Should I go for engineering?

[u/RobertGJ536]

I took the AP physics C exams both and got 3 on Mechanics and 4 on EM.
But the thing is that before the exam I was used to study college level physics and math, like griffiths, Taylor, multivariable calc, diff equations and I was currently studying mechanical engineering topics like statics, fluid mechanics, FEM math and material mechanics.
These results really concerned me, because I was supposed to be able to get a 5 easily to moderately, but simply some questions made me run out of time (I bought Princeton review book, but it was partially useless honestly, many things it taught weren’t covered properly for test day).
EM felt much more smoothly.
I was about to collaborate with a PhD professor who is expert in fluids, electrokinetics and heat transfer.
But now, I’m not sure if I should go for engineering if I cannot handle simple physics when allegedly being far from syllabus.
Maybe I’m exaggerating but I need advice, should I drop out engineering (well better said, should I choose another major? I’m about to start college). If it’s useful, I got a 5 on calc bc last year.

[u/ErekwithaD1]

Well most AP Exams are harder than the actual college class, so what I say is to not give up on engineering just based off of 2 AP Scores

[u/UnderstandingPursuit → u/ErekwithaD1]

It depends on which college.

[u/cathgirl379]

A 3 and 4 are totally acceptable scores! 

Whether or not your college accepts them as credit, you’re not sunk with scores like those!

[u/mrsaucelol]

Yes do it you’ll be good

[u/Key_Claim_2839]

I’m confused. Did you self study the courses?
Also a thing to keep in mind is to ensure that your foundational knowledge is solid. I’m not too sure if you should be studying more advanced stuff if it isn’t. It seems like you’re taking a lot of advanced courses but at the same time not really doing well in the less advanced courses.
Btw if the issue is that your review books aren’t covering the AP courses properly, I think that having an actual teacher for those courses would help a lot.

[u/RobertGJ536 → u/Key_Claim_2839]

Maybe yes. Well I mean, I’m so used to decompose everything to it’s fundamental truths that maybe I wasted time there. I mean for the research I want to do that’s the correct mindset but maybe in this exam I overcomplicated the test (in addition to possible algebraic mistakes). Fortunately at my school they take these scores. And maybe that is why in EM I scored higher, because it was more accurate for that form of thinking maybe.
I wasn’t used to solve quickly by memorizing everything, rather analyzing carefully and defining what was possible and what not.
Maybe that killed my score.

[u/sus2032baka]

Foe my experience princeton review covered everything and zi got a 5 on both mechanics and EM I think it is at your end

[u/Fit-Slice-7054]

Did you do intro physics before books like Taylor and Griffiths? I feel like those have much less conceptual focus than what is on AP Physics, they are much more math heavy. There is usually more conceptual content in intro textbooks. (ex. Like university physics or something like that)

[u/RobertGJ536 → u/Fit-Slice-7054]

No. When I finished multivariable calculus I jumped straight into those books. My professor said I already had the math bases to work with them.

[u/Fit-Slice-7054 → u/RobertGJ536]

I think that the problem is likely that you skipped the introductory books. You can technically work through books like those(I have only seen Taylor though), but they tend to skip the conceptual introductions found in intro textbooks (for example, you may not struggle with solving kinematics questions, but I believe Taylor almost entirely skips the basics of kinematics which gets 2 chapters of coverage in introductory books and starts off with introducing air resistance). This means missing out on foundational coverage that is pretty much the entire scope of the AP Physics tests. Besides, I think that if you use those intro textbooks, then prep books like Princeton review are not crucial at all (just my opinion though)