Do colleges look at both fall and winter quarter grades for dual-enrolled students? Fall? Neither?

Applying to College
1

I am taking a pretty hefty list of classes this fall quarter as a high school senior:

(Linear Algebra, Engineering Physics I/III, Computer Programming I-Java, and Humanities 101)

I also work as a tutor at my community college for 7 hours a week.

I was really beginning to feel challenged in my classes last year, but I still maintained a 4.0 at the college (Calculus III, Taylor Series, Technical Writing, Philosophy 101). This fall quarter however, I am having a much harder time juggling all my classes, work, and college apps. I have a physics midterm in three days and I feel like I am totally going to flunk it.

I don’t want to withdraw the course because I was planning on taking the whole Engineering Physics series (because this is the only way the credits are guaranteed to transfer to my state university: the University of Washington). I know I would be able to get a passing grade in physics (at least a C) and probably A’s in my other classes with maybe a B in Linear Algebra at the lowest, but I guess my question is,

“If my college grades go down due to a really difficult course-load, will this affect my college admissions? Will they even see these senior year grades?”

I have never gotten a C in a class, but I would rather take the less-than-optimal grade than withdraw and have to take it later.

I am also planning on taking 4 classes each quarter for the rest of the year.

Winter Schedule: (Differential Equations, Computer Programming II, Eng. Physics II, [insert a social science]

Spring Schedule: (Calculus IV, Algorithms/Data Structure (woohoo!), Eng. Physics III, [insert social science])

2

Your application to UW is due Dec 1st. You should report all grades that are official at that time.

Your acceptance would be conditional on receiving your final grades. One C probably won’t kill you, but don’t continue to slide. Adjust your schedule to something you can handle.

Good luck with your midterm! Don’t give up!

3

I have decided that I will withdraw from the Engineering Physics I/III this quarter and take it next quarter and not finish the series. The series is not a required prerequisite for CSE, only Physics I/III is. This way I will be able to focus on my math/cs courses, college applications, and my extracurricular. I just hope that the colleges will see it as a mature move on my part.

4

Note that a college will want to see your final transcript and can rescind an acceptance for subpar performance so even your second semester will be important.

5

That’s a polite way of saying what you are doing makes sense but don’t glide next semester. Get back to it.