Prerequisites for AP Physics

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were told conflicting things are different times at BCC, but when DD actually signed up for AP Physics C, the STEM coordinator said "Honors Physics is required"... and the only time to do it was that summer, since she had registered for AP Physics C for the following year - it was terribly boring and did not prepare her in the least! I've been quite annoyed at BCC for a bunch of confusing, conflicting and last-minute changes of schedules, one of which was canceling the AP Chem class at the last minute.

ALSO just FYI - I don't actually know of a great AP Physics C teacher in MCPS. The last one at BCC was terrible, and this year's is catastrophic. The one at Walter Johnson is apparently not great either, but perhaps slightly better.

Before registering your kid, inquire as to the caliber of the teacher, to see whether your kid actually wants to do it, and whether they will need a tutor. We had to hire a tutor. Teaching AP Physics C requires an advanced degree in physics, and the average Physics graduate has other options than to teach in MCPS... so the teachers hired by MCPS in that subject tend not be wonderful...

Is the IB physics at BCC better than AP physics C?

IB physics in general is much better than Physics C. Physics C is mostly a math class that glosses over and skips a huge amount of physics.

Thanks! My impression was that Physics C went deeper into a smaller number of topics and IB covered more topics in less depth. Is that correct? This is based on the chart on page 2 of this BCC document: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/a-j/bcchs/uploadedfiles/departments/ib/ap20physics20c20-20course20description1.pdf

That's correct. Physics C ignores wave phenomena.

In college calculus-based physics,
Mechanics is semester 1 (AP C Mech)
E&M is semester 2 (AP C E&M)
Waves and Modern Physics is semester 3 (not in AP C)

College Algebra-based physics is often 2 semesters, equivalent to AP 1 & 2, covering all 3 areas.

HS Honors physics is like AP 1&2, but with a lighter touch to do it in half time.

So AP C students who don't take Honors have big gaps in basic physics

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12/28/2025 16:11

Subject: Prerequisites for AP Physics

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:Also in case helpful to see what AP Physics C stidents should already know from honors physics - here is a Wootton syllabus on what is covered in honors physics: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/woottonhs/uploadedfiles/academics/science/honorsphysicssyllabus.pdf

For comparison Blair Magnet has a 1 semester "Advanced Science" physics class that only covers the semester 1 mechanics content.

The rest is covered in later elective classes.