Anonymous
Post 01/10/2026 12:57     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:My child’s school does not require it and my child will not take it. The school only offers one level and there are other classes my child would prefer to take. I could care less if he takes it. Middle school science covered the basics. If he suddenly has a passion for it, there is always college.


Which school is this?
Anonymous
Post 01/10/2026 12:57     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:A lot of school have flipped from the old standard bio-chem-phys order to phys-chem-bio.

At DC’s school, students must take all three (there are some levels available depending on math ability and honors placement, but all students must take non-AP of all three), phys-chem-bio. Students can double up and take a second science in 11th and one or two sciences in 12th, with a variety of options including AP Physics I or C, AP Chem, and AP Bio as well as APES, AP Psych, and non-AP electives like Food Chemistry, Forensics, or Marine Bio.


Physics should be absolutely taken before or at least the same time as chemistry/bio.
Anonymous
Post 01/10/2026 12:56     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:My child’s school does not require it and my child will not take it. The school only offers one level and there are other classes my child would prefer to take. I could care less if he takes it. Middle school science covered the basics. If he suddenly has a passion for it, there is always college.


I think physics is fundamental to one's worldview. I recommend every student take it in the high school level at least one year.
Anonymous
Post 01/10/2026 02:35     Subject: Physics
Standard as a Freshman in my son’s school. It’s also his worst class for what it’s worth. After some work, he got to a C+
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 21:33     Subject: Physics
Have you looked at the websites of the schools you are considering? I cannot find even one school that does not detail their high school science curriculum and courses.

Let’s normalize looking for answers we can find ourselves for the schools we are thinking about!
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 21:28     Subject: Physics
A lot of school have flipped from the old standard bio-chem-phys order to phys-chem-bio.

At DC’s school, students must take all three (there are some levels available depending on math ability and honors placement, but all students must take non-AP of all three), phys-chem-bio. Students can double up and take a second science in 11th and one or two sciences in 12th, with a variety of options including AP Physics I or C, AP Chem, and AP Bio as well as APES, AP Psych, and non-AP electives like Food Chemistry, Forensics, or Marine Bio.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 21:19     Subject: Physics
Two kids in two different privates and Physics is the default freshman science.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 19:08     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Exceptions exist for everything in HS, so not "everyone".

A very common path is to take Physics, Chemistry, and also Biology at some point in HS. The sequence varies from school to school.

For a student planning to go into engineering or Physics in college, then it is common to take multiple years of Physics, but exceptions will exist as with everything else in HS.

If a school does not offer AP Physics, then colleges do not expect one to have taken it.

Same applies for Honors Physics -- if school does not offer Honors Physics then colleges do not expect one to take it.


My question is in a good independent school, can a typical student (independent of majors) take two years of physics? Are there more than two Physics courses offered?


My kid's school encourages everyone to take bio, chemistry, and physics. For a 4th year of science, students would choose a second year of whichever one they liked best. There are lots of options for students to take a second year of physics. There are more than 2 physics courses offered. For first year of physics, you can choose a conceptual, algebra, or calculus based class. Second year options depend on which one you chose for the first year.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 16:38     Subject: Physics
My child’s school does not require it and my child will not take it. The school only offers one level and there are other classes my child would prefer to take. I could care less if he takes it. Middle school science covered the basics. If he suddenly has a passion for it, there is always college.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:42     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Exceptions exist for everything in HS, so not "everyone".

A very common path is to take Physics, Chemistry, and also Biology at some point in HS. The sequence varies from school to school.

For a student planning to go into engineering or Physics in college, then it is common to take multiple years of Physics, but exceptions will exist as with everything else in HS.

If a school does not offer AP Physics, then colleges do not expect one to have taken it.

Same applies for Honors Physics -- if school does not offer Honors Physics then colleges do not expect one to take it.


My question is in a good independent school, can a typical student (independent of majors) take two years of physics? Are there more than two Physics courses offered?


Yes. As noted, the typical sequence is physics 9th grade, chemistry 10th grade, bio 11th grade, leaving 12th grade open for an advanced science class. Most privates offer advanced physics, advanced bio and other options that year.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:40     Subject: Physics
At some schools there are two different AP Physics classes, one of which requires some knowledge in calculus, the other does not.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:37     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:Does everyone take Physics in private HS? How many years do they take it? What is Honor Physics? Is it only one year? What about the school which doesn't offer AP Physics?


I asked this is I know some students might never take a physics class in their lives. This is scary for me.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:36     Subject: Physics
Anonymous wrote:Exceptions exist for everything in HS, so not "everyone".

A very common path is to take Physics, Chemistry, and also Biology at some point in HS. The sequence varies from school to school.

For a student planning to go into engineering or Physics in college, then it is common to take multiple years of Physics, but exceptions will exist as with everything else in HS.

If a school does not offer AP Physics, then colleges do not expect one to have taken it.

Same applies for Honors Physics -- if school does not offer Honors Physics then colleges do not expect one to take it.


My question is in a good independent school, can a typical student (independent of majors) take two years of physics? Are there more than two Physics courses offered?
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:34     Subject: Physics
Exceptions exist for everything in HS, so not "everyone".

A very common path is to take Physics, Chemistry, and also Biology at some point in HS. The sequence varies from school to school.

For a student planning to go into engineering or Physics in college, then it is common to take multiple years of Physics, but exceptions will exist as with everything else in HS.

If a school does not offer AP Physics, then colleges do not expect one to have taken it.

Same applies for Honors Physics -- if school does not offer Honors Physics then colleges do not expect one to take it.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 15:22     Subject: Physics
Does everyone take Physics in private HS? How many years do they take it? What is Honor Physics? Is it only one year? What about the school which doesn't offer AP Physics?