Explore challenging physics and develop powerful problem-solving skills.
The Advanced Physics Club (APC) is a free program for motivated high-school students in grades 9–12. Students solve carefully selected problems, compare approaches, and discuss the physical ideas behind their solutions. Problems range from accessible but surprising questions to challenges from PhysicsBowl, the F=ma exam, and national and international Physics Olympiads.
Club information
- Students: Grades 9–12
- Location: Stony Brook University campus
- Meeting time: Sundays, 3:00–4:30 p.m.
- Format: Primarily in person, with occasional online meetings
- Cost: Free
- Eligibility: Open to any high school students, SchoolNova enrollment is not required
The exact campus location and online meeting information will be provided to registered students.
What happens in the club?
Meetings emphasize active problem solving rather than lectures. With guidance from the instructors, students learn to model physical situations, identify essential principles, use estimates and limiting cases, and present clear solutions.
Topics may include mechanics, oscillations, gravitation, fluids, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, and other areas of physics.
Preparation and expectations
APC is a problem-solving club, not a replacement for an introductory physics course. Students should already know some basic physics or be learning it in parallel through a course or independent study. They should be comfortable with algebra and willing to review unfamiliar concepts on their own when necessary.
Prior competition experience is not required. Curiosity, persistence, regular participation, and a willingness to learn are more important than extensive prior training.
Instructors
APC is organized by SchoolNova at Stony Brook and led by faculty, researchers, and students from the Stony Brook University community. Members of the instructional team include experienced physics educators and former participants in high-level physics competitions.
Examples from previous meetings
Recent meetings have explored motion, Newton’s laws, conservation principles, rotation, oscillations, gravitation, fluids, electrostatics, circuits, and magnetism.
View problems from our 2025–26 meetings.
How to join
To ask a question or request enrollment, email apc@schoolnova.org. Please include the student’s name, grade, school, and a brief description of their physics background.
Inquiries from students, parents, teachers, and counselors are welcome. Please spread the word, and if you think you might be interested or know someone who might be interested, be sure to contact us!