AB Calc AP: Drop or accept a D?

Applying to College
1

I’m in danger of receiving a D for the 1st semester in AB Calc AP. My counselor has suggested that I may want to consider dropping the course. She said that colleges HATE seeing D’s, especially if it might be for both semesters. But wouldn’t the colleges simply regard this as giving up rather than keep trying? Should I accept the challenge (and risk receiving D’s for 1st AND 2nd semester) or simply drop after the 1st semester?

Also, if I do get a D, should I notify colleges beforehand (ie before 1st semester ends) or wait 'til my final grade comes out? And how should I address the recipient?

I’m from California and am looking at University of Washington, UI-Urbana Champaign (as well as Chicago), Bentley College, plus a couple of UC’s (Irvine, SD, Santa Cruz, maybe a few more?), USC.<br>
I also received my acceptance letter from Purdue yesterday. If I submit my final transcript and it has 2 D’s on it, how much affect will this have? Will they suddenly change their mind and reject me?

2

<p>Drop it. They might reject you even if you write a letter with your explanation. It is way to risky.</p>

3

<p>I completely agree. Drop it. Hopefully you have 4-5 other solids already on that transcript. Your Purdue acceptance is conditional...and you have a better chance to keep it less on class than a D</p>

4

<p>Thanks for helping. Anyone else want to suggest anything?</p>

5

<p>Yeah... If you can't make an A in Calculus AB, don't even think about going to purdue for Engineering. You will flunk it bad.</p>

6

<p>Actually I plan to go to Purdue's Krannert School of Management. but thanks for the comment!</p>

7

<p>Drop the course because your overall GPA will plummet. You can always take a placement test to put you in the correct class when you get to college</p>

8

<p>D=death. (this message must be at least 10 characters in length)</p>

9

<p>Yo, masta chief dunt worry about it. What you should worry about is beating me on Halo 2 XBOX Live. :D</p>

10

<p>Thanks for everyone's help! If I do drop the course, should I write an explanation letter to the colleges I am applying to?</p>

11

<p>DROP IT!!!!!!! dont tell them anything.</p>

12

<p>drop it (D's aren't good). Also, get your teacher/counselor to say something about it if you think that that would help (and there was a specific reason why you got a D)</p>

13

<p>"DROP IT!!!!!!! dont tell them anything."</p>

<p>Wouldn't it show up on my final transcript as W(withdrawal)???</p>

<hr>

<p>So in addition to my explanation letter, I should ask my teacher/counselor to submit a short one as well?</p>

14

<p>[bump]</p>

<p>I would say drop it, but if your school shows it as W/withdrawal...I'm lost.</p>

15

<p>So everyone (or at least those who responded) thinks I should drop the course even if it will show up as a withdrawal on my transcript?</p>

16

<p>It's better to drop than receive a D. Definitely. But you may want to go into a lower level math - should take a math course every year.</p>

17

<p>I dropped my statistics course -- going to defer it til next semester at Community College. Still taking 2 other math courses, so its fine.</p>

18

<p>Dont be discouraged either i wasnt ready when i took it...first time I took Calculus in high school i struggled with either a C or a D and I dropped it first half...part of it was because i was incredibly unmotivated or an idiot..i dont know...i was addicted to web design and video games at the time ;) i am learning disabled.. coming outta HS, i did one year at a mediocre college and got an A+ in Calc I and then I applied to Yale univ Summer Program to take Calc 2 with a bunch of ambitious HS prepsters and got in...then with the help of daily 1on1 tutoring sessions, i took Calc2 at Yale this past summer and got an A....if i sent that transcript to my HS math teacher, she'd probably crap her pants</p>