Admission to Physics Major: Prerequisites, Classes & Recommendations

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For those planning to major in Physics at a Canadian university like York, it's important to focus on specific high school courses that meet admission prerequisites. Generally, a standard set of six U/M courses, including English with a mid-70% average, is required, but additional courses may be beneficial. Recommended classes include AP Calculus (AB or BC), AP Physics (preferably C for its calculus basis), and AP Chemistry for foundational knowledge. If AP courses are unavailable, consider IB Physics or IB Mathematics. Mathematics is crucial, with suggestions to learn advanced topics such as Differential Equations and Mathematical Methods in Physics. Engaging in practical applications, like science fairs or summer research, is also encouraged to enhance understanding and intuition in the field. Overall, a strong foundation in both math and science, along with a diverse educational experience, will prepare students well for a Physics program.
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this question is for those that have been admitted to a University for a Physics major,
or are planning on doing so...
What other classes have you taken in High School? What prerequisits are usually set to be admitted into a Physics program.
Which classes do you recommend? Particularly from the Mathematics field?
Which classes complement Physics, (Chemistry? Bio?)
Thanks.

P.S.
I live in Canada and plan to attend York (it's the best option I got for location/knowing others who are going there)
My question is for those who know about the Canadian University "standard" for physics, what classes do they require you to have in order to be accepted into that program? Is it just the standard 6 U/M courses with English at mid 70% average or does the Physics program require additional classes? Thanks.
 
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I found that it really depended on the university. When I was shopping around ontario university websites last september, the prerequisites and admission average for each university seemed to vary. York wasn't one of the universities that I was looking at, so I couldn't tell you their requirements off the top of my head.
Edit: Since I'm not really busy right now, I did the digging around for you.

You should be able to find relevant admission information here : http://www.yorku.ca/web/futurestudents/requirements/high school.htmland here is a link to the description of the physics program at York:
http://www.yorku.ca/web/futurestudents/programs/template.asp?id=503
 
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Well, I'm just a High School student that's entering a University as a Mathematics and Physics Double major. For High school, it's recommended to take AP Calculus AB or BC, Physics B or C (Preferabbly the C ones, as they iare Calculus based), and AP Chemistry (just so you have some exposure.) When I spoke with physics professors, they've all told me , with respect to mathematics, to "learn as much as you can." In particular, they suggested Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, and a Mathematical Methods in Physics class. However, I'm not too sure, as I haven't really even begun my Physics major yet...

I'm not sure if Canada offers AP classes, if not, take IB Physics or IB Maths of some form. Sorry, not too familiar with Canadian educational system.
 
Everybody on this board will tell you your physics and math requirements. However, I think that it is important that you be able to apply your physical and mathematical skills to real-life situations. I recommend doing a science fair experiment, or summer research. Take biology, Anatomy and Physiology, art. Just applying your knowledge to a breadth of subjects will expand your horizons and make you more intuitive.

My $.02

Paden Roder
 
Incredible.
All was very helpful.
The last response was inspirational.
Thanks guys.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...

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