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AP Physics C exam


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I have to chime in to say that Kathy's help was invaluable to our dd last year. She used the books and schedule Kathy gave us, and was able to score a 5 on both the Mechanics and E&M Physics C exams. Thank you, thank you again, Kathy!

 

Dd's favorite science is chemistry, she hadn't had any physics before, and she was also learning calculus at the same time. Needless to say she was challenged by the material! The physics and calculus studies actually ended up complementing each other. It helped her to compress the schedule somewhat so she got done with the textbooks by the end of February. She spent March and April studying and working practice problems in the Barron's and Princeton Review prep guides. We were also able to borrow two released exams - I'd recommend using them if you are able to get them because they were very helpful.

 

As far as reviewing during or after studying the course content, it depends on the student. Some prefer to study the concepts, then have lots of extra practice right after. Dd preferred to learn the concepts, then return later for a review. She feels that she needs to go over things three times before they are cemented in her brain.

 

Dd also was able to watch about 1/2 of the MIT OCW videos with Dr. Levine. She loved those - he is a hoot!

 

One more piece of advice - call early to find a school to administer this test, especially if your student is taking the E&M exam. We had a near miss because the school that had promised to give dd the exam thought she was only taking the Mechanics test. My mommy radar was signaling me, so I called on the day they were ordering the exams and got them to buy the E&M part, which they did very grudgingly. Dd took the Mech part with one other student, but she was the only one taking the E&M exam. Not many schools teach both. I hope no one else has a problem with this.

 

Best wishes studying for these exams. Kathy is right - if you have a motivated student with a good math background, they are doable.

 

Blessings,

GardenMom

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One more piece of advice - call early to find a school to administer this test, especially if your student is taking the E&M exam. We had a near miss because the school that had promised to give dd the exam thought she was only taking the Mechanics test. My mommy radar was signaling me, so I called on the day they were ordering the exams and got them to buy the E&M part, which they did very grudgingly. Dd took the Mech part with one other student, but she was the only one taking the E&M exam. Not many schools teach both. I hope no one else has a problem with this.

 

 

:iagree: Yes, just reiterating here, but this is a very tough exam to locate. Few schools offer it, so start calling around early!!

 

~Kathy

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Schools don't order the exams till later in the year, but many schools will only order an AP exam for a homeschooler if it's an exam they already plan to give their own students. The Physics C electricity and magnetism exam is rare around here. At the time my son took it, no school in my county offered it. When I asked a high school in the next county over, they refused on the basis that we weren't county residents. And the gifted magnet high school downtown that serves our region refused to offer any AP exam to a homeschooler that year. So we were left wondering all the way till early March whether or not my son would even have the opportunity to test. At that time, the local high school near us finally agreed (the story of what happened is posted in the other thread linked above :)).

 

That's why I'd recommend calling around early for this particular exam. I don't think Physics B would be a problem in most places. The only other exam that was difficult was AP Latin, but I finally located a humanities magnet school that offered it regularly in Richmond.

 

~Kathy

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Is it necessary to call now for just the regular AP physics exam? I had no idea that schools place their orders for the tests so early in the year.

I agree with Kathy - the Physics C E&M is so rarely given (especially in our rural area) that you need to find a school early. I think it is good to call around this time of the year for the less-often-given exams' date=' but also if you haven't had any students taking APs at a school. I'm convinced that the only reason dd was able to sit for E&M at our local school (actually one county over) was because she'd taken several there the year before, and behaved herself.:)

 

This is a good time to call guidance offices. They are done with the beginning of the school year rush, the holidays are still weeks away, the PSAT is done, and college application panic has not yet begun. Of course they will tell you it's too early, but you will at least find out if they are willing to work with you. If they aren't, you have time to find another school.

 

[u']Make sure you are very specific[/u] about exactly which Physic C exam(s) your student will take. Mechanics and E&M are billed as separate exams, even though they are each as long as 1/2 of a regular exam. I didn't know this until it was time to pay.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

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