<p>Hi everyone!
So I'm currently a high school sophomore at a VERY competitive high school in New England. I'd say I'm a decent student- not a genius, but I still do well overall.
Last year was a pretty good year. I got A's in all my classes, and took all honors (APs aren't allowed for freshman).
And now sophomore year is here... and I took on one more honor and an AP.
So my schedule this year is:
Algebra II Honors
Spanish III Honors
Band Honors (weird, i know haha!)
Chem Honors
World History II Honors
English 10 Honors
and, AP Stats.</p>
<p>So anyways, I came into this year feeling that I'd do pretty well. After all, an extra honors and one AP isn't too bad.
But I didn't do well first quarter.... I got A's in all my classes except for History, where I got a B+, and Stats, where I got a C+.<br>
It was kind of traumatic haha, because I've ALWAYS made high honors. Not a huge accomplishment, but it's still a big deal that I dropped from A's and A+'s to A's, a B+, and a C+.
The thing is, I know I can do better in my other classes if it's not for Stats. The class itself isn't THAT difficult, and I put in a lot of work, but I'm still not making the grades I want. My other classes are slipping as well- I thought I'd do better second quarter but I haven't been...</p>
<p>So my question is, should I drop AP Stats? It'd get marked on my transcript as a WD, but the 79 wouldn't be on my GPA. As for pulling the grade up, I doubt I can because I recently bombed a quiz I thought I did well on.
To top it all off, I spent a lot of time on extracurriculars each week- Mock Trial for 6 hours a week, Speech and Debate for 3 hours, music for 4, and staying after for things like Amnesty/SADD. I know it's not a lot compared to some people, but I can't handle the workload and do as well as I'd like.
AND I've been told it looks awful to drop a class for college admissions- is this true?
So my question is ultimately-
Should I, or should I not, drop AP Stats?</p>
<p>You are taking AP Statistics as a sophomore? Thats bizarre, at my school only seniors are allowed to take it…
Either way, my suggestion is to tough it out. work harder. bring the grade up. Colleges love to see improvement in classes like that, and quitting won’t be viewed favorably by adcoms.</p>
<p>If five classes is a normal load at your school, I would drop it. Five A’s is better than six grades ranging from A’s to C’s. This is assuming that your transcript won’t reveal that you took it for a whole semester before dropping, and that your whole year grade is averaged together. Even if you end up getting a B- rather than a C, adcoms won’t see the improvement, they’ll just see a B-.</p>
<p>Yup, that’s the one AP allowed for sophomores at my school.
Colleges wouldn’t see my first quarter grade though… just my final grade. And that’s just the thing, I’m scared I won’t be able to bring it up.
Thanks, though! Definitely helpful.</p>
<p>5 core classes is the normal load at my school, yes. And it will show I took it for some time and then dropped- that’s because first term grades have been sent out already. If I had dropped it a month earlier, it wouldn’t be.
But HOW bad does it look? I mean, is it like I wouldn’t get into a decent college? I’m just not sure about what kind of message dropping sends out.
I guess another question would be: Which looks worse, dropping a class, or getting a C+/B- by the end of the year? (not to mention my other classes will suffer because of this class)</p>
<p>What exactly will be on the transcript sent to colleges if you drop? If they just know that you withdrew at some unspecified point, that’s no big deal. There’s nothing wrong with taking a class for a little while then deciding that it isn’t for you. Getting a C is definitely worse, especially with other grades being lowered on top of that.</p>
<p>Worst of all would be if they see that you got a 79 in your first semester AND that you dropped it.</p>
<p>If you go to a top school which has dedicated admissions counselors, try asking one of them. They would have a better idea than anyone else how people from your school with all kinds of stuff on their transcript fare.</p>