. That physics C is intended to be taught with calculus as a corequisite rather than prerequisite probably makes the physics more difficult.
Also, the college calculus based physics course with E&M often has a corequisite of multivariable calculus.
I took calculus based physics in first semester of college and did not think it was that hard. But I had calculus and high school physics (the listed prerequisites) in high school before taking calculus based physics.
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I have no idea why they do it this way at our school. Some of the kids in the class are seniors and had calculus the previous year, but the juniors in the class were all just taking calculus at the same time. It makes no sense to me, and I certainly would have advised against it had I known! He may have managed to squeak out an A by the skin of his teeth this semester though. We’ll know soon…
In our hs there is no AP physics 1 but everyone who takes AP physics C takes honors physics first. The few exceptions who take a summer physics class or try to skip it entirely have had a very difficult time. Most have taken AP calculus bc the year before but my S24 took it together with physics c with no issue. If your school recommends a previous physics class I would not try to skip it.
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As stated no. Colleges look at rigor also. They aren’t fond of self study but there are exceptions for certain students. If your school offers it they would rather you take whatever version of Physics 1 then move on to Physics C regardless what you want to do.
Good luck.