PHY 101 vs PHY 201

[samurai361]

Physics 101 is called Introduction to Physics 1 and Physics 201 is called College Physics 1. I want to do PHY 101 because it's offered online and the in person one clashes with my schedule (biochem, orgo II, microbio). PHY 201 used to be offered online until this past spring but they cut it this fall because of budget cuts. But I'm not sure if PHY 101 is accepted at Pharm.D programs? I only have to take 1 semester of physics.

Physics 101:
Surveys general principles of physics. Includes topics such as force and motion, energy, heat, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. Part I of II.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits

Physics 201:
Teaches fundamental principles of physics. Covers mechanics, thermodynamics, wave phenomena, electricity and magnetism, and selected topics in modern physics. Part I of II.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits

What do you all think?

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[crazybob]

Physics 101 is called Introduction to Physics 1 and Physics 201 is called College Physics 1. I want to do PHY 101 because it's offered online and the in person one clashes with my schedule (biochem, orgo II, microbio). PHY 201 used to be offered online until this past spring but they cut it this fall because of budget cuts. But I'm not sure if PHY 101 is accepted at Pharm.D programs? I only have to take 1 semester of physics.

Physics 101:
Surveys general principles of physics. Includes topics such as force and motion, energy, heat, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. Part I of II.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits

Physics 201:
Teaches fundamental principles of physics. Covers mechanics, thermodynamics, wave phenomena, electricity and magnetism, and selected topics in modern physics. Part I of II.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits

What do you all think?

Your decision should be based on your personal interest.

I'd personally pick Phys 201 but only because I find it more interesting.

 

[samurai361]

Thanks crazybob. I honestly don't care but 201 clashes with my schedule and this fall finishes my prereqs so I don't want to have to do only 1 single class in the spring. So you don't think this will implicate admissions at all?

 

[rxlea]

Always check with the schools you are interested in. Write to their admissions department with the description of the class and ask if it is acceptable.

 

[richwoo2]

Take PHY 101 because it is the algebra-based physics, right? Majority of schools will transfer it and that's what I took to meet this requirement. It should transfer because why waste extra time on the calculus for college physics if you are not going down that road with math or engineering. Science courses are tough enough!

 

[crazybob]

Thanks crazybob. I honestly don't care but 201 clashes with my schedule and this fall finishes my prereqs so I don't want to have to do only 1 single class in the spring. So you don't think this will implicate admissions at all?

It shouldn't affect having the pre-reqs for some schools. But if taking Phys 201 will give you more options, you might want to consider that.

You can't always try to squeeze in every single pre-req just because you have a long list of schools. I've tried to do it, and it wouldn't give me enough time to take courses for my major.

Have you narrowed down some of your choices to see whether taking Phys 101 or 201 would be better?

 

[TPHSSenior]

You should also make sure the schools in which you are interested will accept an online physics course.

 

[samurai361]

Thanks all, I guess I can ask the schools, but there are a lot I'm interested in and most probably wouldn't know the difference because both classes seem like they cover the same things so they'll probably just say 201 by default cause it's a higher number? It's weird because PHY 201 and 101 transfer into some colleges in my state as the same class and in some other colleges in the state they don't transfer as the same and only 201 is accepted for like science degrees. But it varies so much. Both are pre-calculus based, the calculus based one is this:

PHY 231 - General University Physics I
Teaches principles of classical physics. Includes mechanics, wave phenomena, heat, electricity, magnetism, and optics, with extended coverage of selected topics. Includes recitation as part of the lecture.
Part I of II. Lecture 4 hours. Laboratory 2 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
5 credits

So the ones in question are both algebra based but I don't know if one is inherently less rigorous than the other or something.

I guess thats the only thing I can do to avoid taking the class twice, ask the school or take it in spring, I just wanted to see if I could find a quicker answer 😛 I wish schools would be clearer on their website instead of just writing "Physics" cause there are like a million physics classes!

P.S. just saw the post above mine, it doesn't mention if it's online or not on the transcript so they'd have no idea.

 

[richwoo2]

If it's approved, and I am sure Phy 201 will be, it really doesn't matter if it online or not to meet the requirement because it won't show up on your transcript as online or regular class, just the course number and the grade you got. All the classes I have taken online don't differentiate with the others when they take a look at your transcript.

 

[pharm B]

Tread carefully, OP. My college offers three levels of physics. Intro (super basic), College Physics (some trig, for most science majors), and University Physics (calculus-based, for engineering majors). Texas pharmacy schools require AT LEAST the college physics course. I would make sure you're not taking a baby physics course that doesn't count as a pre-req.

 

[PharmGrrlJax]

Tread carefully, OP. My college offers three levels of physics. Intro (super basic), College Physics (some trig, for most science majors), and University Physics (calculus-based, for engineering majors). Texas pharmacy schools require AT LEAST the college physics course. I would make sure you're not taking a baby physics course that doesn't count as a pre-req.

I agree! Not only that, UF specifically states it does not want online courses for some of the pre-requisites. Since the specify labs with the pre-req sciences courses I know I can't take it online.

In the end, as many have said before, it is based on the school you are attending.

 

[pearljam5a1]

Tread carefully, OP. My college offers three levels of physics. Intro (super basic), College Physics (some trig, for most science majors), and University Physics (calculus-based, for engineering majors). Texas pharmacy schools require AT LEAST the college physics course. I would make sure you're not taking a baby physics course that doesn't count as a pre-req.

My undergrad was the same. Three levels for 3 different degree paths. Taking the 201 will most assuredly meet the requirements for any pharmacy school. The 101 might run you into some problems down the road and would be a risk you would have to take. You definitely want to check with the schools you are applying to just to make sure you aren't wasting time/money on this class. You may even want them to put that in writing just to be sure you weren't bamboozled.

I've always wondered how you take the lab portion online though. I'm assuming that this isn't an entirely online course.

 

[rxlea]

I bet you have to take the 201 version. I had to take College Physics, too, although at my school they call it General Physics whereas the 101 class is called Introductory Physics.

 

[TPHSSenior]

Caution: The transcript may not differentiate it as online vs classroom-based but you need to indicate that it was online when you list it on the PharmCAS application.

 

[samurai361]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, although I actually thought the "baby" physics class was this one:

PHY 121 - Principles of Physics 1
Covers fundamental principles of physics. Includes mechanics, thermodynamics, wave phenomena, electricity and magnetism, and selected topics from modern physics. Prerequisites 2 units of high school algebra and one unit of high school geometry or equivalent. Part I of II.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits

So I didn't even bring that up...so you all see why I am so confused...lol...thats a good idea, get the class confirmed in writing, although most of the times I contact pharmacy schools it's their secretary answering so I'm pretty sure they'd have no idea! Although I'm thinking about dropping biochem and doing the in-class physics instead since biochem is a prereq for only 1 out of a lot of schools I'm applying to.