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Posted (edited)

DD is leaning toward an engineering discipline and we’re revising her course plan for the final two years. She’s finished Earth science, biology, and wants to do algebra-based physics next year. She also wants to skip chemistry altogether in favor of calculus-based physics for her senior year. Is there any downside to that? These career fields are still very foreign to me.

Edited by Sneezyone
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Posted (edited)

In the engineering college at my school (Texas A&M), every engineering major had to take two semesters of chemistry (also two semesters of physics).  I was glad I wasn't seeing it for the first time in those classes.  Might want to check the major requirements at the schools she's interested in.

Edited by forty-two
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Posted
3 minutes ago, forty-two said:

In the engineering college at my school (Texas A&M), every engineering major had to take two semesters of chemistry (also two semesters of physics).  I was glad I wasn't seeing it for the first time in those classes.  Might want to check the major requirements at the schools she's interested in.

All of the engineering schools dd has looked at requires a year if chemistry in high school. Admittedly, it hasn’t been a lot if schools.

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Posted (edited)

Algebra based Physics followed by calculus based Physics is a lot of overlap. I'd just wait to take Physics til she's ready for calc based and do chem first. Most engineering programs are going to expect all 3.

Edited by Momto6inIN
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Posted

IMO not having Chemistry would look VERY strange to someone in the Admissions office looking at Applications. Also, it is probably a requirement and not having it would be disqualifying.

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Posted (edited)

@Sneezyone  Just coming back to say I also think it's perfectly normal for most engineering/CS students to not have calc based Physics til they're in college. Doing calc based in high school might be a good call for many reasons (maybe algebra based would be too easy for her, maybe she needs a challenge, etc) but doing algebra based Physics and bio and chem in high school and then getting another go round at calc based and chem in college is pretty typical.

Edited by Momto6inIN
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Posted (edited)

Chemistry is a very tough freshman class at Engineering school. I would definitely recommend highschool chem as prep.

Covering the same physics  twice in high school ( because the material of calc based phys is the same as that of algebra based physics) and in consecutive years is boring. I recommend taking a strong algebra based physics in hs and taking the calc based physics at college. She will be required to have two semesters of that for any Engineering major. 

Happy to answer more specific questions.  I teach engineering physics for a living. 

Edited by regentrude
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Posted

DDs top choice right now, FAMU, shares an engineering dept. with FSU but I haven’t been able to figure out what the admissions profile looks like for their admitted pre-ENG students. Is it REALLY time to join College Confidential? I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.

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Posted
5 minutes ago, Momto6inIN said:

@Sneezyone  Just coming back to say I also think it's perfectly normal for most engineering/CS students to not have calc based Physics til they're in college. Doing calc based in high school might be a good call for many reasons (maybe algebra based would be too easy for her, maybe she needs a challenge, etc) but doing algebra based Physics and bio and chem in high school and then getting another go round at calc based and chem in college is pretty typical.

Thanks. I was just going to ask about that. She is trying to avoid a group of students that includes an ex by switching up her course taking path. It’s an entirely frivolous reason but whatevs.

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Posted (edited)
7 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Could she do chem with a different provider than those students will use?

I could do that but the class wouldn’t show up on her official transcript. It’s easier to keep everything together at this point. They seem to move the kids in ‘pods’. It’s a big school but she usually ends up with the same faces in every class. I’ve emailed her counselor (who is very responsive) and asked if it’s possible to switch her ‘pod’. That might help.

Edited by Sneezyone
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Posted
8 minutes ago, Momto6inIN said:

I never got onto college confidential. The college board here freaked me out enough, I didn't need any more stress!!! Lol

I’ve been on there a couple of times, but didn’t find it useful for us. 

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