Is no (AP) Physics a deal breaker?

cajunrouge2021

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
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Is not having taken any physics in high school as much of a Chance of Admissions blow as not having Calculus?


My story is that I anticipated taking AP Chem senior year so I took Chemistry 2 H my junior year. Come senior year my school is not offering AP Chem anymore so I'm taking AP Environmental Science instead.
 
The only AP my DS took (the only one offered at his tiny HS ) was calculus and he got in
 
Are you taking environmental science instead of physics?
 
Are you taking environmental science instead of physics?

I took Chem 2 instead of AP Physics. This year I'll be taking AP Environmental Science. I can not take AP Physics now because it is A/B scheduled with Trig/Pre-Calc and I've already taken that class. Now that I think about it, though, I could try to ask for study hall with AP Physics. If I had known how much I'd want to attend USNA earlier in my high school career I'd have taken AP Physics in a heartbeat. I've started to wonder if I can make up for it by killing the Math section of the ACT.
 
Why not an honors physics if you can't do AP physics? I see more value of physics than environmental science.
 
I do, too. Do you think it would be worth it to get into Honors Physics instead of an AP Science? Would the fact that it's physics outweigh any boost of an AP science class appearing more challenging?
 
I took AP Environmental my Junior year (taking AP Physics next year) and from my experience, its a useless class (you could self study for the AP test and still do decent). Take honors physics instead for sure, IMHO.
 
I think any academy would prefer you take Honors Physics over AP Environmental Science class. Just as an FYI, my kids' school offered no AP classes, but the offered two different Honors Physics classes.
 
DS couldn't take AP Physics because his school doesn't offer it, so he took physics, supplemented it with self-study and then took the AP test. There are ways
 
Heed the above advice. Take honors Physics instead of AP Environmental. USAFA will look at how hard your classes are and will take into consideration the school curriculum. Physics will serve you much better at USAFA. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
The only AP class our (soon-to-be) Plebe took was a Music Theory course.
 
There is a difference between

1. offered but not taken, and
2. not offered.

The school profile may show it is offered, but for whatever reason a candidate did not take it. I'd avoid that situation unless I have good reasons to convince admissions.
 
AP courses are neither required nor expected for applicants. This is due in large part to a significant chunk of high schools nationally not being able to offer AP courses - especially small schools, smaller religiously-oriented schools, and rural schools.

Keeping in mind that almost all applicants to USNA will also apply to other colleges and universities too: take the most advanced science, math, and English courses your school offers to prepare you for college. If your school doesn't offer honors or AP courses, check your state's college or community college system and see whether they offer dual-enrollment credit for high-school students in college courses. Sometimes there's a small fee for those, but many families can manage it.
 
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