Chem II AP - Is it worth it?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>Okay, so, and I've been in Chem II AP for almost a month now, and I'm failing. I recently started putting in more hours to bring up my grade and catch up in the class, but I'm also neglecting my other classes. Is it worth the struggle? Should I work my butt off to get maybe a C or B in the class, with the possibility of getting Bs in other classes (I'm taking 3 other AP classes), or would it be okay to trade it off for a study hall class?</p>

<p>I've been told taking this class would make my transcript appear more "competitive", and I do like the class, but I'm not sure if I should stick to it or drop it in exchange for possibly all As and more time for extracurriculars/less stress. </p>

<p>Any advice? </p>

<p>Thanks. :)</p>

2

<p>Oh, and I’m a Junior</p>

3

<p>Hey, I’m a only a senior at High School, but I’ve written my thesis on exploiting the GPA system at our school, and I passed the AP Chem test with a 4, so I feel that I am at least somewhat qualified to answer your question.</p>

<p>First of all, you’ve been in the class for a month which means you’ve gotta get a note from the principal, counselor, your parents, and the teacher to get out of the class.Additionally, the fact that you dropped the class will show up on your transcript. Depending on the college you are applying for will depend on how they view it, but your choice can basically be broken into two possible decisions.</p>

<p>Choice 1) You drop the class, life is easier for you, but you will have to explain it if you ever get into an interview, and “it was really hard, and I had lots of stuff going on” is not the best way to get an interviewer to love you. On the upside, your GPA and Class Rank will be unscathed by AP Chem.</p>

<p>Choice 2) You stay in the class and you pull a B, a B in an AP class is nothing to be ashamed of, and the majority of the students in my class last year made B’s. In fact, I was the highest with a 92 =/. Colleges may see this B and wince a little bit, but a lot of them will see that you have challenged yourself, especially if you have otherwise A’s. </p>

<p>Here’s my personal advice, stay in the class. At my school most of it was labs and classwork, it wasn’t easy, and everyone has a subject that they have to go and see the teacher and ask for help for about a week before they get it (mine was buffers), but there was little homework, as most of us did not have access to Bunsen Burners and Titrating Pipettes at home. It will add stress to your life, and it’s arguably one of the hardest AP tests, but it’s well worth it.</p>