Schools Recommendation for able high school physics students

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High school students interested in physics and independent study are encouraged to explore various online resources, including MIT's classical mechanics and electromagnetism courses on edX, which offer organized content and discussion forums. Additional recommendations include Coursera courses on Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and astronomy, as well as essential physics books like A. Zee's works. For math preparation, courses for AP Calculus and statistics are available on Coursera and edX, along with helpful online math notes. A notable mention is Harvard's CS50 course for computer science enthusiasts. The discussion also highlights the value of collaborative online study groups for students pursuing these subjects.
eifphysics
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If you are a high school student, a physics buff, and enjoying independent study and exploring, here are some recommendation for you:
1. MIT classical mechanics and electromagnetism
available in MIT OCW and edx. I recommend edx because it is better organized and contains review and exam section as well as discussion forum.
2.cousera: Understanding Einstein: the special theory of relativity
exploring quantum mechanics
introduction to astronomy
3.books: A.Zee's Einstein gravity in a nutshell and Quantum field theory in a netshull
university physics with modern physics by Young and Freedman
4.experiment book
125 physics projects for the evil genius

About math
1.cousera: preparing for AP Calculus AB and BC exam
Preparing for AP statistics exam
also available in edx
2.Pails Online Math Notes

about computer science
1.Harvard's cs50: introduction to computer science
available in edx

Hope these are helpful for you. I am currently working on these areas, and want to work together with students who are also interested as an online study group. Are there anyone interested in this idea?
 
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For online courses, I have three more to add: PHYS102x Electricity & Magnetism and PHYS201x Wave & Optics, both offered by Rice on edX. And UPenn's Single Variable Calculus on Coursera.

I took 102x in Spring this year when self-studying the AP Physics C exam; It helped me got my 5. But I have learn much more than just the exam itself (the course is beyond the scope of AP anyway), especially loved its introduction to Maxwell's Equations and EM waves. Its quantity is far beyond my exception, everything is presented so inspiringly and creatively, loved the course and the professor a lot.

201x is the next course in series of 102x, which is taught by the same professor. And it is still ongoing right now, already in its second half though. High quantity and very creative as before, so bad that I am busy on college admission right now and have little time for it.

I took the Single Variable Calculus course this summer, as many said, it is truly a classic of MOOC. Everything is presented with high quantity graphics, in order words, every piece of math concept there is in drawing. The course is interesting enough that even for a person like me who has little interest in math other than using it as a tool in physics is completely fascinated in the professor's colorful calculus world.

Hopefully I can get through this excruciating admission process by next month, so that I can continue my adventure... And I am definitely going to try the famous 8.01 and 8.02, had thought of them last year but never have the time.
 
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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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