physics and SAT subject test

[Eydie]

I'm considering doing physics HL in Year 12 (our school only divide physics SL/HL in IB2) and would like to take SAT II subject test for physics sometimes towards the end of Year 12. Having discussed it with my teacher he pointed out a number of topics in the subject test that are not covered by the syllabus. If any of you have taken the physics SAT based on what you've learned in the IB course, could you tell me if the 'untaught' part is significant and whether it's difficult having only studied the IB course?

Any comments would be appreciated!

[masochist]

Various classmates of mine are doing this. And I am doing it for biology and chemistry. Yes, there are fairly significant portions that have not yet been covered but you don't really have a choice if you want to apply to North American universities. Everything IS taught in IB sooner or later its just that you need them done before late fall and the IB course doesn't finish until next June. So yeah, use your study guides/text books and there will also be lots of resources online available to you.

[Eydie]

Hi Masochist

Thanks for replying - um I go to school in Australia so we actually have November exams, so there's only a few months difference.

Do people find it hard though (e.g. the style of question and the speed at which you have to answer? Physics in particular?

[masochist]

Oh wow thats fantastic for you then.

I don't think people find it more difficult than the actual IB exams. Its only a one hour test. So yeah, you should go for it.

[sweetnsimple786]

I don't know how useful my advice would be, but here it is. I took Physics SL but my teacher didn't teach from the syllabus. I felt that we went a little bit further than what we needed, except for the climate topic which we didn't cover...

Mechanics is a big deal. You have to be really comfortable with the kinematics problems and you should be able to do them relatively quickly. I recommend this site. It has a test prep book online and tests you can practice with all for free, though you do need to sign up for the tests, I think. And once you take a practice test, you'll know what you need to work on.

I took mine in June and school ended at the end of May, so I got a book [it was Princeton Review] and read it cover to cover. I knew the stuff, but I needed the review. And I needed to memorize the formulas. If I recall correctly, you aren't given any. Or maybe you're given the Big 5 [the kinematics equations relating a, x, v, and/or t]

I know you've still got a year to go, so you won't be able to gauge the results very accurately. Here's what I suggest: take SL. I keep hearing HL is a major pain. If you don't need to take this HL for uni, then don't. Self-study some of the material. I don't think being in HL will prepare you for it that much, and it wouldn't be worth it if you ended up hating HL just to take the test, ya know?

[Eydie]

Oh thanks so much! (forgot about this thread for a while - sorry). That site looks great, and I've ordered the Princeton Review book for physics. I'll get stuck into it sometimes later next year. I actually really enjoyed the HL topics for physics this year, so I think I'll continue with it. I've got a brilliant teacher so I think that's why!

[genepeer]

I did Physics HL Exam and SAT Subject Test in the same week. The topics not covered in IB are little: e.g. coefficient of friction, direct current, etc. I revised for my IB as normal and the day before the subject test I did a practice test from Sparknotes. I saw the few topics I needed to check, read them and I was good to go. But you do have to work on your speed; doing 80 questions in 1 hour is not easy!