For Those Who Didn't Take Physics In High School

[Hoosier77]

For those who did not take physics in high school, did you experience any difficulty that you believe you would not have if you had taken high school physics? The reason I ask is because obviously, I didnt and am curious whether to take a pre-physics course over the summer to gain some background in the subject? Would these be helpful?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Docere]

I know a lot of people who didn't take physics in high school or had a really bad teacher. All of them did fine in physics in college - so long as you dedicate the time and so long as you choose the right professor. The physics you need on your MCATs are the same as AP physics so those who did take physics already but did not get the college credit do have an advantage.

 

[silverhorse84]

Physics wasn't even offered at my HS. I didn't have much trouble. The first quarter, I struggled a bit, but having physics before probably wouldn't have helped. There was just one topic that I will always struggle with (and luckily has nothing to do with being a physician 😳). I had a friend that I took the course with, and he helped me through the one small part I struggled with.

I was a little scared because I had no physics background, but that's why I made sure to take it with a friend who did. 😛

 

[katarina90]

I didn't take physics in high school. I'm taking it right now and am getting one of the highest grades in the class.

Basically I read the book, went to all the lecture classes, and did all the practice problems. Also I got a book called "Understanding Physics: Motion, Sound, and Heat" by Isaac Asimov (actually it was ten cents at the thrift store, no kidding...but you can probably find it pretty cheap on amazon) and read that before I began taking physics, I think it helped a lot with concepts.

I'm not sure what your background is as far as math, but I think as long as you're fairly decent at basic math and have a good work ethic its not necessary to take a pre-physics course. General physics courses are usually designed with the assumption that many students haven't had previous exposure to physics, anyways.

 

[Sangria]

I took physics in high school as a sophmore. My classmates begged the teacher to quickly go over taking derivates, because underclassmen in the class (like me) were not yet in calc and physics would have been made much easier with derivates. The teacher refused.
I was really confused the whole year and it was awful. I don't know how I got an A
That was more than two years before taking physics in college and I would have to say that my experience with physics in high school can be equated to not taking physics.
So I think you will be completely fine with just starting a physics in college, even without pre-physics, as long as you have some knowledge of calc

 

[Hoosier77]

ok thanks for all the replies I was starting to get anxiety about this..but now I feel comfortable. I have Physics For Dummies book or whatever but haven't even opened it yet. But anyways, thanks for the quick replies!!

 

[DrYoda]

I didn't take physics in highshool and I got A's in both my college physics courses.

I'm one of those weird people who's good at mathy stuff if it makes any difference.

 

[Dr.Clippers]

i had a terrible teacher for physics in high school. he made me hate physics, whole class hated him. by the time i started taking it in college i was scared. but all you have to do is just focus, try to understand it, practice, talk to a ta/office hours. it's just a lot of work, but can be done.

 

[UNMorBUST]

There was no physics at my high school. It has no effect.

 

[135892]

Don't worry about it, physics really isn't that bad. Sure, some people need to put more effort into it, but if you work at it, pretty much anyone can get through the general physics series with little trouble. And there is absolutely no need to "pre-study" for the class before you actually take it. That would be the most useless thing you could do.

 

[87138]

Count me as another "never had physics in HS and kicked its ass in college" person.

 

[MedMan25]

For those who did not take physics in high school, did you experience any difficulty that you believe you would not have if you had taken high school physics? The reason I ask is because obviously, I didnt and am curious whether to take a pre-physics course over the summer to gain some background in the subject? Would these be helpful?

Thanks!

I had never taken physics before college and I did fine. I think most introductory physics professors teach with the assumption that you don't have any sort of background in physics.