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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My current 9th grader, currently taking honors geometry and honors biology, wants to take AP Physics next year while also taking Algebra 2, because "all" of their friends will be in AP physics in 10th. My experience with my older kids is that they and most of their MoCo peers took chemistry in 10th grade, regardless of which science they'd had in 9th (i.e. regardless of whether they were on the faster or slower math track). (Clearly none of them was in a STEM magnet program.) Does anyone know if AP physics requires the completion of Algebra 2, or if it would at least be a good idea to have this math under their belt? DC is a pretty strong math and science student with a scientist parent who can help at home, but I'm not sure this is such a good plan. Also considering taking Alg2 over the summer, which DC's counselor has okayed.[/quote]

At Blair, that's the norm. Kids who are currently taking A2 and are strong at math are recommended for AP Physics in 9th.[/quote]

No, that’s not the norm. Who would recommend those kids to take AP physics, the high school counselor, the tiger parents?

Do those strong students also take physics C? If they don’t, what’s the point of taking the less math intensive and less rigorous physics class? If they do, why take three years of physics with so much overlap?

No matter how you look at it, AP physics 1&2 make very little sense for a strong math student, it’s generally geared towards non STEM majors. It makes even less sense to take it concurent with algebra 2, while not having the required foundation for the class.
[/quote]

Who would recommend AP Physics 1 for ninth graders taking Algebra 2, you ask? Blair administration, for one, until very recently. There have been discussions in DCUM on this very madness:

[url]http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1034358.page#21918207[/url]
[url]http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/75/1035921.page#22014688[/url]

[url]http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/345/850028.page#16446296[/url]
[url]http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/375/850028.page#16450565[/url]

[url]https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/904189.page[/url]

And Wheaton still does it; see "Engineering Application Program Course Sequence" table at

[url]https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/academies/Applicationprograms/[/url]

(Don't be misled by the math course name (Magnet precalculus) that ninth graders are placed in. It is a combined Algebra 2/precalculus course over two years - ninth and tenth grades, intended for students that did Geometry in eighth grade. So they are really doing Algebra 2 at the same time as AP Physics 1. They might as well call Magnet Precalc A/B as Magnet Algebra 2 A/B.)

-- DP

[/quote]

I don’t see a good argument for for that sequence, note that they recommend physics 1, but not physics 2, and then physics c optional as a senior.

Of course it depends on the student and  intended major, but I’d think that a well rounded high school science education would include APs in physics, chemistry and biology. The forth year would be either another (post) AP or an introductory (honors) high school course.

Can you give a good argument on why it’s worth doing physics 1, that’s not essentially “someone recommended it”? As I said earlier it’s not as riguros as physics c, it takes too much time, and there’s too much overlap between the two.

On top of it, if taken concurrently with algebra 2 means there’s a very weak foundation in trigonometry for circular motion, oscillations and waves, as well as matrices for vector analysis (momentum, forces). In addition you’d be taking a no calculus based class so the treatment of energy and dynamics will be taught at a very simplistic level.

[/quote]

It's intro (honors / "elective"  AP) conceptual class, before advanced technical class ("major-eligible"  AP).
Same sequence as in chemistry, biology, CS, Spanish...

AP Physics C is usually only Mech, not also E&M. So it matches Physics 1.
[/quote]

I suppose you could take AP physics early if the goal is to rack up as many APs as possible, but at the same time there’s an opportunity cost associated with it plus all the downsides mentioned in this thread and the threads linked above. Physics C is one semester mechanics and the other electromagnetism usually both are taken.

There’s a deep misunderstanding on what a college level physics class is supposed to teach. The idea is that students have the intellectual maturity to understand a mathematical description if the physical phenomena from first principles, ie Newtons laws. It’s a given that it requires advanced math like calculus, vectors (linear algebra), and trigonometry. Absent that foundation Physics 1 is a collection of factoids with a sprinkling of plug and chug formulas that have a limited educational value. Many would argue that “algebra based physics” is not even a college level class, because of the above reasons. Physics 1&2 won’t satisfy major requisite any stem major, so it’s more like chasing the rigorous coursework label.

If the student has a real interest in physics, I think they’d be much better served through dual enrollment to follow up the math sequence up to differential equations and the typical three semesters of real college physics. [/quote]

Have you looked at the actual AP questions for AP Physics 1? They are very far from plug and chug. There is a reason it has such a low pass rate. That being said, college physics is primarily with calculus although non stem majors may do it without calculus. You can actually apply to med school with physics with algebra. Physics with calculus is not essential for med school applications. [/quote]

Students don’t take AP physics as  preparation for med school, that’s such a silly observation. Yes, life science majors in lower ranked programs don’t need calculus based physics for degree requirements. Why is this so notable or surprising?[/quote]

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