How To Exceed Colleges’ Expectations With Science Classes
If you’re not planning on majoring in a STEM field or applying to highly competitive colleges, then it’ll be more important for you to focus on courses that are more closely related to your intended major, rather than trying to exceed colleges’ expectations with your science classes.
Colleges are more interested in how well you did in the subjects you plan to continue studying in college. Completing three years of science and getting solid grades in those classes is typically all you’ll need to do in order to meet the expectations of college admissions officers.
However, if you’re able to take four years of science classes, possibly with some of those classes at an honors or AP level, that’s great and will strengthen your transcript. But don’t pursue challenging science classes if it causes your grades in the area you plan to major in to drop.
If you intend to study a STEM field, it’s important to show that you have strong science skills and that your science coursework goes beyond basic entrance requirements. You’ll likely be using at least some of the skills you learn in your science classes in your future career, and colleges want to be sure you can handle the subject material before they admit you.
More specifically, here’s what you should do if you’re planning to major in a STEM field:
Below are several examples of advanced science classes you could take as a senior.
Here’s a list of all AP science classes:
How Physics Is Used In Chemistry
Physics in Chemistry: The study of matter and electricity in physics is fundamental towards the understanding of concepts in chemistry, such as the covalent bond. Physics has many applications in the biological sciences. On the microscopic level, it helps describe the properties of cell walls and cell membranes.
High School Requirements For Engineering
Engineering college admissions use the standard high school course requirements and then add on additional requirements.
Many universities’ general degree programs will only require 3 years of math classes for admission but engineering programs need to see that you took math all 4 years.
Other minimum requirements like GPA and standardized test scores will be slightly tougher.
Read Also: Chapter 10 Glencoe Geometry
Which Physics Course Should I Take
The primary reason many people think that science is “hard” is a mismatch of the person’s mathematical abilities to the physics course, not the subject material.
At Butler, you are encouraged to enroll in the best course for your background in both physics and math. When you choose a course that has less math than you can handle you may become bored. Alternatively, when you choose a course you are not prepared for, you become frustrated. If you have any question about which course is probably the best for you, contact one of the instructors in the physics department.
- Basic Physics: This course is a conceptual physics that requires basic math skills. It is designed for non-science majors needing a Lab Science class.
- General Physics I: This course is designed for students who understand and can use algebra at the college level. You must pass College Algebra with a C or better to take General Physics I. Passing Trigonometry with a C or better is recommended.
- General Physics II: Passing General Physics I with a C is required before you enroll in this course.
- Physics I: This course is designed for the science major. A pre-requisite of Calculus I is required for Physics I.
- Physics II: Successful completion of Calculus II and Physics I is required to enroll in Physics II.
Learning Objectives For High School Physics
At the end of a high school physics course, students should have a strong grasp on concepts of mass, force, motion, energy and more. Additionally, students should have the sufficient knowledge needed for higher level education.
Below are some examples of potential high school physics goals and objectives for your child:
- Use graphs and equations to solve speed and velocity problems.
- Describe Newtons first, second, and third laws of motion.
- Solve problems using Keplers laws.
- Calculate kinetic energy, mass, or velocity given the other two quantities.
- Explain how electromagnetic waves transfer energy by radiation.
- Distinguish between absorption, transmission, reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
- Analyze how light waves bend around objects.
- Use Ohms law to calculate voltage, current, or resistance.
- Apply the right-hand rule to determine the direction of the magnetic force on a charge.
- Use the half-life concept to describe the rate of decay of an isotope.
- Identify Einsteins two postulates of special relativity.
Don’t Miss: Geometry Dash World Vault
How To Prepare For Pre
Are you a high school student with dreams of studying pre-med in college and becoming a doctor? Maybe you’ve heard how difficult it can be to get into med school and are trying to plan ahead in order to raise your chances of acceptance? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
This guide will go over everything you can do in high school to make yourself more prepared to begin a pre-med program in college. I’ll go over the classes you should be taking, the extracurriculars you should be participating in, and what you need to be thinking about as a high school student.
Feature Image Source: Flickr/ Ilmicrofono oggiono
Is It Bad To Not Take Physics In High School
Title explains it all. I heard that most competitive colleges prefer students to take physics in high school. Will it weaken my application if I do not take physics? I do not want to go into the STEM field in college.
The MOST competitive colleges want to see that you have taken a highly rigorous course load.Most suggest the same general guidelines as Stanford.
