Is high school physics necessary for college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all the thoughtful and informative replies. Lots of food for thought!

OP - the people saying that Physics is required by elite schools are wrong. Top schools expect four years of rigorous science. My DS took Biology, AP Chem, AP Bio and APES and got admitted to Rice last year. Have your DS follow his interests and be able to articulate them.

Thank you for this. We were thinking of AP Bio junior year (he enjoyed Biology as a freshman), and then APES senior year. Chemistry is not going well - he’s just not math oriented and I’m afraid physics will be even worse.

Congratulations to your son!

[Anonymous]

Physics is required in order to be an educated person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Physics is required in order to be an educated person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my son's private high school, physics is a requirement that must be taken either in junior or senior year. You cannot graduate without physics.

Which private? My kid is at GDS. Just checked and physics is not required. Lots of insanely advanced math and science available, but physics isn't required. And for all independents in DC, no more APs in any subject after this year.

Sorry, I am mistaken. Three years of science required. AP Physics not allowed before regular physics. That's where I was confused. DS was frustrated he didn't have time to take AP Physics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Physics is required in order to be an educated person.

I think required is a little strong but I know I really want mine to have exposure to physics before they get out of HS. IB can make it difficult as you have to choose between 2 years of bio or 2 years of physics.

I have one that went with physics and one that went with bio. The physics is challenging...only course mine ever requested to have a tutor. At $80 an hour, we did that for difficult units..not every unit. Managed to maintain getting a As but it does require a lot of work. Mine went from significant frustration to mastering most of the units but the work load is high.

Physics is not the popular choice at our IB HS. Mist of the IB candidate choose bio

[Anonymous]

OP, what do the kids who take AP Physics Jr year take as seniors? All the kids I know who took AP Physics took it as seniors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Physics is required in order to be an educated person.

I think required is a little strong but I know I really want mine to have exposure to physics before they get out of HS. IB can make it difficult as you have to choose between 2 years of bio or 2 years of physics.

I have one that went with physics and one that went with bio. The physics is challenging...only course mine ever requested to have a tutor. At $80 an hour, we did that for difficult units..not every unit. Managed to maintain getting a As but it does require a lot of work. Mine went from significant frustration to mastering most of the units but the work load is high.

Physics is not the popular choice at our IB HS. Mist of the IB candidate choose bio

I don't think so. Physics is what makes the world work, quite literally. One cannot be educated without a fundamental understanding of elementary physics. It is like saying that one can be an educated person without studying math, or literature or history.

[Anonymous]

My kid loves math and is really enjoying chemistry this year and was thinking about taking AP chem junior year. Does that mean she should take physics senior year if she’s going into a quantitative college major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Physics is required in order to be an educated person.

I think required is a little strong but I know I really want mine to have exposure to physics before they get out of HS. IB can make it difficult as you have to choose between 2 years of bio or 2 years of physics.

I have one that went with physics and one that went with bio. The physics is challenging...only course mine ever requested to have a tutor. At $80 an hour, we did that for difficult units..not every unit. Managed to maintain getting a As but it does require a lot of work. Mine went from significant frustration to mastering most of the units but the work load is high.

Physics is not the popular choice at our IB HS. Mist of the IB candidate choose bio

I don't think so. Physics is what makes the world work, quite literally. One cannot be educated without a fundamental understanding of elementary physics. It is like saying that one can be an educated person without studying math, or literature or history.

I don't want to tell my bio kid to give it up for physics. No think they are both important but unfortunately, the IB curriculum does not agree. The kids have to choose. My student that did stick with the physics did well and mostly enjoys it in spite of the stress.

I would agree that she made a good choice and gets to walk around in the world now with a better understanding of how it works

[Anonymous]

Not necessary but will market for a more competitive applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not necessary but will market for a more competitive applicant.

College admissions prefer to see physics over biology?

[Anonymous]

MD State graduation requirements are 3 years of NGSS qualifying courses. In MCPS right now, that it only Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and AP/IB courses. I don't think Geosystems has been NGSS aligned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid loves math and is really enjoying chemistry this year and was thinking about taking AP chem junior year. Does that mean she should take physics senior year if she’s going into a quantitative college major?

Yes, that works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not necessary but will market for a more competitive applicant.

College admissions prefer to see physics over biology?

A student should take both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD State graduation requirements are 3 years of NGSS qualifying courses. In MCPS right now, that it only Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and AP/IB courses. I don't think Geosystems has been NGSS aligned.

See page 3 of this document to see the variety of pathways available to MCPS students (keep in mind that since this was published the MD State Board of Education changed the requirements so students do NOT need to pass the MISA to graduate until the class of 2023, not 2021 as states here): https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/Parent%20Version%20-%20High%20School%20Course%20Sequence%20FAQ_Science_FINAL.pdf