My daughter took 6 APs class this senior year and now the mid-year grades are out, she ended up with Bs and Cs:
AP Calc BC - B+, AP Gov - B+, AP Stats - B, AP Lit - B, AP Physics C - C+, AP Bio - C
She should have taken a lighter course load, but it’s too late now. She got accepted into her 2 safety schools already, and waiting on regular decision for the rest - some are selective schools. Her school will send the Mid year report out to colleges soon. Because of the 2 Cs on the mid year report, we’re concerned that she will be rejected from most of the schools she’s applying, or maybe get rescinded from the schools that already accepted her ? Since AP Bio now has a C, should she drop it and has a withdraw passing on her transcript, or should she keeps it and stick it out ? I’m not sure which option would be better (or worse). She may be able to raise it to a B/B- by the end of the year, but for now, we’re just so worried what the mid year report with 2 Cs will do to her college admission chance. Will it be better to drop 1 C and just have 1 C+ showing up on transcript ? Thanks much in advance for any advice.
What are the schools she’s applied to?
Has she been admitted anywhere?
If she’s been admitted to rolling admission universities such as your flagship, they won’t rescind her for C’s.
However if she’s still expecting admissions results it’d depend on the universities and yes it may affect her acceptance results (many universities would think such a schedule foolishly hard and the C’s proof the student doesn’t know how to schedule.)
There were two mistakes made: 1° taking such an insane workload senior year (4 AP’s is sufficient for any college, even Harvard) 2° Taking Physics C AND AP Bio together - both are very time-consuming and intense, and shouldn’t be taken together.
I’d recommend dropping AP Bio and taking the W, as it’ll be better for admissions AND her life/work balance. She surely could take the study hall.
Don’t think there is a lot of risk of getting rescinded, but depends on the school.
For RD, probably better to withdraw but again depended on the selectivity of schools she’s applied to and what her gpa was before these classes.
Thanks for the replies. If she chooses to withdraw, does she have to notify all the schools ? and what a good way for her to tell them that it doesn’t seem she’s failing the class then withdraw ? I’m not sure if she should be writing or calling the school. The transcript will show a “WP” next to the course name though. The only issue with withdrawing from AP Bio is that she’s applying to many schools with Health/Science major, and also was accepted to a school with that major. She took AP Chem, Honors Chem, Honors Bio before though, so maybe it’s ok to drop AP Bio now ?
Physics she is right on the borderline between C+ and B-. Just need that .1% to be rounded up to a B-. Teacher goes by rule and won’t give that extra %, and she doesn’t want to beg. But doesn’t want to drop it either.
Do you think we should write or call the schools and find out what their preference ? How do we go about it ? I’m just afraid to make another mistake, either keeping the 2 Cs or dropping an AP course.
As the parent of a kid who went through the process a few years ago…I want to vent/commiserate a little here. Colleges say they want kids to take the most challenge schedule they can…but in the end, if they just do okay (sub A grades), they penalize them for that. It’s BS.
I can remember a Carnegie Mellon info session where I asked "Is it better to get an A in AB or a B in BC and the rep responded “It’s better to get an A in BC” without batting an eye.
FWIW, Daughter got in to CMU despite her B in BC but went to another school.
Why would you drop at this point- aren’t the mid year reports out? The multiple Cs will hurt her for the RD schools, do doubt. Did she have Cs on her first semester final grades? Is she happy with the schools she’s been accepted to? If so, stick it out and finish the course and try to do well on the exams so she can get credit.
It’s not bs, when you’re applying to colleges that will be rigorous once you’re there. How can it be about hs rigor, alone?
I think I’d say drop physics. Yes, you need to let colleges know. We’d need to know the colleges or the tier, but I think I’d phrase it as dropping to increase focus on others. Phrase it intelligently, so she sounds mature.
I’d stick it out. Withdrawing at this point is nonsense. Learn the material now, and if it comes up again in college at least your kid will have an idea of what’s going on and it should be easier the second time around.
I don’t think the Cs will really matter much if you are not applying to top 20 schools, just my opinion. If your kid has a bunch of good grades throughout high school and gets a couple of C’s its not like they are flunking out. It isn’t ideal, but it is what is.
Her school won’t send the mid year reports until mid next week. Her GC told us to check with colleges for preference to know for sure (WP or Cs). Her GC doesn’t know either, she said it depends, hard to tell, depends on the strength of her curriculum… she has 6 APs last year but doing fine, so maybe that’s why her GC allows her to continue with 6 APs this year. We just need to decide before the school send the Mid year reports out.
I think this is a tough time to get their attention an ask them to make this judgment call for you. If you even get through, you’re likely to get “adcom speak,” that vague talk that still leaves this in your hands. And I can’t imagine asking them would help any impressions.
There is no simple answer. The impact really depends on the tier.
I think it is pretty much done with at this point in the process. the bulk of the admission will be based on junior year and prior, The senior grades are used to ensure your still performing or maybe an upswing. I suspect from your post this is not an upswing. The thing to do would be to discuss all this the school GC. they know how to play the game and can best advise on what looks best.
Good luck and smart to include a few safeties in the college list. You know she will attend college!
OP, she’s in a place where her chances are in the hands of the gods, so to say. And it seems you live in an area that’s highly academically competitive. On another thread, this is your son or you have two seniors and the schedule similarity is coincidence?
If same, the 3 in chem can be an issue for stem, for the more competitive schools. We don’t know the grades last year.
I’m sorry, there are no easy answers. You may need to hug this child, ensure he or she knows there are still great possibilities. Because you can drop physics, show a WP (that’s not deadly,) but it still leaves the bio grade and maybe the chem 3.
Even without the 2 C’s, admission to some of the schools on her list is going to be very difficult with only B’s senior yr. In another post, you mentioned some C’s sophomore yr and UW gpa of 3.1, though a strong Jr yr GPA. Is this the same kid? If so, Penn State and VT are the only schools on that list that are realistic.
The schools won’t tell you. I really don’t think calling will help and it may actually actively harm her (since they’ll get the report card with WP and won’t know what for.)
But really, dropping one class and taking the WP is much better because it won’t impact her GPA (and therefore it won’t impact THEIR stats for admits).
Top universities consider rigor and unweighted GPA.
She can throw in a few (sometimes free) apps to academically oriented colleges (“A+ colleges for B students”) such as Allegheny, UNC Asheville, Wooster, Earlham, Juniata, Lake Forest, Muhlenberg, TCU, Washington MD (deadlines 2/15); later deadlines include: Austin College, Ohio Wesleyan, SUNY Albany, U Cincinnati, UScranton, UTampa, Washington&Jefferson, Agnes Scott, Loyola New Orleans. Run the NPC’s.
Right now, Penn State is her safety - can you afford the cost? It’s dubious she’ll get financial aid/scholarships. She’d probably do well there and they count a lot of AP’s if she wishes to “claim” the credits.
