<p>On my UC Berkeley application I put down that I would be taking Pre-Calculus 2 my 2nd semester of my senior year. However due to problems with my school i was put into Pre-Calculus 2 3 weeks into the semester. After missing 3 weeks of the course it is a little hard for me to catch-up and I am considering dropping the class and adding a computer programming class instead. A got an A in Pre-Caculus 1 and have a high GPA. Will UC Berkeley rescind me for dropping the class? I would still be taking 6 classes (AP Econ, bio 2, american lit 1, american democracy, etc.) Also do I have to report this change to UC Berkeley immediately, and how greatly will this effect my admission to Berkeley?</p>
<p>Yes, you should report it before summer but in my opinion this won’t lead to any problems. Personally I wouldn’t report it now, waiting instead until decisions are released and you decide to attend Cal (or not).</p>
<p>Verification of the classes actually completed happens only after Cal offers a spot and the student accepts. However, if the classes that are taken are different from the declaration on the admissions application, the school can rescind the admission. Over the summer incoming students will be asked to submit a final transcript which Cal uses to verify the classes.</p>
<p>The reason they care is that part of the admissions decision is based on the rigor of your high school workload. Those who challenge themselves, take on more work and tougher courses, who take advantage of the opportunities at their school, are considered more likely to get maximum advantage out of a school like Cal. If someone lists a ton of AP, honors and other tough courses, but drops them to have an easy senior year, they will feel they had selected the wrong applicant. Thus, rescinding.</p>
<p>However, in your case, the courses are similarly difficult, you didn’t lower the overall workload, and you have a reasonable answer - scheduling problems at your school meant you couldn’t be in the class at the start of the semester. These situations are not uncommon and don’t lead to a rescinded offer. It is the unjustified changes and the obvious downgrade of work level that worries Cal (and is the spur to rescind). </p>
<p>Now, neither course is going to make a difference in admission and I can’t imagine an admissions officer thinking that they would have chosen differently had they only known you would take programming instead of precalc. Thus, I wouldn’t confuse things by sending in notification right now. Let them make their decision in due course and notify later to avoid issues when your transcript is verified this summer. If you had taken a significantly more difficult class or added to your workload, that might have improved admissions chances and would be worth an immediate update (although no guarantee it would be considered). </p>
<p>Overall advice to any applicant - schedule change that is harder, more impressive should be reported immediately (it is to your advantage). Any other change, don’t do anything until decisions are announced. Then, make the report if you plan to attend Cal. Finally, if you did a major downgrade, it is akin to senioritis, which also can get you rescinding. Failing a class or getting less than 3.0 UW average in any senior year semester is also grounds for rescinding an offer. If any of these face you, either have a very good explanation and be willing to gamble on a late rescind (as in perhaps after you arrive in the Fall), or just attend a different college.</p>