<p>Hey everyone. </p>
<p>I'm in the beginning stages of a three-year science research program, in which you pick a mentor, and with their help, conduct an independent experiment. So far, after being in the class a month, I've sort of picked an area of research, but I have yet to find a mentor. Already, I'm devoting much more time to this class than any of my other studies, and I am becoming increasingly stressed about it. My other grades are beginning to suffer because I have to be so focused on this class. </p>
<p>I want to stay in the program because it's prestigious and it has the potential to carry me to many awards. It also offers 12 college credits over the three years. Though, while I'm interested in the learning experience that the class has to offer, it's not my main focus, and I know that this means I'm taking the class for all the wrong reasons. </p>
<p>Because I'm terribly overwhelmed within the first month, while the workload has yet to get to its full potential, and because my other grades are dropping, my family has been trying to convince me to drop the class. I know that this is somewhat logical, because what good is this class on a college application when all of my other grades are crap? I'm just worried about losing the prestige and the credits. I don't know if Ivies would even bother to look at me without this class, but I know they definitely won't if my grades are below average. </p>
<p>I figured if anyone could offer any advice about this, it would be the rest of the over-acheivers on this site. So, help?</p>