Should I take the AP Physics 1 exam?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

The science course I am taking this year is AP Physics 1, but it is labeled as UConn ECE 1201Q Physics, which basically means that we have to take an exam at the end of the year in order to get UConn credit. We can also take the AP exam, 90% of the material is overlapped.

I don’t know if I should take the AP exam. First of all, I have always done better on UConn-style tests/quizzes than AP-style (by a significant margin). Second, since the course isn’t labeled as an AP course, I don’t think it would affect AO decisions regarding why I didn’t take an AP exam. Finally, I am taking AP Physics C next year (both exams), and pretty much all of the colleges I want to apply to value C more than 1. I do not plan on taking AP Physics 2.

The only reason I think I should take this AP exam is to boost the number of AP scores I have. Here are the APs I have taken/plan on taking, with scores for those I have completed:

10: Computer Science A (5), Statistics (3)
11: US History, Computer Science Principles, Calculus BC, Physics 1
12: Physics C Mechanics, Physics C E & M, US Government

My school also offers PLTW courses, and I am taking courses from the engineering side, and we get University of New Haven credits (which are insignificant but shows something I guess). Here are the courses I have taken/plan on taking:

9: Introduction to Engineering and Design
11: Principles of Engineering, Computer Science Principles*
12: Engineering Design and Development, Digital Electronics

*We take both the PLTW exam and the AP exam for this course.

Because Calculus BC is my school’s highest math course, I will take linear algebra and multivariate calculus at a community college next year, in that order.

So basically, should I take the AP Physics 1 exam? I am leaning towards yes, because even though the question style makes it harder for me, I should be able to at least get a 3 or a 4.

2

It’s your choice, but given that:

I really see no benefit in taking the Physics 1 exam if it’s not required by your HS. I generally say that one should take an AP exam if one takes a class before junior year since unless one is planning on attending a safety, college plans are still unknown. However, since relatively few colleges will give credit for both AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C and since AP scores carry little weight in admissions decisions, you’re fine, IMO, to forgo.

3

Take it, especially if it is a prerequisite for AP Physics C. It is better to be safe than sorry because AP exams only come around once a year.

4

@Waterborne
Taking the AP exam is not a prerequisite for AP Physics C (at least at my school); only a physics course is. There have been students that tested out of Honors Physics and just took AP Physics C. I’ll ask my guidance counselor for his opinion when I get back.

@skieurope
I plan on majoring in computer science/artificial intelligence, and ideally would like to go to top schools in that field. Since UConn is my state school and basically my safety (students like myself from my school have been accepted on full ride), I could take advantage of the UConn credit, and I am definitely going to give the UConn exam.

5

AP physics 1 or non-calculus-based physics will not be accepted for subject credit for an engineering-based CS major, although there may be some schools with non-engineering-based CS majors that do not require physics. UConn’s CS major requires a year of chemistry or calculus-based physics, plus a semester of the other or biology: http://www.cse.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SelectionGuide_cs17-18.pdf

6

Which is fine, and you would probably have to take the UConn exam to pass the class; my comments were limited to the AP Exam.

7

Since you made sure that you were safe first, you will be fine.

8

@ucbalumnus
According to the ECE page here, my 1201Q course provides 4 credits, whereas the credits for the physics courses you mentioned are 8 credits. So you are right in the sense that I would not be able to use this course for credit at UConn, but it may be possible to get credit for AP Physics C.

Either way, should I go to UConn, the cost difference wouldn’t be very significant as many people like me, even from my school, have gotten in on almost full ride scholarships, not to mention I am in state.

9

Whoops, forgot to link the ECE page, here it is if necessary: https://ece.uconn.edu/home/courses/physics/

10

1201Q is a non calculus physics course. 1401Q is physics with calculus.