Are AP® Physics C classes hard? A big YES! If they weren’t, many would have taken these classes without ranting about how difficult they are. Moreover, you would not have landed into this article. Just put it this way; it’s a new level of difficulty. And that is just natural. The higher you climb the mountain, the more difficult it will be. It may be hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s unattainable. Here at Albert.io, we’ll clear the way, get you informed and straighten your thoughts so you make the right move. Are you fit to take the AP® Physics C? Read on.
How challenging is AP® Physics C really? Our goal is that at the end of this article, you can answer that yourself. First, we take a peek at the performance of last year’s exam takers. The numbers are pretty shocking (in a good way). We will then discuss the target core strengths of the AP® exams and highlight common obstacles of the students. Then we talk about the content structure of the exam, as well as the analytical skills needed to get the highest possible score you can. Finally, whether you decide to take the course or not, we will show you the next steps take. It is always an advantage to be one step ahead.
Getting Insights from Previous Examinees’ Performance
Before jumping to the statistics, let us first talk about how the exams are rated. Below is the 5-point scale scoring for any AP® exam as mandated by the CollegeBoard:
- Score of 1:No Recommendation
- Score of 2:Possibly Qualified
- Score of 3:Qualified
- Score of 4:Well Qualified
- Score of 5:Extremely Well Qualified
The advantage of taking AP® Physics C exam is that many colleges grant credit and placement depending on their cut-off score. Most colleges will require a student to have a minimum score of 3. If you already have a target university, go to the CollegeBoard AP® Credit Policy Search. Key-in your top-3 target universities and see your target score for yourself. If you can nail it, you’ll save tuition and credit fees as well as get a head start on your college course.
Now it’s time to look at the numbers.
For AP® Physics C: Mechanics, 53,000 high school students took the exam. Almost a third of the students, 30.2% to be exact, earned a score of 5; 27.4% of the students earned 4, and 18.5% of the students earned 3. Altogether, 76.1% of the students are in the safe zone, that is, they have the chance to be granted credits in college. The mean score for the exam is 3.539, which is not bad at all.
As for the AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, 27,000 high school students took the exam. Almost a third also of the students earned a score of 5, that is, 32% of the students. 22.6% of the students earned 4 and 13.5% earned 3. All in all, 68.1 % of the students got a score of 3 or higher. The mean score for the exam is 3.421.
The percentage of students getting 5 is really high. This is crazy. Did we not just agree that AP® Physics C is hard? These numbers do not seem to go along with our statement. To give you a better view, we put the 2016 AP® Physics C score data along with other AP® Science exams. Prepare yourself; these numbers are pretty shocking.
| 5 Score | 3+ Score | Mean Score | |
| AP® Physics C: Mechanics | 30.2% | 76.01% | 3.539 |
| AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 32% | 68.1% | 3.421 |
| AP® Physics 1 | 4.3% | 39.2% | 2.313 |
| AP® Physics 2 | 8.5% | 59.5% | 2.85 |
| AP® Biology | 6.3% | 60.5% | 2.834 |
| AP® Chemistry | 9.7% | 52.3% | 2.644 |
| AP® Environmental Science | 7.4% | 45.2% | 2.542 |
This is even crazier! Why does it look as if AP® Physics 1 is the hardest? And that AP® Physics C: Mechanics is the easiest? Well, don’t let the numbers fool you. We all know that AP® Physics 1 is easier than AP® Physics C. We note that many of the AP® Physics C courses self-select for those motivated students or those with higher grades in Math. That is the reason for the ridiculously high rates for AP® Physics C as compared to AP® Physics 1. The number of examinees for Physics 1 is around 150,000; only about a third of that number took Physics C: Mechanics – 53,000 students, and even fewer took the Physics C: Electric and Magnetism – 27,000 students.
Notice also that Biology and Environmental Science are classes that many students would say are quite easy. Their corresponding AP® exams suffer lower rates because students underestimated the difficulty level of the exam and ended up unprepared. Furthermore, these classes are taken by younger high school students who are generally not as ready for the AP.
Let’s look at the bright side of the information on the table. The mean scores for the AP® Physics C exams are 3.539 and 3.432. These numbers tell you that if you can get into an AP® Physics C class, you are most likely to get a score of 3 or higher. This is easier said than done though. You have to roll-up your sleeves, get your hands over the pile of practice tests, and prepare for some sleepless nights.
AP® Physics C Exam Coverage
The AP® Physics C Development Committee encourages the following core strengths to be imparted to a student:
- Physics knowledge;
- Problem solving skills;
- Fostering of student attributes; and
- Connecting Physics to other disciplines.
The latter two core strengths are intended to equip the student with his or her social responsibility and encourage collaborations and discussions with other fields. These personal strengths are best honed by the teachers. The target of the AP® exams has always been to the first two core strengths. The physics knowledge includes the concepts, theories, general principles, as well as the techniques needed. In the previous years, the Committee has inclined to test the problem-solving skills more. A huge portion of the exams focuses on perception, experimental investigation, and creativity.
The combined AP® Physics C courses – Mechanics, and Electricity and Magnetism is equivalent to the entry level introductory Physics courses recommended to science and engineering major students in most colleges and universities. These courses are calculus-based, and so prior knowledge in differentiation and integration is highly recommended.
