@MuggleMom Don’t you ever come across students who are phenomenal writers?? They are out there. It would be sad if their superior skill were to be mistaken as parental intrusion.
@mtemmd Welcome!
1 AP test down, 2 to go!
Best news of my weekend: D20 was at a dance competition wearing a t-shirt from desired college’s dance team. She was approached by a studio owner from the area who said they would love for her to teach classes part-time if she went to school there. Oh, yeah, money, money, money!
Good luck to all taking AP exams!
D is signed up for AP Physics 1 next year and came home yesterday saying she might take AP Physics C instead. She’s thinking it may be a little less challenging for her since it is more calculus based. (She is taking AP Calc AB this year.) Not sure what to advise her. I told her she may want to ask her chemistry and calculus teachers for their input.
@fencingmom my D is going to Governor’s (Honors) School this summer for 6 weeks, and lifeguarding when time allows.
Welcome @mtemmd ! If your DS’s ACT score is good there really is no need to have an SAT at the same level. However if some of his list “recommends” subject tests, those are a better use of his time. IMHO.
Only one of the schools my DD is interested in will consider subject tests and she does not want to do anymore testing. That may cause some self-selection in regard to her chances but I am willing to let it be since she has a competitive ACT score and it may not be the best fit on her list. Good luck to your DS!
thank you for the welcomes! I am hoping he realizes he doesn’t need to retest the SAT, but I’m just mom, what do I know? lol. I think hearing on the college tours that the schools don’t care which they get. So I will encourage the subject tests, if any.
I think my other concern is make sure someone checks over his essays when it comes time for the applications. He is a good writer, but hasn’t let us read anything he has written in years. So I need to impress on him the importance of having someone look them over to make sure there are no glaring mistakes.
@AlwaysLearn I go back and forth on Physics 1+2 vs. Physics C. Seems Physics C is more for engineering majors, while 1+2 is more for non-engineering. May want to look at one of the schools on your list to confirm but that’s what I’ve heard. Also, wrt AP credit, Physics C covers 2 semesters, while Physics 1 & 2 count for one semester each.
My D is in Physics 1 this year, along with Calc BC. She has had no problem with Physics 1, and she says it’s because she knows Calc. Physics 1 is Algebra-based, but the kids in her class that aren’t in Calc are struggling, while those in Calc are doing great. Since she’s done so well in Physics 1, D has decided she will likely major in engineering and so has signed up for Physics C next year. She says even if she changes her mind on engineering, she’d rather do the Calc-based physics anyway.
FWIW, when I read D19’s essays, I thought they had been over-edited and sounded too adult. But then when I read some of her other unedited work, I realized that’s just how she writes.
@momzilla2D What is “too adult” – not trying to be cheeky, just trying to understand.
Just got an email from D20’s guidance counselor that all AP Physics classes are being cut next year, as well as some other AP classes. D says that the rumor is that none of the teachers wanted to teach any of the cut AP classes. The quality of the high school has been slipping over the past 5 years or so. Really disappointing. I think we may need to investigate other high schools for our D24.
Physics 1.and 2 each cover one semester of Physics for anyone not majoring in engineering, physics or chemistry.
Physics C Mecahnics and Physics C E and M each cover one semester of calculus based physics.
Some schools teach 1 and 2 all in one year, some do one at a time. Same for Physics C.
Our school only offers Physics 1 as a one year class and it has been a little frustrating to not be allowed to use calculus for my kid.
We’re in the same boat @VickiSoCal - with only Physics 1.
@hgtvaddict That stinks about cutting the AP courses. I know that in our state there are very few people certified to teach the AP science classes. When one retires or moves away or leaves the profession, cuts have to be made.
@VickiSoCal D18’s teacher for AP Physics 1 taught the algebra-based concepts to prepare the students for the AP exam, but then he also showed them the Calc-based methods, so they could see how it was done. D thought the Calc methods made more sense.
@fencingmom I don’t remember specifics, but it was mostly phrasing, like describing a conversation with friends as an “interaction with peers”. Or words I’d never heard her use before, like “fraught”.
@VickiSoCal Oh I didn’t realize schools did it differently. My D’s high school has Physics 1 as a full year class, Physics 2 as a full year class, and Physics C (E&M) as a full year class.
Thanks @ShrimpBurrito. The only physics course that will be offered next year sounds generic…it’s just titled “Physics.”. In the course description guide, it’s listed as “a high school level, survey course.”
My concern is that this course might not prepare my D for what she will be expected to know when she starts college.
Our school only offers regular HS physics and Physics I. S19 is taking the AP physics test even though he won’t receive credit for it next year as an engineering major. S20 hasn’t decided yet if he will take it next year. He already has taken 4 years of lab science (doubled up last year) and may take DE psych 1/2 instead. I am torn - since chemistry and biochemistry are still possible majors I think taking physics would be important. OTH - he has always been drawn to psych as a career path so it might be good to try it out. His schedule will not necessarily allow both. Adding to the indecisiveness — the physics teacher is horrible. S19 has been pretty much self-taught the entire year. He is one of the few doing well grade wise and did very well on a mock AP test but only due to his own diligence.
We are a small, rural school and scheduling gets rough senior year as there is usually only one section of upper level science and language classes so one must prioritize class choices. At this point S20 will probably just see how his schedule shakes out next year and continue to look at his schools to see what makes the most sense. One more thing I am trying not to overthink and just let play out.
@momzilla Physics C E and M only covers one semester. You would need to do Mechanics as well to cover both semesters of Calc based physics.
@VickiSoCal Then I said it wrong. The curriculum guide says…