<p>Our school does not recommend regular physics before AP physics, although one can certainly do that. The kids who are in that " advanced" track typically take 9th grade honors earth science in 8th grade, 9th grade honors bio, 10th grade honors chem, and then AP physics junior year. These are also the kids taking 9th grade honors math in 8th grade, 10th grade honors math in 9th grade, 11th grade honors math in 10 th grade, honors pre calc in 11th grade, and AP calc senior year. Some kids choose AP chem or AP bio junior year and AP physics senior year. My daughter’s GC told her to take physics junior year. Originally my daughter was going to take AP bio junior year and AP marine bio senior year, but the GC told her not to do that. I just re- read this post and it is making my head spin. I apologize.</p>
<p>@twogirls - I just checked our county Physics curriculum and it shows all AP level Physics courses require 1 year of basic Physics and pre-Cal. May be you can talk to your D’s GC and find out what why AP Physics is recommended. </p>
<p>Another thing to think about is which course will put your D in the best position to take AP exam next year. IMHO, the course she has taken for two years is better than the course she has taken for only one year. Meaning, even if she takes one year of AP Physics, would she be ready to take the exam and do well? This is the same reason we decided to push my D’s first physics class (honors physics) until senior year and go with IB bio and IB Chem next year. She has taken honors Bio last year and taking honors Chem this year. Our thinking was that this schedule will position her to take AP Chem and AP Bio exams next year. She will not take AP Physics exam since she will only have one year of Physics. </p>
<p>Too confusing…</p>
<p>@two girls- your dd chem teacher sounds just like my dd"s teacher. she teaches honors, ap, and ib chemistry. after talking to other, we have found out that honors chem is taught at the same level as her ap/ib classes. The good, I was told to sign my daughter up for the subject test and she should easily score over 700. the bad, My daughter doesn’t have any interested in taking ap or ib next year because the teacher is so hard. Her class is 4 weeks ahead of the other honors chem class.</p>
<p>FromMD this is very confusing!! Our HS has always placed juniors directly into AP physics ( the easier one) without taking a prior physics course. Not quite sure why different high schools do different things!! It will be interesting!! My daughter will also be in pre- calc in Sept. None of the kids will have had a prior physics class so at least the playing field is level. I was told that the kids generally do well on the AP physics test.
Cookie Monster- my daughter did very well on the bio sat 2 test last year just by taking honors bio. Although she did not study for the bio sat, she studied hard all year and retained a lot. This year in honors chem they do a lot from the sat 2 chem book, and once again she will take the sat 2 in the spring. She also wants to take English. I am not sure if she will need any sat 2’s but it’s good to have them just in case. The good thing about these honors classes that are taught on an AP level is that the kids are very well prepared for these tests.
Question: how are AP tests compared to the sat 2’s?</p>
<p>I think I may sign her up tomorrow for the June 1 SAT2’s. She does not have finals this year- only Regents exams. I told her that over spring break she needs to take a practice sat and act. Curious to see which one is higher. She does not mind sitting for two back to back SAT 2’s cause they are different parts of the brain ( or so she says).</p>
<p>@twogirls – How is SATII different from AP? AP exams are generally harder than SAT IIs. Exact reason why I wouldn’t recommend kids taking AP exam with only 1 year of lesson. Below is from CB web site. </p>
<p>SAT Subject Tests are high school–level tests, reflecting high school curricula. These tests indicate a student’s readiness to take college-level courses in specific subject areas. AP® Exams, however, assess a student’s college-level knowledge, skills and abilities, learned in the corresponding AP courses. As a result, the topics covered on SAT Subject Tests may differ from those covered on AP Exams, with AP Exams typically covering more advanced topics with a greater depth that is more reflective of a college-level course.</p>
<p>While AP exams are also an excellent way to demonstrate understanding in specific subject areas, not all students have an opportunity to take AP courses across a broad range of subjects and in time to meet college admission deadlines. For students who lack access to AP and still wish to demonstrate subject knowledge, the Subject Tests offer this opportunity.</p>
<p>In general, students who have taken more rigorous courses (e.g., honors, AP, IB, dual enrollment) are better prepared for the SAT Subject Tests. However, advanced or college-level course work is not required to do well on the SAT Subject Tests.</p>
<p>Thanks FromMd!! I am going to ask some questions- I will let you know.</p>
<p>I just sent my friend a text. Her daughter took AP physics two years ago at our high school and said that the kids did well on the AP test. She thought that maybe the curriculums are different?</p>
<p>There are two AP Physics courses. AP Physics B is trigonometry (pre-calculus) based. Most of the good students at our high school take this as their first or only physics class (we don’t have honors physics.) AP Physics C is calculus based and NOT recommended as a first physics course. Generally, non-science majors can get college credit for Physics B scores, but most engineering and science majors require AP Physics C for credit or placement if they accept AP credits at all.</p>
<p>Wow, I’m glad we do not have the worry of deciding on AP classes. Our school does not offer AP courses because it would have to adhere to the College Board requirements, but all courses beginning in 11th grade are all AP level if there is a corresponding AP exam. </p>
<p>Book recommendation: [The</a> College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price (2nd Edition): Lynn O’Shaughnessy: 9780132944670: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/The-College-Solution-Everyone-Looking/dp/0132944677/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top]The”>http://www.amazon.com/The-College-Solution-Everyone-Looking/dp/0132944677/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)</p>
<p>Don’t walk, RUN out and grab this book. It’s a quick read, but I learned so much regarding net price calculators, gapping, EFC, FAFSA, Profile, fit; hooks- no, not URM or athlete; casting a wider net; differences between teaching universities, research universities, and colleges; determining where D needs to fall stat-wise in the pack for a better chance of admission; a tome of online resources to assist in the search, and the low down on rankings & what they do not mean. </p>
<p>I wished I had known about this book when searching for schools for college S13, as I would not have made as many of the classic mistakes described in O’Shaughnessy’s book regarding schools that don’t meet 100% of need, not casting a wider net, and not using college S13’s hooks.</p>
<p>Stem- my daughter is taking the AP physics that does not require calculus. That is the AP class that they all take without any prior experience, and I was told they do well on the test. I just spoke to another friend who said the same. I believe it’s the harder physics class that is not recommended. Many parents put their kids in even if they were not recommended for it. Mine was recommended.
