Can Community College Credits Suffice for University Physics Programs?

[Poop-Loops]

I've been thinking about this for a while... I'm going to a CC right now. Only 3 real physics courses offered (mechanics, E/M, waves/heat, no calculus or anything, real basic courses) and I took them all my first year (last year), and now I won't have any for next year. Anyway, I am planning to go to University of Washington for my BS. So I checked their requirements on the website and I see that they have physics courses listed for every year as a recommended path.

http://www.phys.washington.edu/bspaths.htm

Will I have to spend an extra year then to make up for it? Or what? Surely others have done this before?

I asked my advisor about this and he told me I'll be fine. That's a bit more vague than I want...

PL

 

[Pengwuino]

heh, if he says you'll be fine, you'll probably be fine.

Here at California State University - Fresno, the only courses that will transfer are GE courses. Some friends of mine came from a city college and they had to re-do their introductory physics courses.

 

[Maxwell]

Most like not. What will probably happen is that you'll get credit for certain courses that you've taken. Because of this, you'll be able to pull down higher courses that would usually be taken later on. I see your school uses a trimester system, so I'm not 100% familiar with how that works -- what I can tell you is that PLENTY of people have done this and you'll be absolutely fine. I assume you have to take some general education requirements at your school such as a humanities and a language -- so try to get those done while you're at CC. With those taken care of all you'll need to worry about it the physics; thus, you'll be on track.

HOWEVER -- I don't know too much about what physics courses you have taken. For example, how did you take E&M without Calculus? Or do you mean General Physics 2? If so, then it would seem that you've covered the first years tri-mester in physics. See if you can take Calculus (MOST, if not all CC's offer it). That would have you finished with your first year at UW.

Good luck.

 

[jtbell]

I'm going to a CC right now. Only 3 real physics courses offered (mechanics, E/M, waves/heat, no calculus or anything, real basic courses)

Sounds like the equivalent of a two-semester algebra-based general physics course, whereas it looks like UW has a calculus-based general physics course.

If you've had calculus courses at your CC that UW will accept as credit for their calculus courses, they might let you take the second-year physics courses, even though you've had only algebra-based general physics. You'd better contact somebody in the UW physics department and ask about it. If you've done well in general physics, this would probably work out OK. In this case, I strongly suggest that you pick up a copy of their general physics book and study the calculus-related stuff before you get there.

If you have to take the UW calculus courses, you might as well take their general physics course, too, because you won't be able to take anything else until you've finished the calculus.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Nah, I doubt the UW physics is different from the courses I took. You still needed to know Calc to get through, it just wasn't used like at all. definitely not high school physics.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I am getting an AS degree at the CC then transferring over.

I'm taking calc already. I've taken 1,2,3 (up to sequences and series), next year will be lin algebra, more calc, diff EQ's, and stats.

PL

 

[Mr. A]

definitely finish linear algebra and diff EQ. What about general education classes. Those can be really pain in the ass sometimes. Get em all done at community college.

 

[JasonJo]

it never hurts to call the school, just dial up the head of the Physics department or shoot them an email.

definitely transfer, good luck with everything

 

[exequor]

I am transferring from a comm. college too but I'm from the caribbean and in the cc's there you write the CAPE exams (which is more or less the caribbean version of Cambridge A'Levels, A'levels are also allowed) and moving into a US university (FIT) as a transfer is not an easy process but atleast they treat you fairly by comparing the syllabi of the subjects that you do in the caribbean with that of the university's syllabi, then award you credits accordingly.