Physics Pre Rec and Calculus Situation

[toilaa]

Hello all,

First post here - Glad to be a part of the community! I'm in a particular situation that I'm looking for some help and advice on.

I finished my undergrad with a Business Admin/Marketing B.S. with a 3.6 cumulative GPA. Since I had not completed the majority of my pre-recs in my undergrad being that it was a business route, I am currently doing so. I am taking 2 courses per semester because I am financially independent, working 35-40 hrs a week (weekend, actually, thanks to the restaurant life). This past semester I had taken Chemistry 2 and Calculus 1. Since my physical therapy decision was a post undergrad decision, I am playing catch up with time while simultaneously completing my volunteer hours (about 15-20 additional hrs a week). The last math/algebra/calculus-based course I had taken was in 2012, so needless to say I was extremely shaky going into this semester. Long story short, while contributing most of my very little free time (~60 hrs total work week) to really try and focus on my math, I was not able to do so to where it would hold my pre-rec GPA minimum. With the crazy semester schedule that I was not able to balance, I ended up having to drop the course last minute to save my Chem 2 grade and unfortunately received a W on my transcript. On a positive note, the office I had been volunteering at offered me a paid position at the end of the internship, which I accepted of course.

My motive for taking calculus 1 was only to be placed in the calculus-based physics... assuming that administrators would see I didn't take the easy way out on taking algebra-based physics. I had recently been advised by a friend that if a school does not require calculus as a pre-rec, they really will not care which version of physics you will take.

Background Pre recs completed so far:

Cumulative GPA 3.6
A&P 1 - B+
A&P 2 - A
Chem 1 - A
Chem 2 - C+ , sigh
Abnormal Psych - A
Business Statistics - B

I know the physics vs physics topic has been posted here, but I am looking for some advice on my particular situation. So, the questions I have are:
1. Do YOU think that administrators really do not care which physics you take? If they do, I should obviously continue and retake calculus.
2. Even if they don't care, would you retake calculus now and still aim for calc-based physics regardless to make up for the W on my transcript.
3. Or, am I thinking too much and should I save the stress, keep the W on my transcript for this past semester, not retake calc, and just take algebra-based physics.

Any opinions and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I hope this all made sense. Thanks for your input!

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[low5059]

Given the C+ and B's of your prereqs (and the fact most schools say just take an algebra based physics... others really don't care) I'd take the algebra based one & aim for more prereqs that you can get A's in. Don't stress yourself out over something you don't need/will never use again.

 

[slow_twitch]

I was originally an engineering major and took the calculus-based physics so luckily when I did that I also took regular calculus. With that being said I did not do well in the physics classes and learned quickly engineering wasn't for me. When I went back to finish/retake pre-reqs for applying I just took the algebra based physics instead of the calc based physics and no school seemed to have a problem with that. I would save the stress of the calc based class unless you really love the math because even algebra based physics is tough enough. If you want to retake a class, retake the chemistry 2 to erase the C. You dont always have to retake C's but I dont think it hurts to remove C's from pre-req classes if you have the time since pre-req GPA is heavily weighted at most schools

 

[Skyris]

There's a slight chance a school might notice the calc physics and be impressed by that, but it's totally not worth the extra work/risk involved. Getting a good GPA is far more important. If your GPA isn't high enough they aren't even going to read your application and see the calc physics. Many programs literally rank you by your GPA/GRE and invite to interview/review the details of your app based on that.

Save the stress, keep the W, and take algebra physics. Your pre-req GPA is in trouble and you need A's from here on out to be a strong applicant.

 

[ASUDevils]

I would imagine it will make no difference. Take the prerequisites that the school has listed and do the best you can. I had one W, it was never mentioned and I got in just fine. They just don't want to see a pattern of withdraws because that shows you are hiding poor grades. There are other ways to try and stand out. Learning Ohms Law and Loop Theorem on circuits in a Calc based class doesn't seem like the most effective way to stand out. Diversity in your observation hours however is a great way to stand out. Try for those tough to get gigs at the hospital. Best of luck to you.

 

[Grizzlyman]

I seriously doubt any school would notice if you did take calculus based physics. By the way, it really is not any harder of a class unless you do not know calculus. I took it and it was pretty similar to my buddy's algebra based class except for having to derive a few formulas.

i also took math stats and did not use my b-stats grade for pre-reqs as not all schools accept b-stats. It's an easy A and could greatly help your gpa.