AP physics for W&M?

[Anonymous]

FCPS senior looking at W&M ED is currently slated for regular physics (there is no honors physica)this year but is having last minute thoughts that maybe they should be taking AP instead. Are they likely to get dinged in admissions for only doing non-AP physics? Not going to be a STEM major.

[Anonymous]

I don't think they will be dinged for this if not a STEM major. As long as they have a core science course at some time that is AP.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know, and I doubt anyone else does either, but W&M does not let you apply to ANY major, STEM or otherwise. I don’t think you can even declare until the end of your second year (you have to get 39 credits first).

[Anonymous]

My OOS student was accepted to WM and did not have Physics. They took AP Chem.

[Anonymous]

Depends entirely on what other classes she took before and what the rest of her senior year classes look like. Admissions will not rise or fall on the basis of one course alone.

Just remember that it’s more difficult for girls to get admitted to W&M than boys.

[Anonymous]

My humanities kid was on the fence about AP physics but decided to take it and is very glad he did. He had a great teacher and found that it was not as hard as he’d feared, and he really enjoyed it. I do think it’s highly teacher dependent; if the teacher has a good reputation, I’d go for it. I don’t think it will make or break admissions, but it is good to show breadth of challenge across subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, and I doubt anyone else does either, but W&M does not let you apply to ANY major, STEM or otherwise. I don’t think you can even declare until the end of your second year (you have to get 39 credits first).

Yes, but you can communicate in your essays, hs course selections, ecs and teacher recs etc where your likely path will take you. A person who has arts ECs, takes their highest courses in humanities and languages and arts, asks their English and History teacher for recommendations, but takes AP Bio, AP Calc AB, and gen ed physics is communicating strong college prep student not going into STEM.

And, people do have some knowledge because they have talked to W&M admissions, have prior experience etc. No one can guarantee of course, but I know lots of people (including my own kid) who got into W&M without AP physics--they usually had an AP/IB science course in another area though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think they will be dinged for this if not a STEM major. As long as they have a core science course at some time that is AP.

So my DS was accepted ED to W&M - will start his freshmen year there next week - and did not take any AP science courses in his FCPS high school. Neither did he take calculus. He instead opted for an Honors science course his senior year along with AP Stats. That being said, he is male, in-state, took 8 AP classes total (scored six 5s and two 4s), had a 4.2 GPA, 1490 SAT and good ECs. It's questionable whether he would've been accepted if he applied RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, and I doubt anyone else does either, but W&M does not let you apply to ANY major, STEM or otherwise. I don’t think you can even declare until the end of your second year (you have to get 39 credits first).

Yes, but you can communicate in your essays, hs course selections, ecs and teacher recs etc where your likely path will take you. A person who has arts ECs, takes their highest courses in humanities and languages and arts, asks their English and History teacher for recommendations, but takes AP Bio, AP Calc AB, and gen ed physics is communicating strong college prep student not going into STEM.

And, people do have some knowledge because they have talked to W&M admissions, have prior experience etc. No one can guarantee of course, but I know lots of people (including my own kid) who got into W&M without AP physics--they usually had an AP/IB science course in another area though.

Our Hs requires 1 teacher rec to Eng/Humanities and the other teacher rec Math/Science. Many colleges like to see that too.

[Anonymous]

Probably not make or break but they are clear that strength of schedule is one of their top factors when reviewing applications.

[Anonymous]

W&M applicants only pick a major if they are applying to the W&M JDP program with the University of St Andrews.

Men have about an 8 or 9% admissions advantage over women based on prior applicant pools and the desire to keep a somewhat balanced mix of men and women.

Need to take AP Physics no, but should have taken îone lab science at the AP level.

ED is your best shot if W&M is for you and you will need to taken the most rigorous course load, taken several AP courses and scores well on AP exams. W&M is test option but would submit high SAT/ACT scores if you have them.

Many applicants from FCPS will have a weighted GPA of 4.3 or higher but W&M does have a wholistic admissions process.

Good luck. It is a great school.

[Anonymous]

Assuming your student has an application up to par, I can't imagine not taking an AP in a single subject will destroy chances. On the other hand, it would hurt at UVA. They aren't too creative and need to "check a box".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assuming your student has an application up to par, I can't imagine not taking an AP in a single subject will destroy chances. On the other hand, it would hurt at UVA. They aren't too creative and need to "check a box".

My kid got in at UVA with gen ed physics. IB diploma, took Chemistry as his HL science didn't take IB physics at all. Maybe it's different with the IB diploma than AP, but it seemed to be more that you needed high class rigor and high GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think they will be dinged for this if not a STEM major. As long as they have a core science course at some time that is AP.

So my DS was accepted ED to W&M - will start his freshmen year there next week - and did not take any AP science courses in his FCPS high school. Neither did he take calculus. He instead opted for an Honors science course his senior year along with AP Stats. That being said, he is male, in-state, took 8 AP classes total (scored six 5s and two 4s), had a 4.2 GPA, 1490 SAT and good ECs. It's questionable whether he would've been accepted if he applied RD.

You could be right. My son had similar stats, but with 11 APs, did take AP Physics and Multivariable calc after AP Calc BC, and was WL in RD. I really hate the ED game they make kids play.

[Anonymous]

Last year my Maryland kid was accepted RD at W&M, without even having visited, and did not have any APs in the sciences. They were all Honors, though.

He did the AP series for history/economics, and wanted to major in international relations. I think that as long as your child's profile shows that he's put energy into his preferred subjects, which fit his major, and has excellent grades, it will work out. Perhaps apply earlier than RD to increase chances.