<p>Thanks twogirls! Yes that’s what I meant. From what I understand, the ACT questions are more straightforward and easier to answer quickly than those on the SAT but it takes a certain skill set to be able to work quickly and effectively. This is NOT my kid! I could easily see her analyzing data forever on the science section until she was sure she had it all. Then she’d realize she had 5 minutes left to complete 35 questions.</p>
<p>^ LOL yes we are trying to figure out which test will be better. I guess as she gets more into the studying it will become clearer… I hope! IJD- I get it now- but 6 AP exams is still a lot! My daughter will be taking physics B- not C. Is the AP test for physics C a two part exam?</p>
<p>There are two, slightly shorter Physics C exams: E&M and Mechanics.</p>
<p>@3girls & twogirls - Thanks for the clarification. </p>
<p>D is doing little bit of SAT and ACT work and has done 2 SAT practice tests and 1 ACT practice test so far. She is finding ACT easier than SAT and scored little higher than SATs. Science section is bring her Comp score down thou. </p>
<p>APs - She’s done 4 APs so far (three 5s/ one 4). We are not going to focus on APs until January/Feb time frame. Closed that book for now!</p>
<p>IJD,</p>
<p>I’m curious how the school will prepare your D for the two Physics C exams. They require calculus, so it sounds like she will have done that already.</p>
<p>My son took those exams after community college classes during his freshman year in high school and did not study for them, unfortunately. His mechanics class was great but the E&M class had basically no homework because he pretested so high-that was a mistake, IMO. </p>
<p>In retrospect, I would have had him retake E&M to get a 5 which would have been easy enough for him to do soph, jr or senior year, because MIT offered only credit for students receiving a 5 on both the M and the E&M exam and he got a 5 and a 4. Live and learn but might be good for someone to know here if they are looking at MIT.</p>
<p>It’s interesting to see which schools grant and do not grant credit, or even placement, for APs. My cursory read is thst universities, whether elite or not, will give some kind of credit, but lacs won’t. My son at a state university received almost a year’s credit, but at my daighter’s lac, they will grant credit only for a college course taken at a college. </p>
<p>Similar situation for CLEPs. Uni will. Lac won’t.</p>
<p>Our HS does AP Physics C in a year- one semester of mechanics and one of E & M. I think most schools says it’s Ok to take Calculus concurrently</p>
<p>Our high school does not offer physics for obvious reason. sigh</p>
<p>Our hs offers B and C. Physics B is one year and physics C is two years- mechanical is one year and electrical is one year, and they are given on alternate years. You do not have to take both years if you don’t want to. My daughter is taking physics B in September and told me that if she like it she may take C during senior year. She will take whichever physics C is offered- it depends on what they offer this coming year. Supposedly if you take C during junior year they teach you the calculus that you need- our kids take AP calc senior year.
FromMD- have your daughter practice the science section without timing herself first. After she is done have her go through all of the answers. She should understand why her right answers were right, and why the wrong answers were wrong. Have her take a few untimed tests before she practices with the timing. Right now my daughter is doing one subtest per night untimed. So far she has done 2 science tests, one SAT math and one SAT CR. Tonight she will do an ACT reading, all untimed. She also studies one chapter per night of vocabulary. I am trying to get a sense as to which test may be better, although she will be taking both at least once. She does not seem to mind doing this- I think it’s because every evening we go to the track and she sees kids who are discussing the SAT. Peer pressure LOL. She will take her first round of tests in December.</p>
<p>Herandhismom – Is the obvious reason no one to teach the class or not enough students to take the class or both?</p>
<p>sbjdorlo – D’s school does things in a slightly odd manner, so she’s half-way through calculus now and will have the remaining half next semester. That’s one of the 6 AP tests next year.</p>
<p>Latichever – I think a lot of schools are going the way Yale has. AP exams are for placement but not credit, unless the student wishes to graduate a full year early at which time they are used as “acceleration” credits. Dartmouth is certainly heading that way as well.</p>
<p>IJD, I first should correct myself - instead of “physics”, I should’ve said “physics C”. I think the reason is both, mostly because nobody can teach it. During the past year I helped, I realized it was quite a bit of stretch for the teacher to teach physics B. </p>
<p>If a student is strong in math, s/he can take physics C while taking calc. That’s what some of my college students do.</p>
<p>D went away for a month at camp without checking her AP scores. I did not realize they were out until I saw this thread. So I am trying to access them on the web site as I am too curious to wait until she returns. Did not know her password and am stumped by the following security question: What was the name of your first stuffed animal?</p>
<p>As a dad, I know I am expected to remember lots of things about my daughter’s childhood. But come on, the name of her first stuffed animal? i did not know that would be on the test!</p>
<p>Hahahaha! That’s classic. :)</p>
<p>^ That’s so funny!!</p>
<p>I went to an expert for help. Her nine year old brother knew the answer immediately. Stuffed animals still occupy a large place in his life. She got a 5 on Am Govt but French IV is still out and that’s the one we are concerned about. Nevertheless, she has 5s on her first two AP tests (took Human Geo last year) so a good start!</p>
<p>Love it! Congratulations to your D (and terrific younger sib)!</p>
<p>^ Great job!! Thank goodness for little brothers LOL.</p>
<p>Vistajay, too funny! I’m glad you found an expert to assist you in the matter–gotta love it when the siblings keep up with each other.</p>
<p>Love the story, Vistajay! Congratulations on the 5 in Govt!</p>
<p>IJD and herandhisMom,</p>
<p>My son’s taking his math and physics through the local CC, probably and they have a prerequisite of Calc I for mechanics. </p>
<p>I’m going to talk with my son about possibly doing an accelerated trig class this fall. He’ll finish with AoPS Alg II on Oct. 7th and then the 8 week trig class would start right after that. If he actually did that, he could then do pre-calc in the spring and then Calc I and II for senior year and would be able to take mechanics. Otherwise, the plan is to take the non-calc based physics for two semesters and do the Physics B exam and get to Calculus I by spring of senior year and do the Calc A/B exam.</p>
<p>But, this is all subject to change! One thing at a time with this son…</p>
<p>D got her license yesterday. I thought I’d be thrilled but I’m actually slightly terrified. 
Luckily, she’s busy for the next week annotating a book and writing a paper that is due in a week. I’m hoping she puts effort into it. The same type of assignment over last summer bit her.</p>