AP Physics Credit

[aTypical Premed]

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Hello everyone, and happy new year.

So my school has a quarter system, and our year-long physics sequence is made of 3 classes (mechanics, E&M, and waves & optics). Also, there are 2 types of physics sequences: one with calculus and one without calculus.

My AP physics B credit got me out of mechanics and E&M portion for the non-calculus physics sequence.

According to my adviser, as long as I take the calculus-based waves &optics class (third class of the sequence that is "supposedly harder," which is not necessarily true by the way....), I will fulfill the physics prerequisites for medical schools.



What has everyone done with his/her AP physics credit? I guess the answer would be more relevant in a school with a quarter system.

I just want to make sure I'm not making a mistake as the second quarter starts very soon, and I would like to finish the physics prerequisite this year (I have taken the waves & optics at my school already and have not signed up for physics in 2nd quarter).

Thanks!

 

[NickNaylor]

Depends widely on the schools you're applying to. Some top tier schools do NOT accept AP credit for pre-reqs under any circumstances. I would go to the websites of some schools that you're remotely interested in and look so that you can plan accordingly.

 

[RedSHIFT]

forget the AP credit. Take the course again, get the A (that's the important goal) to boost that GPA.

 

[phonyreal98]

Depends widely on the schools you're applying to. Some top tier schools do NOT accept AP credit for pre-reqs under any circumstances. I would go to the websites of some schools that you're remotely interested in and look so that you can plan accordingly.

There's a list of schools that accepts AP credits for pre-requisites floating around somewhere. It's not always in the most obvious place on admissions websites though.

The question you have to ask yourself now is, "How interested am I in physics?" If you're very interested in physics and have a strong math background, I'd say go for the calc-based physics. If you view physics as just another hurdle you have to clear before med school, then renounce your credit and take non-calc based.

 

[aTypical Premed]

I asked a few schools actually (Loyola and University of Chicago). Loyola says it's ok as long as I take a quarter-long class with a lab component, and UChicago says it's ok as long as the class is worth 8 credits. I have not heard back from other schools. Does anyone else have information that supports/contradicts what I found out?

In addition, I guess another thing to consider is getting ready for the MCAT. Taking the class, while it might not yield A's, could serve as a good way to prepare for the MCAT.

 

[milski]

Some undergrad schools will also have an 'honors' set of courses which they recommend to students who take the AP credits. They're probably harder than the regular ones. While taking them will meet the med school requirements, it might have some adversary effect on your GPA.

 

[Ischemic]

Yo, seems like you go to the UofC huh? Personally, I would never retake physics unless a gun was forced to my head. That being said, since you're premed, you might as well retake physics and get that A. You as well as I know there are no 'gimme' classes in that godforbidden place to boost your GPA so you should take what you can get. Also, they teach stuff differently there so not everything you learn in high school is gonna be relevant which I'm assuming you should have found out by now.

P.S. are the girls still cuter than the squirrels? lol

Edit: your advisors don't know ****, so it'd be easier if you just played it safe and did all the requirements anyway.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I technically had AP credit for both Chem and Physics, but I renounced it and am glad I did. Physics isn't that bad and it should be easier since you had it in high school. I took AP Physics C, but my calc-based physics right now covers almost exactly the same material. Take algebra-based physics if you really hated it that much, although I personally think calc-based gives a better understanding of the concepts.

The main problem with using AP credit is that some schools don't accept it, and you never know which schools you might be interested in, so I think it's best to just take all of your prereqs in college so that you're not out of consideration at a school that you turn out to love.

 

[mvenus929]

I hated physics when I took it two years in high school and had no desire to go back and repeat the coursework again. I'm glad I didn't. That being said, I was excluded from applying to certain schools because I didn't want to take upper division coursework. If you don't mind physics, I'd recommend just retaking it all. I don't think it particularly matters which section you take, though.

 

[aTypical Premed]

mvenus929, do you mind telling us which schools you could not apply to and which schools you were able to?

 

[mvenus929]

mvenus929, do you mind telling us which schools you could not apply to and which schools you were able to?

I can't remember all of them, and I had a lot of criteria for choosing which schools to apply to. But, I remember looking at SLU and Rochester, and neither one of them accept AP credits. I know from the last time I applied that Columbia doesn't either. I've heard the UCs are really picky about them, but as I'm not a CA resident, I saw no reason to look further into it.

I haven't had any problems with UVA, University of Colorado, University of South Carolina, MCW, NYU, Mt. Sinai, Albert Einstein, Johns Hopkins, University of Minnesota, Cornell, VCU, or UNC. Not that I've gotten accepted by all them, but I haven't gotten any notice that my credits would not be accepted from these schools.