Below is the detailed breakdown of the topics in AP® Physics C with their corresponding weight for the AP® exam.
| AP® Physics C: Mechanics: | Percentage Goal for the Exam |
| Kinematics | 18% |
| Newton’s laws of motion | 20% |
| Work, energy, power | 14% |
| Systems of particles, linear momentum | 12% |
| Circular motion and rotation | 18% |
| Oscillations and gravitations | 18% |
| AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: | Percentage Goal for the Exam |
| Electrostatics | 30% |
| Conductors, capacitors, dielectrics | 14% |
| Electric circuits | 20% |
| Magnetic Fields | 20% |
| Electromagnetism | 16% |
The details of these topics are thoroughly discussed in articles How to Study for AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism and How to Study for AP® Physics C: Mechanics. If you want to get a feel of what these topics are, you may click here (which I suggest you do later). For the time being, let’s discuss the structure of the AP® Physics exam.
Visualizing how the Exam Goes
Now let’s imagine that you are taking the exam. There’s no need to differentiate whether you take the Mechanics exam or Electricity and Magnetism exam as both have the same exam structure.
Inside the test area, you should have with you No.2 pencils, black or dark blue ink pens, your school photo ID or government issued ID and a four-function, scientific or graphic calculator. Are you not sure of your calculator? Identify the model of your calculator and search it in the list of CollegeBoard approved calculators. You can have up to two calculators with you. If you forgot to bring your calculator, that would be tragic. You are prohibited to share a calculator with another examinee. The only person you are allowed to communicate with is the exam administrator.
The exam is only 90 minutes which is divided by a break session. Inside the test center, you are not allowed to bring your favorite snack or any food for that matter. Drinks are also prohibited, including bottled water. You can have them outside the exam room during the break. Furthermore, you can’t bring with you any electronic device other than your calculator. How about wrist watch? If it beeps or has an alarm like a smartwatch, then you must leave that home also. Do not worry about how to take track of the time; the test administrators know that you have a need of such.
The exam is configured into two sections, Multiple Choice and Free Response, each with 45-minute time allotment and are weighted equally. These two are totally distinct and would challenge different core strengths. In the Multiple Choice section, there are 35 individual questions grouped into sets. On the other hand, the Free Response section has only three questions which will test your experimental skills and creativity. Make use of the break wisely. It’s the best time to recharge and reset your exam blues. Also, be vigilant with questions from the Multiple Choice section that lingers in your thoughts. You have to let go of those to start afresh for the next section.
Skills You need to Work on
As mentioned earlier in this article, AP® Physics C courses are calculus-based. The calculus used here is basic, and nothing too hard. You can concurrently take the calculus with your physics class. A calculus class would first discuss differentiation then integration at a later time. The initial part of AP® Physics C:Mechanics will only demand knowledge in differentiation.
As any physics teacher would tell you, the top three things that you should do are
- Practice
- Practice
- Practice
Did we already say you also need to practice? Sorry, but we definitely need to emphasize the need of practice. If there was a physics quiz that only covered enumeration of the equations used in a given topic and definitions of physical quantities discussed, more than 90% would get perfect scores. There’s only a handful of equations in each section. Furthermore, the calculation routines are very basic. So what is really the root of student’s dilemma in an AP® Physics class? It is when you have read the problem, pull out the given values, and know what is being asked. Without practice, you most likely will not know which equations to use or when and what to substitute. Practice is the best tool to address this issue, and you will need to workout your problem-solving muscles. This is a broad topic by itself and will be discussed more in the article “How to Study for AP:Physics C”.This is thorough study guide for motivated students.
If you plan to take AP® Physics C: Mechanics, you should particularly pay more attention and practice more problems in Newton’s laws especially the 2nd law, and circular motion. Identifying the right forces involved is crucial. This is where most of the students struggled in the 2016 AP® Exam.As for the Electricity and Magnetism exam, the struggle point is on magnetostatics.
Other Things You Should Consider
Aside from the content itself, the difficulty level of your AP® Physics class will depend on other factors. Here, we will cite two.
First, consider the concurrent classes you will be taking alongside with your Physics class. Sure, having many AP® classes may look impressive on your record but if your GPA is jeopardized, you may lose opportunities for scholarships and college admissions. Assess yourself. You don’t want your hands full and have half-baked attention to the other things you need to do. Find the balance of workload where you get challenged and yet still focused.
Second is the teacher factor. Some get you motivated while others let you sleep in the class. Some just keep talking and writing on the board while others actively engage their students. Some keep you busy with practice tests and problems sets while others will expect you to self-study. Unfortunately, this is an area where you have very minimal control or no control at all. You need to accept it as it is. Lucky you if you if you get a great teacher. But if you don’t have ‘the connection’ with your classroom teacher, then find another teacher! No, you don’t need to drop the class. Go online. The internet is flooded with well-prepared lessons. You can try Khan Academy. Or you can opt for having tutors, may it be in person or online.
Conclusion
If you reach the top of the mountain and know how hard the way was, the feeling on top is awesome and rewarding! That is just how your AP® Physics C class will be. It’s worth all the effort and possible sleepless nights. Regardless of the score you get in AP® Physics C exam, whatever you learn will come handy in college. If your high school physics is strongly founded, your entry-college physics will be a no-brainer! Not that you don’t have to exert effort, but you will be more confident and the journey will be smooth sailing.
So have you decided whether to take AP® Physics C or not? If even at this point you are still undecided, then it’s time for you to check out our articles:How to Study for AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism” and How to Study for AP® Physics C: Mechanics. If you have the heart to follow diligently the AP® Physics C study guide, then step forward and take the class next school year.
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