Is it common for high schools to not offer physics?

[warblersrule]

<p>A quick Google search reveals that this is much more common than those on CC would expect.

Nationwide, only 50% of high schools offer calculus, and only 63% offer physics.</p>

<p>Nationwide, between 10-25% of high schools do not offer more than one of the core courses in the typical sequence of high school math and science education — such as Algebra I and II, geometry, biology, and chemistry.

<a href=“Civil Rights Data | U.S. Department of Education”>http://ocrdata.ed.gov/Downloads/CRDC-College-and-Career-Readiness-Snapshot.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There’s a reason colleges don’t assume students, even prospective STEM majors, have had these courses in high school. </p>

<p>

@rhandco

Biology, chemistry, and physics are normally required as the three sciences in HS.

Yes, students are pushed to take the holy trinity of sciences. </p>

<p>Geology remains overlooked. Most students have no idea what being a geologist entails.

@Journal of Geoscience Education

Geology is commonly viewed by undergraduate students as a qualitative and remedial science (e.g., Wenner et al., 2009; Wagner, 2010). This view might be fueled by limited exposure to geology in high school (Holbrook, 1997; Van Norden, 2002), and the lack of an advanced placement course in geology (Willyard, 2008; Gonzales and Keane, 2010). As of 2009, a high school geology or Earth science course was required in only seven states and recommended in only 24 states (American Geological Institute, 2009). Further, geology is rarely a prerequisite for other science majors or medical school (unlike biology, chemistry, and physics, or some combination thereof), although it is sometimes required for elementary education majors (e.g., Wagner, 2010). Within our own geoscience community the refrain, “rocks for jocks” is a common pejorative used in articles and abstracts (Thompson, 1994; Van Norden, 2002; Underwood, 2008; Willyard, 2008; Kraft and Husman, 2009; Van Norden and Ingersoll, 2011), a book review (Scott, 2003), and a published acceptance speech for an award (Bodnar, 2009).

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