Any Here Got A's in Physics??

[Bluemirage]

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Just Curious....how many people on here actually score A's in Physics I and Physics II? It seems like each course covers alot of material...more than Gen Chem 1 and Gen Chem 2. If you honestly scored an A in these Physics classes, what were the keys to your success?

 

[quideam]

Do as many practice problems as possible, and make sure you understand all of the underlying principles behind those problems. If you know what the question is asking, what formula to use, and why you're using that formula, then you'll be set for exams. I didn't think physics was that bad... just a pain in the ass 😛

- Quid

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I owned physics I, A+ style, still working on physics II. Its just boiling everything down to the minimum and working with that.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I got all As in my three physics classes. The best way to study (for me, at least) is to do the homework problems over and over. Before each exam, I made sure that I had done each homework set at least three times. I found that if I did the homework problems enough times, I felt confident enough to apply similar processes to the variations of the homework problems that were on the exams.

 

[premedi-kid]

Physics 1 + 2 non-calc keys to success.

Do practice problems
Memorize key formulas to derive the rest
Don't slack off

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

i found the Schwam's outline very helpful. i also took noncalc based.

 

[jlee9531]

A- in physics

it helps to do problems and learn how each style of problem is done.

go to office hours with a list of questions and problems to ask your TAs and professors. I know that helped me out a lot.

physics is pretty conceptual and once you get a hang of the concepts then you can do well.

 

[meltmyfaceoff]

i took calc based and got A's both times.

i did the homework and then i did the homework again and then i asked some smart russian kid in the math building to help me and then i did the homework again, and then again i did more homework.

 

[evines]

Originally posted by Bluemirage
what were the keys to your success?

A's in calc based physics I and II. Keys to success- took them both at a community college with an old senile prof who cared about nothing but smoking and his dog. 👍

 

[thedevirginator]

Do alot of practice problems.

 

[Downhill Racer]

As everyone has said before... I did almost all the problems in my text and by doing so many problems it made memorizing the formulas less intense!


G'Luck

 

[lane]

i set the curve in both of my physics classes

it didnt hurt that i took physics for 2 years in high school, though, and got a 5 on the AP exam. it's definitely one of those courses that has to 'click' - the more practice you do, the easier it becomes. just do as many problems as possible and make sure you understand the concepts, not just memorize the equations

🙂

 

[Bluemirage]

Thanks for everyone's kind input. Just out of curiosity, did any of you have to memorize all of the formulas for exams or did your professor let you write down formulas on a note card to bring into the exam? I'm definitely going to try to go over the questions/problems more regularly as suggested by your posts...hopefully I'll be joining the Physics A Club and be another step closer to Med School!

 

[bella_dottoressa]

I actually got an A- in the first physics (haven't taken the second one yet) and I'm god awful at math and gen chem. I think it helped that I devoted a lot of time to it and did a ton of practice problems, as everyone agrees that is KEY. Good luck!! 🙂

 

[princessd3]

I was able to get A's in I and II also. I did alot of homework problems. I spent alot of time trying to conceptualize rather than memorize. Whenever I was learning a new formula I wouldn't just accept it but I would apply modern day examples to see that the formula is in fact correct. Of course it was but this helped me make sense of them. Also I found that this helped me: Rather than say K equal 1/2 m v squared, I would say in words what the formula was saying. I would say Kinectic energy is equal to 1/2 mass times the velocity squared. That's just an example but I practiced that for all the formulas and it just helped me to understand the concepts rather than memorize a bunch of letters. Also, I visulalized alot. Whatever I read I had to make myself see it in my mind.

 

[Downhill Racer]

Well the MCAT won't give you any formulas... if you do enough problems you'll retain most formulas, regardless of whether formulas are provided. FYI, we were not provided formulas

 

[OneStrongBro]

Yeah, two semesters...

The key is to do the problems in Schaum's outline series...

For example, I would "try" the problems assigned from my classes and then I would try to find similar problems in Schaum's outline of PHysics.

This book has over 3000 physics problems answered. There is only so many ways to ask a physics question. For example, if you are trying to figure out a mirror or a lens problem. All of the variations are given in Schaums.

Trust me

 

[Brickhouse]

I was a little Physics overachiever - I totally wanted to sleep with my Physics professor - he looks like Eric Bana and he's just super hot, 6'4, fit, cutest little snaggle tooth....

anyway, needless to say, I was always in his office hours, always sitting in the front of the class.... I hung on his every word. I wanted to impress him.... I even had his name tattooed on my neck...(too bad he's married with two kids)

😍

I still blew chunks on PS - and I didn't have the heart to tell him 🙁

 

[CanIMakeIt]

A+ in both non-calculus based physics I and II (I was an engg major and was sick of doing all the calculus stuff - still love it though - only ocassionally). Read each chapter carefully and did each odd problem at the end of the chapter... yeah i know it is a lot of time but it paid off in the end 🙂

I have always found it to go back to the text book if I don't understand something and then do as many problems on the problem topic as I can get hands on

still didn't help me on the kaplan full length 1 though as I was trying to UNDERSTAND what each passage was talking about in depth and had to just fill in for 3 passages

hope that helps

 

[fun8stuff]

Are you kidding? Physics 1&2 were the easiest classes i ever took. There is no way you can compare them to Biochemistry or Molecular Genetics. Heck, even organic was more work than physics. The only science class that was easier than physics was mabye general bio. Physics was almost as easy as a non-science class....

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by fun8stuff
Are you kidding? Physics 1&2 were the easiest classes i ever took. There is no way you can compare them to Biochemistry or Molecular Genetics. Heck, even organic was more work than physics. The only science class that was easier than physics was mabye general bio. Physics was almost as easy as a non-science class....

Troll much?

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and I think an understanding of this is imperative for one's success as a physician.

 

[fun8stuff]

Sorry, I was only trying to share my opinion. My main point I wanted to make was that if you have trouble with physics, then you are in for a lot of trouble...

 

[UCLAstudent]

Originally posted by fun8stuff
Sorry, I was only trying to share my opinion. My main point I wanted to make was that if you have trouble with physics, then you are in for a lot of trouble...

That's not necessarily true. Even though I did well in physics, I struggled very, very much. However, organic and genetics were extremely easy for me. It is all about learning style.

 

[g3pro]

i scored well on the AP test so i have credit for Physics 1&2. nice, eh?