Honors Physics to Become AP Physics 1

Although+the+Honors+Physics+class+has+been+replaced+by+the+AP+Physics+1+class%2C+AP+Physics+1+will+still+have+the+same+curriculum.

Jonathan Lee

Although the Honors Physics class has been replaced by the AP Physics 1 class, AP Physics 1 will still have the same curriculum.

Jonathan Lee and Ephraim Bantshi
March 13, 2023

Due to the changes the College Board made to the AP Physics 1 curriculum, Creek is offering the AP course next year by renaming Honors Physics to AP Physics 1.

This change to AP Physics 1 has left many students wondering what exactly the difference is from Honors Physics. The truth is, both classes are virtually identical in curriculum. 

“It was just the sequence [of Honors Physics] that didn’t match and now it does,” current Honors Physics teacher Jessica Olsen said. “We’re not making too many wholesale changes. We’re going to cut a couple chapters that are not on the test in order to get review time.”

According to current Honors Physics teacher Whitney Mernitz, some changes were made to tailor more towards an AP class.

“By reducing things a little bit, we can build more time for the review for [AP] test preparation,” Mernitz said.

However, students who have taken Honors Physics before the change do not get the AP credit for taking the class.

“I think that for juniors that are in the class, like me, it’s kind of screwing us over a little bit,” junior Taylor Haas said. “It just sucks that it was this year when I took it.”

Although it may seem unfair, science teachers, including Science Department Coordinator Stephen Smith, feel that this change is for the good of students in the future who are taking AP Physics 1.

“Some kids will certainly pay a price for that, however, for the benefit of all it seemed like the right thing to do,” Smith said.

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