Is high school physics necessary for college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

I totally agree with you. It is unfortunate that people have gotten so blinded by their desire for "prestige" that they have lost sight of the goal of education.

[Anonymous]

Any most schools, for a non-STEM field, Physics may not be required. However, given the choice of applicants, the one who took physics will be preferred to the one who did not (all things being equal). With that said, do not think of applying to a top 100 school without physics.

In VA, that would include UVA, W & M, and VT, and possibly JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

It's laughable that you think taking basic HS physics is a foundation for making someone a well educated person. Also, there are countless well educated people who didn't take physics. Does taking physics expose you to more science? Yes. Does not taking it make someone not "well educated"? No. OP, not taking physics might be a negative, but if your DC takes a challenging course it it's place and does well, that should mitigate the negative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any most schools, for a non-STEM field, Physics may not be required. However, given the choice of applicants, the one who took physics will be preferred to the one who did not (all things being equal). With that said, do not think of applying to a top 100 school without physics.

In VA, that would include UVA, W & M, and VT, and possibly JMU.

Again, totally wrong. Read the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

DP. How is substituting a different science class for physics “ignoring science”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any most schools, for a non-STEM field, Physics may not be required. However, given the choice of applicants, the one who took physics will be preferred to the one who did not (all things being equal). With that said, do not think of applying to a top 100 school without physics.

In VA, that would include UVA, W & M, and VT, and possibly JMU.

DD got into University of Michigan taking bio, APES, Anatomy and physiology and chemistry. She got into Ross (business).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any most schools, for a non-STEM field, Physics may not be required. However, given the choice of applicants, the one who took physics will be preferred to the one who did not (all things being equal). With that said, do not think of applying to a top 100 school without physics.

In VA, that would include UVA, W & M, and VT, and possibly JMU.

DD got into University of Michigan taking bio, APES, Anatomy and physiology and chemistry. She got into Ross (business).

Yea, well, that's a pretty impressive sequence -- every one of those courses is more rigid than Geosystems. Cut me a break, man.

[Anonymous]

These random anecdotes are not that helpful. Yes, some kids get into good colleges without physics. Just like there are some kids who get into the Ivy’s without great test scores and gpa. There is always a random element of chance and maybe the regional rep just loves something about your application that then gets you in. But for most kids, it is smart to set yourself up with the strongest foundation that colleges are looking for as a baseline. It will still not guarantee admission at the most competitive colleges but should at least get you looked at as a good candidate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

It's laughable that you think taking basic HS physics is a foundation for making someone a well educated person. Also, there are countless well educated people who didn't take physics. Does taking physics expose you to more science? Yes. Does not taking it make someone not "well educated"? No. OP, not taking physics might be a negative, but if your DC takes a challenging course it it's place and does well, that should mitigate the negative.

Being ignorant of the basics of forces and gravity is being uneducated.

[Anonymous]

I think the question is: should a non-science/math kid take a class in which it’s a given s/he will get a bad grade? Or should they instead substitute a different science class, one in which they will hopefully get a decent grade? I mean, why insist on taking physics if the kid is not going to do well in it? That’s just setting him up for failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the question is: should a non-science/math kid take a class in which it’s a given s/he will get a bad grade? Or should they instead substitute a different science class, one in which they will hopefully get a decent grade? I mean, why insist on taking physics if the kid is not going to do well in it? That’s just setting him up for failure.

Every kid should take Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Just like every kid should take literature, even if it means getting a bad grade. Courses are for learning material, not for getting grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread encapsulates so much of what's wrong with this forum.

OP never said that her kid was interested in a top whatever college, or even an elite one. She merely asked if it would hurt their admissions chances.

The reality is that for 99% of colleges, not taking physics in high school is not going to prevent a student from being admitted.

Maybe some people are saying that. Others, like me, are saying that you need to take high school physics to be a well educated person. And I stand by that. Doesn’t have to be an honors or ap. But I do think colleges should mark you down if you ignore science.

It's laughable that you think taking basic HS physics is a foundation for making someone a well educated person. Also, there are countless well educated people who didn't take physics. Does taking physics expose you to more science? Yes. Does not taking it make someone not "well educated"? No. OP, not taking physics might be a negative, but if your DC takes a challenging course it it's place and does well, that should mitigate the negative.

Being ignorant of the basics of forces and gravity is being uneducated.

Less than 40 percent of high school graduates take physics. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=97
Luckily for OP the goal is to decide what is the best balance for her child, not to act to her child's detriment in order to prove to you that her child isn't uneducated by your narrowly drawn standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the question is: should a non-science/math kid take a class in which it’s a given s/he will get a bad grade? Or should they instead substitute a different science class, one in which they will hopefully get a decent grade? I mean, why insist on taking physics if the kid is not going to do well in it? That’s just setting him up for failure.

Every kid should take Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Just like every kid should take literature, even if it means getting a bad grade. Courses are for learning material, not for getting grades.

Sure, that's why colleges totally ignore grades and just focus on whether students sat through the learning material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the question is: should a non-science/math kid take a class in which it’s a given s/he will get a bad grade? Or should they instead substitute a different science class, one in which they will hopefully get a decent grade? I mean, why insist on taking physics if the kid is not going to do well in it? That’s just setting him up for failure.

Yes, they should. It's part of a basic education. Science kids are expected to take languages and writing and English for the same reasons