Got a 5 on AP Physics C: Mechanics, should I skip PHYS 1301W at UMN CSE or retake it?
Incoming freshman in at UMN Twin Cities. I got a 5 on AP Physics C: Mechanics, which according to the UMN AP credit chart gives me direct credit for PHYS 1301W.
Some people have told me to retake 1301W anyway to “get used to how physics is taught at the university level” and build a strong foundation before 1302W. I see the logic, but it also feels like I’d be wasting 4 credits and a semester slot on material I already know well and especially since AP Physics C is already calculus-based.
Has anyone been in this situation? Did you skip 1301W and go straight into 1302W, or did you retake it? Did it hurt you or help you in 1302W and beyond (Physics III, thermo, etc.)?
For context: I’m want to be a ChemE major, so physics isn’t my core focus, but I still need to do well through the physics sequence. Would love to hear from students who’ve navigated this.