“Recommended High School Curriculum
We respect the responsibility that high schools, principals and teachers should have in the development of courses and curricula for their students. For that reason, we do not have a set of required courses for admission to Stanford. We have found, though, that a curriculum emphasizing depth and breadth across the core academic subjects is the best preparation for the academic rigors at Stanford. Our experience has suggested that students who excel in a curriculum like the one below are well-suited for the demands of college academics:
English: four years, with significant emphasis on writing and literature.Mathematics: four years, with significant emphasis on fundamental mathematical skills .History/Social Studies: three or more years. Such courses should include the writing of essays.Science: three or more years of laboratory science .Foreign Language: three or more years of the same foreign language. Your study of a foreign language ought to include the development of four basic skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension.
Id say so
You May Like: Best Ap Human Geography Textbook
Two Perspectives On Ap Physics C
AP Physics C: Mechanics is a calculus-based physics course that covers kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotation, gravitation and oscillation. This course is the first of a two-course sequence that is equivalent to the introductory physics sequence taken by science and engineering students at most colleges and universities.
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism builds on the C: Mechanics with the addition of forces exerted on charged particles, electric and magnetic fields, electric circuits and their components, and the nature of electromagnetic radiation. This course is equivalent to the second semester of the introductory physics sequence typically offered at colleges and universities. This course applies both differential and integral calculus.
The majority of schools offer Physics C Mechanics as a two-semester course to students whose prior physics experience is usually a basic high school physics class. Some schools offer Physics C Mechanics as a one-semester course, and usually do so in combination with a second semester of Physics C Electricity and Magnetism in this case the students have usually been successful in a previous challenging physics course, such as AP Physics B. Most students who take Physics C Mechanics are high school seniors.
First Year: Set The Foundation
It can seem tempting to try to ease into high school life when it comes to academics, but that can be a mistake. The question to ask is, What is the most rigorous schedule I can take and have success? Work with your college counselor on a smart freshman year schedule now, so college applications aren’t as stressful later.
Don’t Miss: The Segment Addition Postulate Answer Key With Work
Recap: What Science Classes Should You Take In High School
Most colleges and high schools in the United States require you to complete two to three years of science classes. Most likely, you’ll be required to take biology and chemistry your first two years of high school.
You should take physics your junior year if any of the following apply to you:
- You are confident in your math and science abilities
- You plan on majoring in math, engineering, or science in college
- You are looking to attend a top college
If you plan on majoring in a STEM field, you should definitely take four years of science, including an AP science class your senior year, if possible.
If you will not be majoring in a STEM field, however, then you might want to consider taking science electives your senior year instead.
Types Of Physics Classes
In the United States, high school physics classes are divided into two varieties: calculus based physics and non-calculus based physics. Obviously, the calculus based physics course will be more challenging and requires that the student has already completed, or is concurrently enrolled in, a calculus course.
Don’t Miss: Prince Jackson Biological Father
The Importance Of Having A Game Plan
Preparing for pre-med also means looking ahead to med school as well. In high school, you should be setting yourself up to succeed as a pre-med college student so that you can present your strongest application to med schools down the line.
You likely know that, unless you’re applying for a BS/MD or BA/MD program, you don’t start med school until after you graduate college, when you’re about 22 years old. That’s years away! Why do you need to be thinking about med school now?
The reason is that getting accepted into med school is notoriously competitive, and med schools will be looking for candidates with an obvious commitment to medicine.
Think about it: if you needed to have an operation or a broken bone set or an illness diagnosed, you’d want someone who really cared about medicine, learned all they could about the subject, and were dedicated to their work, right? Not someone who became a doctor because they couldn’t think of a better job. Similarly, med schools also want to accept people who are passionate about medicine.
So, while it’s not required to start planning for med school while in high school, starting pre-med off on the right foot and being able to show med schools that your interest in and commitment to medicine was obvious even back in high school will go a long way in showing them that this is a career you’re genuinely interested in and excited about.
Anatomy/physiology In High School
< p> I’m currently a sophomore in high school and the time to register for new classes has come.I’ve chosen all my other classes except my last elective class. I’m thinking of taking anatomy/physiology to help prepare me for pre-med, but to take it, I’m going to have to sacrifice taking band . Is taking anatomy/physiology my junior year worth it? If i take it my junior year, I can take advanced anatomy, so will that be worth it? I’ve been very torn between sacrificing band for my future, but I’m willing to do it if needed. But is it worth it to take those classes?< /p>
< p> On a completely unrelated note, should i take Physics in high school? I’m not a fan of it, so I’m thinking of taking it in college, even if I won’t be able to take AP Physics.< /p>
< p> High school anatomy & physiology classes really wont advantage you in any way in your pre med classes in college.< /p>
< p> Most medical schools dont even require college-level A& P for admissions.< /p>
< p> If you are planning on applying to medical school, you MUST take 2 semesters of physics in college. Its a universal admission requirement and its one of the core subjects on the MCAT.< /p>
< p> Although youre not a fan, I would suggest you strongly consider taking physics in high school , just so you have some exposure to the material. Its useful to have seen the material at least once before you take a high value pre-req in college. < /p>
< p> ~~~< /p>
< p> cross posted with WOWmom< /p>
Read Also: Span Definition Linear Algebra
Ap Chemistry Or Ap Physics
Im currently a sophomore and we just did schedule programming at school.
