<p>My son just called me from school. It is the beginning of his second week and he says he is overwhelmed with the amount of work. He is a junior and is taking calculus, Honors Chemistry, and Honors Spanish 4. He would like to drop down to regular Spanish 4. He has been in honors Spanish since Spanish 2 and got a B+ in Honors 3 last year. The instructor felt he seemed a bit lost, though, and suggested he go with non-honors this year. He did not want to go off the honors track, so he asked if he could stay in the honors class. The instructor acquiesced. Now my son is not so sure. He is concerned about how this will look to colleges (dropping down to non-honors). His instructor told him he could take AP if he gets an A in the non-honors section. I suggested dropping the honors chemistry, but he says he likes it. Thought, comments, suggestions?</p>
<p>Keylyme- I feel for your son. The amount of work that they pile on junior year truly IS overwhelming. I would drop down to the regular section in Spanish rather than Chemistry. but ultimately it should be up to him and his advisor to decide. I had a normally straight A kid making a C in Spanish 3 honors, dropped down to regular in the middle of the year and ended up with an A on the transcript with a lot less distress. Didn’t hurt at all in college admissions. Just our experience.</p>
<p>Spanish is a class you can lose control over very quickly, I would drop down. I made the mistake of not dropping down my junior year and paid the price with my grade. I believe your sons a soccer player right? Wouldn’t want to kill that GPA, it really doesn’t look to bad on the transcript.</p>
<p>In my opinion, I would recommend preserving honors chemistry, rather than honors Spanish, if he needs to decide between the two. Languages come more easily to some people than others. Staying with the language shows persistence, and I don’t think he’d hurt his transcript by dropping down a level.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all your advice. It is sound, and it does make sense to me. I will call him (after study hall) and see if he’s come to the same conclusion with his advisor. Hopefully, he can switch out tomorrow.</p>
<p>My daughter had the same issue. She was an A student in Spanish at her public school but upon transferring to boarding school as a junior she found the Spanish classes were advanced beyond the material she’d learned. With our approval she opted to drop down to the next lower level and it didn’t hurt her at all - she’s now enrolled in a top 5 university. I should note, however, that she’s in the sciences/engineering so it may have been less important for her than it would have been for someone with more of a humanities focus.</p>
<p>Padre…my son actually moved up to honors when he started boarding school; unusual, I suppose, but he repeated the level he had done in public school at the honors level. I don’t think he really knows what his focus will be in college; his thoughts on that change freqently.</p>
<p>Interesting - and a bit courageous in the first place to increase the level of difficulty upon entering BS. Since he stepped up and got a B+ last year he’s already shown he can perform at that level so I don’t think dropping down will reflect poorly on him (no declining performance red flags) unless modern languages are related to his post-secondary academic goals. Furthermore, he’s taking a difficult course load so it’s apparent he’s not one to shy away from a challenge.</p>
<p>However, if you are concerned about it I’d recommend a chat with the college counseling office at his school before making a final decision. They’ve undoubtedly seen such situations before and are acquainted with how admissions personnel perceive small variations in a student’s transcript. I suspect they’ll say it’s a very minor issue compared to his overall level of academic performance and the interests/passion exhibited in essays, but it’s better to hear it from the experts.</p>
<p>Padre, Foreign Langauge (and all courses, I’d be willing to bet) are more rigorous at his prep school than at our public. My older son had already taken French I and, even though her received an A, the school wanted him to take French I again. He did and it was much more difficult; I believe he got either an A- or a B+. My younger son had already taken Spanish I and II in public school and was very strong (for their standards). He was required to take a test at the prep school and we inquired whether redoing Spanish II at the honor’s level or regular Spanish III was the best route. They advise jumping on the Honor’s track, but with the same level. It worked out well; I think he got an A- for II and the B+ for III, but he just feels overwhelmed (and it doesn’t help that he started the class 3 days late because he was initially in regular Sp. IV (where he should have stayed).</p>
<p>If he’s feeling more comfortable and thus is able to perform to his abilities across the full spectrum of a very challenging academic schedule, then I’m sure you’ll look back and consider it a very wise decision. Good luck to him.</p>
<p>Language, alas, is not considered one of the prime academic subjects by colleges (unless you are applying as Language major) so your son shouldnt have an issue dropping out of honors into the regular track, especially if he gets a 4 or 5 on the AP. By the way, while I know the junior year is tough with a lot of tests, etc, no one can “allow or disallow” him to take the AP. If he feels he knows the subject, took a practice test or two, he’s good to go, just pay your fee. Even if he gets a 1 on the test, it means nothing since you dont list AP grades on college applications, unless they are stellar. You only submit the official AP transcript to the college once you are enrolled, so they may “place you out” of a requirement.</p>
<p>He doesn’t care to be “placed out” of any courses; there wouldn’t be much point of that as he is planning on playing his sport in college so won’t want to graduate early or anything like that. He is taking AP courses so he can show that he is taking a high level of difficulty in his courses.</p>
<p>keylyme…since when does the school get to dictate which of its kids are llowed to take AP Exams? It was my understanding that any kid who wants to take an AP is free to do so, however well or poorly prepared he or she may be…</p>
<p>I never mentioned taking the exam; I was talking about taking an AP course. Entrance to the AP classes at my son’s school are based on selectivity. For instance, there was an application and an essay for the entrance to the AP US History course. Other AP courses are by teacher recommendation and grade in a previous corse. I think this is pretty much across-the-board isn’t it?</p>
<p>I mentioned taking the AP exam as one possible way of showing colleges that you even if you didnt take the more rigorous level of Spanish, you still were able to make a high grade on the AP. An yes, most schools place kids in AP classes based on teacher recommendation, but there are some schools where (for instance) the only History one may take in 11th grade is AP US. And some schools that dont have any AP classes, but a majority of kids still take the AP exam.</p>
<p>At my son’s school, they do offer a wide variety of AP’s (although it sure does seem one might be qualified to take some AP exams withouth the AP course because the classes are all quite thorough and rigorous. That doesn’t mean they necessarily cover the AP test content, I suppose). I just want to make sure that he is taken the most rigorous course load he can successfully handle. Not too interested in the exams as a reason to place out of intro courses in college, but if his counselor feels it is important to take exams as a way of boosting college apps (with good scores), then he will do so.</p>