Is a low grade in physics enough reason to give up on pursuing engineering?

[mmg0789]

i know you probably get A LOT of this spacific question, but i don't know if i should be an engineer anymore. I'm a senior in high school and I'm taking AP physics this year (took Pre-AP last year) and I'm TERRIBLE at it. i listen in class (or at least i try to) i read the book, i do my hw, but i still failed the last test horribly. what it comes down to it, i like physics, I'm jus bad at it. and i was planning to go in engineering in college, but i just don't know now since I'm so bad at physics, should i still try to go in engineering? was physics hard for some of you too?

thanks

 

[radou]

i know you probably get A LOT of this spacific question, but i don't know if i should be an engineer anymore. I'm a senior in high school and I'm taking AP physics this year (took Pre-AP last year) and I'm TERRIBLE at it. i listen in class (or at least i try to) i read the book, i do my hw, but i still failed the last test horribly. what it comes down to is, i like physics, I'm jus bad at it. and i was planning to go in engineering in college, but i just don't know now since I'm so bad at physics, should i still try to go in engineering? was physics hard for some of you too?

thanks

If you really like something, you can manage getting the most of it. Just a matter of time and patience.

 

[chroot]

If you really try your best yet still fail, it's likely not your fault -- it's likely that you just don't have a "compatible" instructor. If you're only struggling with a single subject under a single teacher, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're just "bad" at the subject.

How are you doing in related fields like math? Chemistry?

- Warren

 

[mmg0789]

If you really try your best yet still fail, it's likely not your fault -- it's likely that you just don't have a "compatible" instructor. If you're only struggling with a single subject under a single teacher, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you're just "bad" at the subject.

How are you doing in related fields like math? Chemistry?

- Warren

i like math...in cal ab (and stat) right now...i'm pretty good at it
chemistry---i guess it just goes back to the non-compatible instructor lol (my teacher never really taught)

i guess i should mention that i have the same physics teacher for ap that i had for pre-ap. i don't like the way he teaches at all

 

[chroot]

Okay, so you have decent math skills, but you're poor in both physics and chemistry? (And physics and chemistry are taught by different instructors?)

- Warren

 

[mr_coffee]

I havn't taken Physics AP but my friend did and he said the AP physics course was harder than the actual college course. I only had basic high school physics for dummies and I did fine in all the physics in college. Don't let an AP course discourage you, give it a try in college and see how it goes. From there you can make your decision.

 

[FrogPad]

I didn't do too hot in Calc I-III, or physics I-II. I passed them all with C's. I was a computer science major at the time. At the time I didn't see the point in taking all those math classes, and physics... I was like, "when am I ever going to use this?"

I then changed to an engineering degree. I switched to EE because I took a circuit class and loved it. I realized I really wanted to be an engineer. I've taken much harder math classes, physics, and engineering courses since... I've received A's since.

What has changed?

I realized I wanted it!
I decided to work hard to get it (I live at the library some nights [and weekends]).

Do you want it? Ask yourself that. If you do, be prepared to work hard. If you find physics interesting, go to the library and pick up a different book (maybe you will get along with it better). Practice as much math as possible. My math skills were week when I took physics, so it made it a lot harder than it should have been.

Just make sure it's what you want. Are you going into engineering for the money? If you are... don't.