Bun- sounds like a great book! Does your school also have Naviance?</p>
<p>I am becoming increasingly more frustrated with my brother in law and SIL. Whenever they see my daughter they tell her where to apply, and they always direct her to the schools that their kid applied to and goes to. These are all southern schools. I have no problem with these schools, but they are far and may not be right for my kid. If my daughter mentions schools that are closer, they actually make faces and say that these schools are not good and my daughter can do so much better. My daughter will choose a school that is a good fit for HER, not for her cousin. I guess I need to read that " smile and nod" thread.</p>
<p>Twogirls, I asked around and apparently the way your school handles AP Physics B is not all that unusual. I’m guessing that this is why the kids need that extra maturity: it’s the first exposure to the subject and it’s at a higher level.</p>
<p>Bunheadmom, thanks for the book recommendation! I will look into that. </p>
<p>I’m concerned about my D’s harsh attitude towards herself. Does anyone else deal with this? She took a free practice SAT just to see how it felt without the benefit of prep a few weeks ago and was crushed. This was sponsored by a local test prep company that makes all sorts of promises about boosting the score 200 points after their course, yada yada. D was certain she’d done very poorly and didn’t want to hear the results, even after I explained that this was set up to be extra hard to drum up business for that company. Even so, her friends who took it with her felt that it was not that hard and were a lot more upbeat about how they fared. I finally found the scores today–she didn’t want to see them–and she scored over 700 on every part of the test, over 750 on writing and math, even with an 8 on the essay. There are places where she can improve of course but I came away thinking she needs a therapist more than she needs a tutor. :(</p>
<p>3girls lol that is amazing and she should be proud!! That company must not be happy because they won’t make much money off of you!!! Does your daughter think that she scored poorly?</p>
<p>A good student who is strong in math can do very well in AP physics B without honors. I’ve known many examples. Even though I agree two years of the same science class at different levels may help students retain their knowledge and keep their interest, I’d think AP physics B one year and AP physics C the next year would be good, for a student who enjoys challenge and loves physics, provided, of course, your school offers physics C.</p>
<p>Just a little clarification-there are two AP Physics C exams, mechanics and electricity & magnetism. My oldest took both as well as the AP Physics B exam. I think the C exams are two hours each instead of four hours, but they do receive two scores. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>3girls, I had to chuckle at your D even though I know it’s not funny to be self-critical. Perhaps if you remind her that she’s only a sophomore and that she will actually do even better (not much room for improvement but for someone like your D, it’s probably reassuring to know she can still shoot for those 800s if she’s so driven).</p>
<p>Is your state one that requires really high PSAT scores to make it to NMSF? I know here in Ca., we have one of the highest cutoff scores in the nation (unfortunately).</p>
<p>My daughter will be fine with physics B junior year- she is a strong student. Our school does offer physics C but she won’t take it. She already told me that senior year she wants to take AP bio.</p>
<p>3girls - those are excellent scores! Sounds like she has a great shot at NMSF this coming Fall. </p>
<p>My D took similar mock SAT exam but didn’t score as good as yours (not enough close). I am a little concerned but she doesn’t seem worried. </p>
<p>One last comment on Phys B, I think this is one of those cases there’s no “clear cut” right or wrong. It depends on what’s offered by school system, how comfortable you (and your kid) feel, and what GC recommends. </p>
<p>Good luck to your D, twogirls. I am sure she will do fine no matter what she decides to do.</p>
<p>Twogirls, I never had any doubt about your D in physics. In my own head, I was thinking that she was concerned that her friends wouldn’t be placed with her. Even though I think it’s probably easier to go from basic physics to AP Physics B, I think the schools that place strong students into it as a first exposure do so with the understanding that they are covering the basics very quickly and then building on it. Word on the “street” is that the exam isn’t too difficult for a strong student.</p>
<p>Sbjdorlo, we are in CA too. D scored at the NMSF level for the sophomore year PSAT. We were previously in an east coast state where the cutoff is even higher. To be honest, I don’t WANT D to set 2400 as a goal. Those perfect scores aren’t necessary and they mean next to nothing. I’d much rather see her expand in other directions. Knowing her, she’ll pour too much energy into the test taking and too little into creative growth.</p>
<p>3girls I knew what you meant - no worries!!
From Md you are right I think every school has their own way of doing things. I have no prior knowledge of this - I am just asking other moms in the school about their experience. I am not concerned about my daughters academic ability. I am more concerned with her ability to handle stress but we are working on it. I feel like junior year will be tough between the tests, the classs and the ECs. She is perfectly happy sitting in all the time doing work. I will have to force her to go out once in a while. That’s the hard part.</p>