<p>We're in a real bind. We moved overseas before our daughter's senior year so we didn't know the school or system we were entering into well enough to avoid this problem. Our daughter is enrolled in three IB classes and one regular class at her school, and two AP classes with CTY Johns Hopkins via interrnet. We've discoverd it's way too much for her to handle on top of the adjustment of our move, college applications, and a long-terrn eating disorder we thought was gone but which has reared its head. She is a highly gifted kid with learning disabilities who has had many struggles in school but genuinely loves learning. SAT scores were 700 CR, 750 math, 740 writing. She is a science kid with strong EC's (e.g. 2 years interning in a lab, etc.) She has applied ED to Vassar (we think she has a good shot there), and will also apply to Amherst (legacy), Brown (big reach), Haverford, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Kenyon, Grinnell, Mt. Holyoke, Bates. </p>
<p>Can we do anything about her course situation? She can't drop a school class, and has been maintaining A's and A-'s in those classes (weighted these are 4.5 type grades in top 10% of class). I'm assuming the flexibility, if there is any, would be in the distance courses. She already sent her Vassar app which mentions the courses she is enrolled in. So if she drops one of the distance classes now, would she need to tell them? It wouldn't show on her transcript as that is produced by the school. Also, I figure we better make this decision before she applies to the other schools RD so she can list the proper courses on the common application and not have to explain to those schools later. </p>
<p>The class she would drop is probably AP Chem. She will take Chem in college no matter what, but thought she should take it this year to show she is science oriented as she already maxed out in Biology and iit would show she is now pursuing most challenging classes in science. Thus she was taking it purely for the impact of having challenging courses on her schedule. She is very interested in the topic, but was ill prepared by her old school's integrated science for the CTY class and is also finding an internet class hard to learn from as she does best with human interaction (the reason she is applying to small LACS only). Do you think there is any way out for her? </p>
<p>We want to be honest with Vassar she would obviously need to tell them at some point - I just wonder if right now is the worst time as they will just be starting to review applications. Maybe she should wait to drop the class until after she is potentially admitted? Or should she stay in all classes, suffer all year and get a C or two? There aren't even any decent tutors in this country to help her through the material and the teachers at her school aren't allowed to tutor kids outside of school. So we are in a pretty hopeless situation.</p>
<p>can she take the CTY courses pass/fail? that could be an option to lighten the load without dropping courses. That also covers you as far as transcripts and what you told Vassar -- since she would still be enrolled.</p>
<p>If it were me, I would do whatever I could to keep the grades high at the physical school and take a lower grade (at least a C) in the CTY classes. I think that this could be explained easily enough as a combination of distance learning and the move. It is clearly not senioritis. I would not say a word to Vassar about it.</p>
<p>My recommendation, Drop the class now, do not list it on the RD schools,
Tell Vasser about the drop, and the reason- stress of move and overload and uncomfortable with online for this material, no later than mid-year report date.</p>
<p>I would definitely let her drop the class. Her health is more important than her class load, which is already very impressive. </p>
<p>To me, this seems like a case where the parents might write a brief note to admissions rather than the child to explain the situation, without mentioning her eating disorder or any signs of struggle on her part. I would say that DD did not want to drop the course but that I insisted because she was too competitive, staying up late night after night studying, and that I was concerned about her health. Or something. Maybe your DD's GC can help you come up with something that will put your DD in the best light. </p>
<p>My DH went to Vassar and loved it. I hope she is accepted and has a wonderful time there!</p>
<p>I would suggest dropping the distance course(s) but not blaming it on DD's health, overload, etc... Instead say that distance courses turned out not to be suited to D's learning style or that the fit between D and tutor not great, etc...</p>
<p>AP Chem is in fact difficult to do as a distance course because of the lab requirement.</p>
<p>My D had a different but similar situation in that she took EPGY Calc B and C (2 and 3) her senior year and listed it on her senior schedule that went to all of her colleges. She hated the course, hated the online learning experience (no contemporaneous feedback, hideously slow grading) so she didn't take C or 3 second semester as she had indicated she would. </p>
<p>She was concerned as her mid-year report had gone out showing the class still there. She asked the GC to write an amended mid-year report and that was submitted. No problems came of it. </p>
<p>Her GC said on the amended report that my D was doing "independent study in calculus as the distance course was not meeting her needs" or some such. Now it is different in that my D had finished Calc B with an A, and was still planning to self-study the BC test, but I think the idea of an amended senior schedule still has merit.</p>
<p>It should be through the GC (stay away parents ;))and I agree that the excuses do not need to be there-just "it wasn't meeting her needs".</p>
<p>hmm ... I have no idea what your daughter should do and I'm sure you'll help her figure it out. I would recommend this ... for this problem focus on the here and now and don't make this decision based on the implications on her college applications ... figure out the best thing to make her current situation work out well. She has done terrific work and will be an amazing candidate with or without one or two more courses on her application ... figure out what she needs now and the college application thing will work out fine.</p>
<p>I agree with Mominva. Now is a great time to drop. Just explain it to Vassar right away. Do not mention the health issue- just that the online nature of the course was not working out very well under her present circumstances. She is a great candidate without that course and does not need it. They will likely not hold it against you at all- especially with an international move and a school change and maintaining one other online course. I think that she is doing great.</p>