AP credit - retaking physics?

[Snarkalark]

Hey everyone, I recently decided on pre-Med and just joined this site, so this is my first time posting. I apologize if this is in the wrong forum, but it looked like the best fit to me.

I came into college with about 30 units of AP/CLEP credit, including both calc BC (calc 1 and 2) and physics B (the one without calc). My adviser told me that most schools, save those in California, will accept AP credit so long as I take upper division courses in the same department. I've decided to forgo upper division physics, so I'm just going to retake the intro class.

My question is this: given that I will be using calc BC credit to fulfill my math requirements (although I will probably also take stats) would it be more wise to take calc based physics, even though it is not fully in line with the material covered on the MCAT, just to elucidate my background in calc? The other option is to take regular intro physics, which I have already taken with AP, and cruise through it. I'd rather go with this option, but do you think it would show weakness in the math department?

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[Habeed]

I've actually gotten an interviewer at med school to let me see my actual file, the one where they make notes about my application.

THEY WILL NOT NOTICE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

Guarantee it. What they WILL notice is if you somehow manage to get knocked back to a B in calc based physics (trust me, it's easier than you think in college, no matter how cold you know your stuff, professors can become very lazy and write poorly thought out tests where you grade depends on luck as much as knowledge) because that will lower your GPA.

So, take the easy class, cruise through it, get into med school.

 

[funkymunkytoes]

DO NOT FORGO THE INTRO PHYSICS, RETAKE IT!!!!

I was in the exact same predicament -- if you could even call it that. I had AP credit for two semesters of calc and two semesters of physics. I took the calculus credit, but retook the intro physics classes. So, I got two easy As in the physics courses early on (freshman year), plus it helped fortify the pertinent information for the MCAT.

 

[rockchalkjdoc]

plus it helped fortify the pertinent information for the MCAT.

Agree. If for no other reason than a grade boost and a refresher before the MCAT, I would retake physics.

 

[RSAgator]

I would retake. AP classes vary widely in their instruction, and the tests aren't difficult enough to really differentiate between who really learns all the material and who doesn't. You're going to need to know the material for the MCAT anyways, so retaking seems like a no brainer to me for a few reasons.

1) If you do know it well, it just reinforces your knowledge for the MCAT and you get an easy A

2) If you don't know it well, you will realize this when you take the class, hopefully study hard and still get an A, and be prepared for the MCAT

The MCAT means you will need to know the stuff eventually, so it's better to be sure you know it now than to find out that you don't know it later.

 

[ar2388]

i was in the EXACT same situation as you.
i went into calc 3 due to BC calc credit and I took calc based physics. I needed to for a chem major anyway, but calc based physics is not harder!! if anything, its easier because you can derive stuff simply instead of memorizing a bunch of different (but related!) formulas