Schools Is the College Board AP Physics exam worth stressing over?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the College Board AP Physics exam, with participants sharing their experiences and advice for preparation. One user expresses frustration with the online format of their AP Physics course but is motivated to earn college credit. The conversation clarifies that both the Physics B and C exams are relevant, with recommendations for study materials like "Princeton Review Cracking the AP Exam" and "5 Steps to a 5" to help understand the exam content and structure. Participants emphasize the importance of practicing with old AP test questions and reviewing scoring rubrics to understand expectations. They suggest focusing on short answer questions, which are perceived as more challenging than multiple choice. Overall, the consensus is that with adequate preparation and practice, the exam is manageable, especially for those with a genuine interest in physics.
jacksonpeeble
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Has anyone here taken the College Board AP Physics exam? I'm currently taking AP Physics online and hate it (more because it's online than the difficulty of the content, though, I think). I'd like the college credit, but it can hurt if I do poorly, too, and I'm not sure how well I'll be prepared. What does it really cover?
 
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jacksonpeeble said:
Has anyone here taken the College Board AP Physics exam?

Are you talking about the physics B or C exam?

Either way. If you want to know what it covers get a "princeton review carcking the ap exam" book or "5 steps to a five". They will give you a good overview of all of the sections and are also good for a review before the exam. It is a good learning tool as well. Especially since you are taking the course online, it is good to have a book like this as a guide.
 
DR13 said:
Are you talking about the physics B or C exam?
I'll apparently be prepared to take either, but I would only consider taking the B exam.

DR13 said:
Either way. If you want to know what it covers get a "princeton review carcking the ap exam" book or "5 steps to a five". They will give you a good overview of all of the sections and are also good for a review before the exam. It is a good learning tool as well. Especially since you are taking the course online, it is good to have a book like this as a guide.
Thanks for the advice - I've looked at the 5 steps to a 5 books before, and I think that's a good idea. I appreciate your response!

I'm still sort of curious, however, as to whether or not there are things that I should especially watch out for (based on others' experiences).
 
jacksonpeeble said:
I'm still sort of curious, however, as to whether or not there are things that I should especially watch out for (based on others' experiences).

This can vary from person to person. My advice would be to do old ap test questions and see what you struggle with. Also, be sure to look at the scoring rubrics for the questions. This will give you an idea of what they want you to write (relevant equations, when to put in units, etc).
 
Are you going to college to major in physics? I am currently a physics undergrad and I have other physics major friends who went into college placed out of the first three semesters of calculus but are taking into physics. Other than saving a money for the intro physics class, I wouldn't sweat the AP Exam too much. My only advice is to make sure that you are 100 percent sure of the things that you are strong at.
 
The AP exam is a joke for anyone that is remotely interested in physics. It's nothing to worry over as long as you buy the review book and practice a few questions.
 
Leptos said:
The AP exam is a joke for anyone that is remotely interested in physics. It's nothing to worry over as long as you buy the review book and practice a few questions.

I'll second this. Focus on studying for the short answer questions, i thought those were exponentially harder than the multiple choice. If you know your stuff well, your only enemy will be the time limit. Good luck!
 

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