I want to test out of as many college courses as possible before I start so I can start my major sooner (physics), what are the easiest courses to do so?
College Composition and any math at the same level or lower level than you’ve taken in high school if the college accepts it [i.e. precalculus]).
By “testing out,” do you mean with college credit earned in high school (AP, dual enrollment), actual exams (CLEP), or something else?
Based on what I’ve seen from the physics program here at my school, there a bunch of requirements that need to be completed (e.g. social science, humanities, math, etc.). Unfortunately, I’m a physical therapy major so I don’t know what courses you would have to take in your first year. I suggest you test out of any required social science or humanities class by taking AP classes like APUSH, AP Euro, AP Psych, AP US Gov, etc.
For my school, the physics majors don’t even take Physics I until their second year since they need to complete Pre-Calculus and Calculus I before taking the course. You should also consider taking AP Calculus AB or BC as well.
Also, I think it would be wise to reach to the school you’re interested in going to and ask them how you can get out of taking the courses that you don’t want to take.
Sorry that I couldn’t give more concrete responses, but I hope this helped and best of luck!
The most common subject that incoming physics majors in college can take advanced placement in is math. AP calculus AB may allow starting in calculus 2 instead of calculus 1, and AP calculus BC may allow starting in calculus 3. In that situation, you can start the calculus-based physics sequence in first semester; at many colleges, students starting in calculus 1 must wait until second semester to start the calculus-based physics sequence.
AP physics C may allow advanced placement in physics, but fewer colleges accept it for such, and fewer high school students take it, compared to the AP calculus courses/tests.
If you take college courses while in high school that are accepted for transfer credit, they may allow greater advanced placement if you complete higher level ones while in high school.
Other AP (or IB or CLEP or college courses taken while in high school) courses may fulfill general education requirements or side requirements (some physics majors require general chemistry), depending on the college.