AP physics for W&M?

[Anonymous]

Isn't AP Physics literally the hardest AP going?

My DS is in 11th and taking regular physics. If it goes really well he'll look at AP for 12th grade, mainly because it has such kudos attached to do well in it.

But if it doesn't go so well this year, he won't be doing a science at all in 12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

DP: It's the 4.2 GPA I think. It's so on the cusp that ED makes the difference. And once you get the credit for being "rigorous enough" it's not like there's extra credit for doing Multivariate Calc etc. My own kid got in ED with 4.25 GPA (and rigorous schedule, high SATs). His two other friends who were all very similar to each other--1 got in RD with a 4.35 and the one with the 4.2 didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't AP Physics literally the hardest AP going?

My DS is in 11th and taking regular physics. If it goes really well he'll look at AP for 12th grade, mainly because it has such kudos attached to do well in it.

But if it doesn't go so well this year, he won't be doing a science at all in 12th.

There are a few different AP Physics classes. AP Physics 1, which is algebra-based, and AP Physics C, which is calculus-based and includes two classes (Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism).

At least at our school, AP Physics 1 is the default; since you need calculus for the C courses, kids who take physics in 11th and calc in 12th will do Physics 1, while kids who take calc in 11th could take Physics C concurrently or take Mechanics in 11th and E&M in 12th.

E&M is considered the hardest class; my kid who took AP Physics 1 as a junior is taking E&M as a senior.

My kid did not find AP Physics 1 particularly difficult, and he’s not a math/science kid. He’s nervous about E&M but liked Physics 1 enough to give it a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't AP Physics literally the hardest AP going?

My DS is in 11th and taking regular physics. If it goes really well he'll look at AP for 12th grade, mainly because it has such kudos attached to do well in it.

But if it doesn't go so well this year, he won't be doing a science at all in 12th.

There are a few different AP Physics classes. AP Physics 1, which is algebra-based, and AP Physics C, which is calculus-based and includes two classes (Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism).

At least at our school, AP Physics 1 is the default; since you need calculus for the C courses, kids who take physics in 11th and calc in 12th will do Physics 1, while kids who take calc in 11th could take Physics C concurrently or take Mechanics in 11th and E&M in 12th.

E&M is considered the hardest class; my kid who took AP Physics 1 as a junior is taking E&M as a senior.

My kid did not find AP Physics 1 particularly difficult, and he’s not a math/science kid. He’s nervous about E&M but liked Physics 1 enough to give it a shot.

This is really helpful thank you (not OP, but the poster you replied to)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Our HS doesn't require that and my kid got into W&M submitting one from English and one from History .

[Anonymous]

AP Physics 1 is Honors level physics but with a different topic mix because it's part of 1 year curriculum. If your kid wanted honors physics, take AP Physics 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP Physics 1 is Honors level physics but with a different topic mix because it's part of 1 year curriculum. If your kid wanted honors physics, take AP Physics 1.

*it's part of a 2 year curriculum