What is the Avid Academy Physics Olympiad Training Program?

The Avid Academy Physics Olympiad program focuses on four primarily objectives:

• Stimulate the love of science.  We focus on scientific investigation, problem solving and better understanding of our physical world.  By studying physics early, a student will have better opportunities to engage in high school science research and participate in competitive research-based summer programs.
• Showcase talents in physics competitions.  We prepare students to participate in Physics Olympiad, Physics Bowl and other physics related competitions.
• Achieve academic success through Physics First.  We uniquely integrated AP Physics curriculum with Physics Olympiad exam to achieve the best synergy in learning and effort.  Last year, 7 students in our Intermediate Physics Olympiad class took the AP Physics C exam and 6 of them received 5, the highest passing score.  Two of them are 9^th grade students.
• Prepare for success in college. Most colleges, including Ivy League schools, will accept AP Physics C exam (4 or above for most colleges, and 5 for elite schools) as college credits.

In 2009, we have 3 students advance to the Physics Olympiad Quarterfinal and 2 students advance to the Physics Olympiad Semifinal.  Seven students took the AP Physics C exam.  Six of them received a score of 5 and one student received a score of 4.  Four of them are students in 9th and 10th grade.  In 2010, we have 6 students advance to the Physics Olympiad Semifinal and Jonathan Li made the United States Physics Team.

Our training program consists of 4 levels:

• N210 – Introductory Physics Olympiad: This beginning class focuses on the conceptual understanding of physics principles.  It takes an Algebra approach to physics without trigonometry and calculus.  The problem difficulties are between SAT II Physics and AP Physics B.  It also prepares student to take the Physics Bowl exam in May.
• N220 – Intermediate Physics Olympiad: The class focuses on classical mechanics with trigonometry and some basic calculus.  It prepares students to take AP Physics C Mechanics exam as well as the Physics Olympiad Preliminary exam.
• N230 – Advanced Physics Olympiad: The class focuses on electronics and magnetism.  It prepares students to take the AP Physics C Mechanics and E&M exam.  It also prepares students to take the Physics Olympiad Quarterfinal exam.
• N240 – Physics Olympiad Workshop: The class prepares students to take the Physics Olympiad Semifinal exam.

The Physics Olympiad Compeition and USA Physics Team Selection Process

Physics is one of the most challenging subjects in high school.  Our problem solving approach to Physics not only prepares the students to succeed in their Physics classes, but also in their college applications with demonstration of passion, committment and results through extra-curriculum activities in physics competitions.

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) is responsible for recruiting, selecting and training the USA Physics Olympiad teams each year to compete in the International Physics Olympiad Competition.  The selection process consists of three phases:

• Preliminary Exam: 75-minutes, multiple choice exam on Classical Mechanics.  Top 400 students will be recognized and advance to the next round.
• Quarterfinal Exam: 60-minutes, free-response exam on Mechanics and Electrostatics.  Top 150 students will be recognized and advance to the next round.
• Semifinal Exam: 3-hour, free-response exam on all area of Physics: Mechanics, Electromagnetics, Thermodynamics & Fluids, Relativity, Nuclear &Atomic Physics, and Waves & Optics.  Top 20 students form the U.S. Physics Team.
• U.S. Physics Team Training Camp: The U.S. Physics Team members will participate in the nine days, all expense-paid, U.S. Physics Team Training Camp.
• U.S. Physics Team: The top five students and one alternate will constitute the U.S. Physics Traveling Team to compete at the International Physics Olympiad Competition.

Why Physics First?

In most schools, the science curriculum consists of Biology in 9^th grade, Chemistry in 10^th grade and Physics in 11^th grade.  However, many consider this curriculum to be outdated since it was introduced in the early 20^th century when biology consisted of botany, physiology, and zoology. 

Professor Leon Lederman, a Nobel Prize winner, promotes Physics First as an alternative science curriculum (Video: Professor Lederman discusses Physics First).  In Physics First, the first science class is Physics followed by Chemistry and Biology.  Modern biology emphasizes molecular methods, genetics, and biochemistry.  Modern chemistry emphasizes atomic structure, atomic energy levels and quantum theory.  Therefore, a good understanding of modern biology requires a chemistry background, and a good understanding of modern chemistry requires a physics background.

In a 2005 survey by American Institute of Physics, it was found that Physics First was adopted by 9% of private schools and 3% public schools.  In 2001, Project ARISE did a survey of schools that adopted Physics First curriculum and found the majority of them have been successful.  The curriculum became more successful when taken by students who have strong mathematical background.