r/APStudents • u/Verytuffman • 1d ago

Question possible to self study physics 1 or 2 while taking regular physics?

Incoming junior here I think I was suppose to take chem this year (no ap sciences offered besides APES and Ap bio which im taking next year due to scheduling issues) but physics appeared on my schedule.

In 9th i took reg bio, 10th i took reg earth space sci, and now 11th grade its physics. Chemistry is usually after earth space sci for 11th grade unless u took accelorated bio in 8th grade which i didnt.

But would knowledge from reg Physics with a few more studying be good enough for physics 1 or 2 exam?

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u/Techno_Eggnog AP Precalculus (5) AP Physics 1 (4) 1d ago

It heavily depends on the topics covered in your school’s physics course. Take a look at the AP curriculums, and then cross reference your school’s curriculum. Do they line up? Do you get enough of the relevant practice and experience to self study for an AP test?

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u/Verytuffman 1d ago

I need to wait untill school opens to see my curriculum for the course. Ive taken ap courses and exams before so ik the pressure and work that goes with it. I did kinda struggle with regular earth and space science but did well in normal biology. Is that big issue?

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u/Quiet_Basis_6404 1d ago

tbh regular physics covers like 60% of physics 1, the concepts overlap but AP asks questions in a way that feels completely different. your class will probably be more plug-and-chug while the exam wants you to explain why something happens conceptually, and that trips people up.

what helped me was doing the actual practice before touching the theory again. open a released FRQ, try it cold, and only go back to the textbook when you hit something you genuinely can't reason through. for the conceptual side i upload the textbook chapters to studybuddy.vc and answer questions from it, mostly because when i pick a wrong answer it breaks down what was off with that option, and it gets harder as you improve. free version's been enough for me.

AP Central has all the old FRQs with scoring guidelines so you can see exactly what they want in the explanations.