Is Calculus based Physics worth it?

[nabeel76]

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Hey all,

I am a BioChem major with an excellent GPA up to this point in time. I am going to have close to 60 credits next semester and still haven't taken physics. I have heard alot of people refer to the "non-calc" based physics as one of the hardest courses they have taken. I have also heard that the "calc based" physics will make your life easier when MCAT prep comes around. Can anyone give me some suggestions on what the differences really are, especially in terms of difficulty levels and time invested into the course? I am also going to be taking Orgo, Cell Bio, and an Elective that semester. In the long run is it worth the possibility of killing my GPA, especially when its not a requirement?

P.S. I did really well in Calc I and II


Thanks,

Nabeel

 

[ASDIC]

I suggest you dont risk it. I took calculus based physics which was actually for engineers, and my GPA got killed!!!!!!!!

 

[Medikit]

It won't help you for the MCAT and it has a good chance of hurting your gpa slightly. It is great life-long learning though. You will have a better understanding than if you took algebra based.

 

[liverotcod]

It won't help you for the MCAT and it has a good chance of hurting your gpa slightly. It is great life-long learning though. You will have a better understanding than if you took algebra based.

I'll go a step further and suggest that, for a lot of people, calc based phsyics HURTS on the MCAT.

 

[Medikit]

I'll go a step further and suggest that, for a lot of people, calc based phsyics HURTS on the MCAT.

Could you clarify? I'm not disagreeing with you but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

 

[2DEG]

First of all, I do not like physics. But I really think since you have already taken Calc I and II and you did well..I think you will find Physics easier if you take the Calculus based physics. There are many things that can be easily explained and understood on the basis of calculus. You will get deeper understanding.

Thats my 2 cents.

Hey all,

I am a BioChem major with an excellent GPA up to this point in time. I am going to have close to 60 credits next semester and still haven't taken physics. I have heard alot of people refer to the "non-calc" based physics as one of the hardest courses they have taken. I have also heard that the "calc based" physics will make your life easier when MCAT prep comes around. Can anyone give me some suggestions on what the differences really are, especially in terms of difficulty levels and time invested into the course? I am also going to be taking Orgo, Cell Bio, and an Elective that semester. In the long run is it worth the possibility of killing my GPA, especially when its not a requirement?

P.S. I did really well in Calc I and II


Thanks,

Nabeel

 

[YzIa]

I'll go a step further and suggest that, for a lot of people, calc based phsyics HURTS on the MCAT.

I agree, I took a 1st semester calc based, 2nd noncalc based, and while there wasnt a big difference in the first semesters at my school, my prof told me to take noncalc based 2nd semester because it would help more for the mcat and that the 2nd sem. of calc based was specialized for students who would be taking more upper level physics course.

 

[nabeel76]

Thanks for the respone. I was hoping that's what you all would say, cause I really did not want to have to torture myself next semester. Now I can avoid the course without feeling guilty about it.

Medikit - It would be great life long learning though. I graduated HS a while ago and from what I remember, I did really enjoy the subject material. Maybe later on in life I will take some physics course and even astro-physics courses as I find the info facinating. Just don't think my brain can handle it right now though.

Thanks All,

N....

 

[liverotcod]

Could you clarify? I'm not disagreeing with you but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

I absolutely loved calc-based physics. But we spent so much class time going over the minutiae of deriving, e.g., electrostatics formulae, that we really never learned the quick and dirty versions preferable for the MCAT. In my specific form, there were two stand alone questions on pressure under a column where it just wasn't covered in my physics course, and I had to try to derive an equation on the spot. We covered the Maxwell equations (totally useless, MCAT-wise), but not sound waves in a cylinder.

But it was perhaps the most interesting course I've ever taken, and I must admit to doing *ok* on PS. So what do I know?

 

[Medikit]

But it was perhaps the most interesting course I've ever taken, and I must admit to doing *ok* on PS. So what do I know?

Yeah I was wondering because you didn't seem to do too poorly. I do know that my algebra based physics courses helped me a lot more than my physics based courses, mainly because the algebra based one gave me tests that were multiple choice and didn't allow the use of a calculator and focused primarily on concepts rather than the math.

 

[velo]

If you understand the models (which are pretty easy to grasp IMO) non-calc physics is a breeze and all you need for the MCAT. If you really want to do calc-based go ahead, but be aware that those courses are frequently used as weed out courses for engineers so your GPA may suffer.

 

[liverotcod]

If you understand the models (which are pretty easy to grasp IMO) non-calc physics is a breeze and all you need for the MCAT. If you really want to do calc-based go ahead, but be aware that those courses are frequently used as weed out courses for engineers so your GPA may suffer.

Hee hee, hee hee hee... velocypedalist said "weed."

 

[zeloc]

I took Calculus Based Physics and thought it was a tremendous class. I would definitely take it just for the intellectual stimulation and the deep understanding you'll have of the concepts. I don't see how taking calc-based physics could hurt your MCAT score. Why would you take an inferior understanding of physics when you could actually learn the real stuff? I don't think it negatively impacted my MCAT score. Especially since you did really well in Calc I and II, you shouldn't have much of a problem with Physics. Just my two cents.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

Take non-calculs based physics....if you have time read on otherwise you can stop...... 🙂

I love calculus but being an engineer I have had so much calculus that I just wanted the Physics to get over with (will hav eenough intellectual stimulation in med school) so I went with non-calculus one........I don't think calculus based is any better at making you understand Physics "better" because I tutored my friend who was taking calculus based Physics and I had no problem making him understand the concepts.......but it may just be in the way i study......I start at one end (usually chapter 1 🙂) and read it till the end solving each and every problem in the book.....maybe having had calculus so much helped in seeing how the formula was derived but for MCAT and for medicine you won't need it but if the calculus based physics is used to sort out people from engg .. you might become an unintentional victim if you don't put in enough work.....Also adcoms will not know that you absolutely loved calculus based but got a B or you hated physics but got an A in non-calculus based......all they care is that you have A . doesn't matter which one you take ... (there might be exceptions.....but why take a chance....)

 

[MizzouDrWannabe]

DONT DO IT! I too was a calc-goddess, but I'm in calc based physics right now and it SUCKS hardcore!!! I am spending a couple hours a DAY on that stupid class, and if you're going to do Orgo at the same time I would not suggest that.

 

[premedie]

I'm not sure if anyone has addressed this... but you don't actually use calculus in the calc-based physics course. My 2 cents: take the calc-based over non-calc for the simple fact that it will be a more rigorous course and will force to you understand the concepts (or at least try to). From my understanding of the friends of mine that took non-calc, it was so easy that they coasted thru w/ an A, but then didn't learn anything. When they tried to pick up the easy physics concepts for the MCAT, they really struggled (and then griped about not taking the calc-based version).

 

[liverotcod]

I'm not sure if anyone has addressed this... but you don't actually use calculus in the calc-based physics course.

How do you figure that? In my course, we did a ton of calculus, particularly second semester. Field integrals, in particular, were tricky.

 

[premedie]

How do you figure that? In my course, we did a ton of calculus, particularly second semester. Field integrals, in particular, were tricky.

I suppose that really depends on your course instructor then. There are a ton of formulas in the first and second half of physics that begin in derivative or integral form, however, everything was plug and chug into the final algebraic form for us.

 

[premedie]

If integrals are a problem for you, then maybe calc-based isn't a good option for you b/c if required, then yes, calc-based would be more frustrating than helpful.