Should You Take Physics in High School?
If you’re on the fence wondering should you take physics in high school, I’d bet money it’s not because you find the subject boring. It’s because somewhere along the way, you decided you’re “not a math person” — and physics has a reputation as the class where formulas come at you like a fire hose.
I spent 20 years teaching high school physics, another 15 tutoring and teaching online, and I can tell you: the formulas are the least important part of the class. And the students who are most afraid of physics are often the ones who end up loving it most.
The fear is almost never about physics
When a student or parent comes to me nervous about signing up, it’s rarely “I hate science.” It’s some version of: I’m not good at math. I won’t know which formula to use. I’ll fall behind.
That fear makes sense — it’s how physics is often taught. Here’s a scenario, here’s an equation, plug in the numbers. If you don’t instantly recognize which of twelve formulas applies, you feel stuck before you’ve even started.
But that’s not how physics actually works, and it’s not how I taught it.
Is high school physics hard? Forget the formula, look at the problem.
My approach was always the same: before we touch a single equation, what are you actually looking at?
A ball rolling down a ramp. A car braking before a stoplight. A raft moving through a current. What’s changing? What’s staying the same? What forces are acting on it, and in what direction? Once a student can see the situation clearly — once they can sketch it, label it, and describe what’s happening in plain language — the model practically builds itself. The formula isn’t the starting point. It’s what falls out at the end, once you understand the shape of the problem.
This is why physics is such a good fit for the “broader mix” of students I spent my career teaching — not just the AP-bound, math-confident crowd, but kids who were unsure about science and math altogether. Physics rewards careful observation and logical reasoning as much as it rewards arithmetic. Once students realize that, the math stops being the obstacle and starts being just the last step.
I saw this play out unforgettably with one student. She came into my class barely passing math, understandably anxious about how physics was going to go for her. We worked on reading a problem, figuring out what she was actually trying to find, and building a model that matched the situation. Once that clicked, she didn’t just pass — she excelled. She learned to look at a scenario, pick out what mattered, and work toward a solution with real confidence. That confidence didn’t stay in my classroom; her math grades came up too. Nearly 25 years later, she still tells people physics was her favorite class in school.
That’s not a rare exception. That’s what happens when a student stops hunting for the “right formula” and starts learning to see. This is what we teach in our Physics Bootcamp, helping students gain the confidence they need to succeed.
Why this matters beyond the report card
Physics is one of the few high school subjects that’s explicitly about building mental models of the real world — and that skill doesn’t stay contained to the classroom. I once worked with a group of fellow teachers to build an interdisciplinary lab where students studied the physics of whitewater rafting the Genesee River — currents, forces, motion, real water, real stakes. It’s the kind of project that only works if students have learned to look at a messy, real situation and ask “what’s actually going on here” rather than “which formula do I need.” That habit of mind is what physics builds, and it’s useful well past graduation, in whatever field a student eventually chooses.
So, should you take physics in high school?
If you or your student are weighing physics against another elective and math anxiety is the thing holding you back, take that concern seriously — but don’t let it be the deciding factor. The math in a well-taught physics class is a consequence of understanding, not a prerequisite for it. Students who go in worried about formulas often come out with more confidence in math, not less, because they’ve learned to approach problems instead of fear them.
My honest recommendation: add physics to your high school program. It’s a subject that teaches you how to think about the world, not just how to solve for x.
Frequently asked questions
Is high school physics hard if I’m not good at math? Not in the way most students expect. A well-taught physics class starts with understanding the situation, not the formula — the math follows once the concept is clear. See our companion post, “Can I Learn Physics If I’m Bad at Math?”, for a deeper answer.
What grade should you take physics in high school? This varies by school, but physics is commonly taken in 11th or 12th grade after Algebra 1 and Geometry — though, as covered above, strong algebra skills help but aren’t required to succeed.
Does taking physics actually improve your math skills? Often, yes. Applying math to real, physical situations tends to make abstract math concepts click, which is why many students see their math grades improve alongside their physics grades.
Robin DeMarco holds a B.S. in Physics with minors in Mathematics and Earth Science, and an M.Ed. in Physics Education. Over a 20-year high school teaching career plus 15 years of tutoring and online instruction, Robin has helped hundreds of students — including many who came in doubting their math and science abilities — discover a real aptitude for physics. Robin is a Cable in the Classroom Crystal Apple award recipient for interdisciplinary curriculum work.
Curious whether physics is the right fit for you or your student? Take the physics readiness quiz