Im taking Regents Chemistry right now and next year I programmed for AP Biology.
My question is if I should take AP Physics or AP Chemistry senior year. I already taking chemistry so in my opinion it doesnt make sense. I want to go into pre med in college. Ive been told that AP Physics is good for aspiring pre med students. But Im still unsure how physics relates to medicine to be completely honest.
Also, I heard that science APs dont even count towards college so it even worth going though all the trouble?
Thanks!
You have another year to make this decision, but you should take at least one physics class in high school. It doesnt have to be an AP class, however.
As to whether or not your AP credit will count for college credit, that depends on the college. You can google college name AP credit to see which classes/scores youll get credit for.
Physics is the basis for all physical sciences, especially chemistry. Without physics, your understanding of chemistry can only be superficial.
Science APs wont always count for credit, but some people see it as good practice before you take the class again in college.
Especially if youre pre-med, I heard GPA is important, so its not necessarily disadvantageous to have a head start on the content.
I would take chem over physics, but thats just me. Try taking Chem 11th and Physics 12th
Skills And Knowledge You Need To Prepare For Pre
Again, being a great pre-med student means that, when the time comes to apply, you’ll be impressive to med schools and able to show them that you’re an ideal candidate. So, in high school, you’ll want to be thinking about how to be both a strong med school candidate as well as a strong pre-med candidate.
What exactly do med schools look for in applicants? The best way to figure this out is to look directly at what med schools are saying. Here’s a sample of what three med schools are looking for in candidates. Their responses are similar to the majority of med schools across the country.
NYU School of Medicine states that “To successfully complete our medical school curriculum students must possess all of the abilities and characteristics listed in the following six categories:
- behavioral and social attributes
- intellectual-conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities
- motor
- observation
The University of Michigan Medical School “We seek out individuals who not only have the potential to excel academically, but also possess personal attributes and competencies that align with our commitment to train the leaders and best. The CASPer test requirement is designed to assess these non-cognitive and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for success in our program and beyond.”
- Preparing yourself for college classes
- Gaining experience relevant to med school
- Demonstrating personal qualities desirable in med school students and doctors
You May Like: What Do Biotic And Abiotic Mean
Important Physics Concepts Relevant To Engineering
Students will learn a few major physics concepts that they will revisit in engineering coursework and build upon:
- Kinematics
- Newton’s Law’s of Motion
- Electromagnetism
In general, getting practice using math to model the real-world is the big take-away from high school physics. This includes skills like:
- Translating a problem to an equation
- Managing long, hand-written computations
- Applying calculus and algebra to complex problems
Does Physics Build Off Of Chemistry
It does so by analyzing the methodological concepts concerned as well as by examining the way a chemical rate constant is derivable with the help of the quantum atomic theory. The conclusion is that chemistry, and in particular quantum chemistry, is not a part of physics although it is certainly based on the latter.
Also Check: Intermediate Algebra Final Exam Answers
What If You Don’t End Up Applying To Med School
So, what happens if things change and you decide that med school isn’t for you? That’s fine and actually very common. Most people who, at some point in their life, decide they want to be a doctor, end up changing their mind. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as discovering a different career that interests you more, learning you can’t handle the sight of blood, or deciding that you don’t want to be in school that long.
Attending med school and working as a doctor requires a lot of long, hard hours, and, if you find yourself disliking the above activities or losing interest in the idea of med school, you absolutely should not become a doctor just out of fear of having wasted your time preparing for med school. Being a doctor when you love the profession is hard enough, and if you choose to become a doctor despite disliking the job, trust me, you’ll be miserable.
Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Take Physics Poster
The Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Take Physics poster is an informative and eye-catching poster explaining how students will benefit from taking physics. Why Physics uses humor to draw in the viewer while slipping in plenty of serious reasons to take a physics class.
The Why Physics poster hangs on hundreds of walls in high school hallways and classrooms, and in numerous university physics departments.
Also Check: Ultimate Review Packet Ap Human Geography