Hey there,
I am a HS sophomore and taking AP Calc AB. I find it very fast paced and also am taking few other tough APs so wondering if its ok to drop and get a W/N now instead of getting a B (need to work hard) in the first semester. I am a very hard working kid but just feeling over whelmed after a year of virtual to transition plus first year of APs. Would this hurt my chances applying to top schools (always been a 4 and some good ECs) if I drop now and get a W/N on the transcript? Should I instead work and try very hard to get my sem 1 grade up to a B. Any thoughts on which would be a better thing to do out of experience will be appreciated. Thanks
Dropping a course because you might get a B is never a good look.
A student taking calc in 10th grade is very far advanced in the math progression, and that may be part of the problem, particularly if you raced through the curriculum and did not get a solid foundation in precalc.
There are plenty of online resources, though, to help guide you, including Khan Academy. I would try those before dropping.
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Thanks yes I am definitely willing to work hard but just have a week to decide whether I drop or continue the class. I am just worried if I make a B in first semester is that a bad thing for top colleges? I will definitely put in all it takes for Sem 2 but just trying to understand pros and cons of dropping vs. continuing and showing the progression. The teacher is willing to help me and is very understanding and wants me to succeed.
It may not be that great a look for someone three grade levels ahead in math to get a B in calculus AB (which is slower paced than college calculus).
However, it could be an even worse look to have dropped it.
Assuming you don’t have HS credit for precalc, which based on an earlier post you were planning on self studying, it’s fine to drop down to precalc and actually take the course and get a solid preparation for calc.
Alternatively, you can work your butt off and get a B, but the extra work you devote to calc may impact your other classes.
Your dilemma highlights a consequence for students trying to race through the curriculum and then hit a wall because they did not take the time to truly get a strong foundation.
However, if you actually have the credit for precalc, I think you need to suck it up, because withdrawing looks worse than a B.
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100% And the wall will most definitely be hit at one point or another.
OP- no single semester is going to change the trajectory of your life. So take the B, get a C, you will be the same person you’ve always been. If the class is messing with your mental health- drop it. If the class is going to prevent you from getting a good nights sleep- drop it. This is a great example of why doing things for the sake of college admissions (I assume that’s why you accelerated? Unless it’s just for the love of math) usually doesn’t pay out.
Take the classes you need to take in order to understand the material and cover the curriculum. If that means dropping down a level in math- do it. Or if the challenge feels manageable with some tutoring- then stick with it. But I wouldn’t let worries about college dictate what you do right now.
Especially if it involved “self-study”, as mentioned. I cringe every time I see this phrase.
Also see “The Calculus Trap” by Richard Rusczyx.
My bigger concern isn’t the grade but your ability to absorb - because if you get to the next level and you aren’t ready, then it’s a problem. A B is not worth dropping - but most importantly, don’t get ahead of yourself and it sounds like you might be - but if you can work with the teacher and get a B, I’d stay.
Happened to my daughter - she overshot after an A in Calc AB and had to drop Calc in college and now has a W.
I don’t think any of us can give you a fully informed opinion on what action to take but I can provide a personal anecdote (which I typically try to avoid) that seems relevant.
My kid was in a virtually identical situation to the one you describe his sophomore year. He had always been advanced in Math and never really felt challenged. As a sophomore he similarly found AP Calc AB daunting. Your dilemma and questions elicited feelings of deja vu in me.
He was entirely stressed out with the idea of getting a Fall grade of B. We discussed it far to much and similar to what I said above didn’t think there was a clear right or wrong answer. I finally asked him two questions;
Do you actually like math or are you just good at it? He responded without hesitation that he loved math.
I then asked why? He said because he thought of it as a riddle or puzzle and passionately spoke of how he enjoyed the certainty of solving problem sets and then proving himself correct. It was obvious the potential good grades or AP credit were just a form of validation but not his motivation. That discussion led him to conclude that if the grade wasn’t the motivation to take the class in the first place, it certainly shouldn’t be the reason to drop it.
After that conversation he dug in deep, worked with his teacher (and an upperclassman in his class) and managed a B in the fall. It wasn’t easy year but his final grade was an A- I think.
Fast forward 7 years and he is on track to graduate with honors from a very strong applied math program at an Ivy.
He seemingly never looked at math again as a graded class but as a set of individual intellectual challenges.
My point for you being if you have a passion for math go for it and do so without putting pressure on yourself. Work hard and in time your intellectual interest in the subject matter will win out and you should be able to enjoy the ride. If you are doing it just for the sake of doing it find a way to pivot to subjects that really peak your interest and go all in.
Don’t do what you think that others want to see, show them what really matters to you and don’t stress out if possible. Good luck!
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