So my first semester grade is for AP calculus is a 74 which is a d. My school has a policy that if you take one ap you have to take all of the ap classes. I wanted to take ap english and ended up in ap calculus too. I did bad in precalculus last year and got a c and was not recommended by the teacher to take ap calculus. How bad will this look to colleges for regular decision?
Also the school won’t let me drop the class without dropping down to basic levels for my other classes. My school only has basic or ap tracks.
Generally, the colleges want you to report such problems as soon as they occur, so that they can consider them in admission decisions. Not reporting can result in you getting admitted with conditions on maintaining acceptable senior year academic performance. This means that showing them a senior year D grade on your final high school transcript will put you at risk of having your admission rescinded.
Look at the “after you apply” info on the websites or in any emails you may have received from the colleges where you applied. Many require you to notify them of any schedule changes or grades below a C. Others will see it if they require a mid-year report. Nobody here can predict “How bad will this look” because different colleges have different policies, and even within a given college it is unlikely they have an iron-clad rule.
You need to face this directly rather than ducking and hoping things work out ok. If I were you I’d let all the colleges where you applied know, asking if it might affect your admission and if there is anything you can/should do to mitigate the effect. They may ask for an explanation, so you should give some thought to what you’ll say if asked. It’s better to find out now than in the middle of the summer when the college you selected sees your final grades.
Second, what is this policy about having to take ALL the AP classes offered? This is a fight you’re not going to win on your own. You need to get your parents involved here. They should be down talking to the principal explaining the teacher recommended against you taking it, you want to drop it and keep the others. AP classes are not the IB curriculum which is typically taken en-masse. All around the country kids choose what AP classes they want. What you’ve probably got here is a little Napoleon who’s made an arbitrary rule. Have your parents make clear that if the principal doesn’t let you switch out of Calculus and keep the others that they plan on speaking to the district Superintendent and school board. And mean it.
@Username97
Not gonna lie to you here, that might hurt your admission chances for some schools. However, it’s not the end of the world for you.
For example, I got a D in my APUSH class in 11th grade, considered the most important year for transcripts, on my mid year report. I’m sure this lead to some of the higher tiered schools on my list rejecting me, but, for the most part, almost all of the colleges I applied to accepted me.
I have to say that’s one of the silliest policies I’ve seen at a school.