In freshman year, students can take regular or advanced biology. In sophomore year, students can take regular or advanced chemistry. However, when students want to take physics, they are given the choice of either AP or regular. 

For most people, physics is the hardest course at Ladue. Unlike biology or chemistry, physics relies more on understanding concepts in depth and utilizing mathematical equations in order to solve free response questions. So why is it that one of the hardest courses at our school doesn’t provide the option of regular or advanced before jumping right into AP Physics?

Starting off a year in AP Physics Mechanics, students are first introduced with the idea of kinematic equations, a subfield of classical mechanics that describes the motion of points, bodies, and systems of bodies without considering the forces that cause them to move. Without a strong base using kinematic equations, students may struggle more with the upcoming units: momentum, forces, and work. 

By having an advanced class for physics to compare with the regular class, students will be able to build a sturdy foundation to ease into AP Physics. For many students, they see regular physics as a class for people who don’t have much confidence going into AP Physics. AP Physics is seen as a challenge and often times very intimidating. However, by putting in an advanced class, students will be able to better prepare themselves for the mountain of terror known as AP Physics. 

Through the development of an advanced physics class, not only will more students be willing to take AP Physics, students are more likely to succeed by having already built a sturdy physics foundation. Providing the option of an advanced physics class will allow Ladue students to excel and achieve higher results by preparing them for a world of Newton’s laws, energy, and projectiles.