by Lower Columbia College

Question by Asjj Pisk: Do colleges look at if you took physics?
Next year is my senior year. I have to pick between Honors Physics or AP Psych. If i take AP Psych I feel that I can get a B or an A because I have an A in honors psychology. I feel that I can get a B in physics honors. But I heard that colleges look at physics. Is that true?

How important is physics? I plan on taking AP Bio so I will still have a science my senior year. AP Psych will also boost my GPA because I believe I can get an A/B in that class. I have a 3.7 weighed gpa.

Best answer:

Answer by pj
Physics is a science, while Psychology is a social science – but you knew that, right?

So what you need to do is look at some college admissions pages and figure out what they are looking for in freshman admissions.

Example 1: UCLA http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/Adm_fr/fracadrq.htm

Especially notice section D – Laboratory Science and section G College Preparatory Electives. Psychology would fall under section G. If you have the other two sciences covered for section D then physics may not be necessary (but it would also count as a plus for section G)

Example 2: Oregon State http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/admission-requirements-0

Page down to the table for required subject area courses. For the Science category it pretty much says the same thing as UCLA.

Example 3: Texas A&M http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshmen/gettingin/requiredHSCourses/courses.aspx

They’ve recently upped the ante and made 4 years of science a necessity.

Here’s something to think about… what will you be majoring in? If you think that you’re headed toward a major in one of the sciences – go for the physics class. If you think that you’re leaning more towards a social science major – take the psych class.

Also do a little more homework as far as exploring your college choices. Once you’ve narrowed it down a bit, then it gets easier to see what is required on each college admissions site.

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