<p>Next semester I'll be taking an extra English course at Wellesley College in order to fulfill graduation requirements (to graduate a year early.) Given that I'm already a bit overwhelmed with coursework, if I'd been guaranteed college acceptance (I've applied regular to MIT and Caltech), I'd drop APUSH after midterms for a regular-level history class. I mean, history is important, but I'd rather focus on fun math stuff and my science classes.</p>
<p>In theory, I guess I should just drop the class, do what I want to, and not worry about college... after all, if I don't honestly want to be taking the hardest courses available, then I probably don't belong at MIT or Caltech anyway. The thing is, I do like to work my tail off... I just like math and science a lot more than I do the humanities!</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm just looking for advice... to switch classes or to stick it out. Also, if by some absolute freak chance I had to prepare for Intel finals, would it be acceptable to drop APUSH then?</p>
<p>I think a better question would be do you really need to graduate a year early though you prolly applied for Fall 06. But i honestly dont think it would kill your app.</p>
<p>Well, I wouldn't have any courses to take next year (at least, no math/sci/german), and some of the fun hs stuff (Siemens, Intel, etc.) I'd be disqualified for by taking an extra year, so although I may not go directly to college I'm really don't want to spend another year in hs. I was planning to drop out, but I don't get a scholarship from Siemens unless I graduate. Er, not to be overdefensive :) you have a good point.</p>
<p>How would you be DQ'd by going senior year? You could always take another year of HS but just take all college courses off campus. Not trying to doubt you, its defiantly something thats very doable to complete math/sci by end of junior year.</p>
<p>Honestly if youre sure of getting accepted into a school youd like it wouldnt be much of a problem, but i dunno if junior acceptances are different than senior acceptances.</p>
<p>I'm actually a senior this year, since my school has approved my plans to graduate early, and both MIT and Caltech are okay even with juniors applying, so I guess all I can do now is wait and hope :)</p>
<p>I've considered just taking advantage of my hs's arrangement with Wellesley College and basically getting a year of tuition-free college... the only problem is that I'd get far enough ahead that I'd either end up having to do a lot of independent studying to learn the curricula of the corresponding courses at a math/sci school (not that Wellesley courses aren't as rigorous, but every school has a different approach), or I'd just have to retake the courses (which would be pretty frustrating). Since I'd eventually like to go into math, and I finished my hs's math curriculum as a freshman, I'm not so keen on the idea of spending yet another year here.</p>
<p>As for Siemens/Intel--if I don't graduate this year, Siemens takes my scholarship away (and most likely prevents me from competing next year, too). I assume that I'd lose senior status and thus Intel qualification as well. (And they're apparently accustomed to kind of weird situations, so there's a rule that you can't apply twice as well as one that you have to be a senior.)</p>
<p>Anyway, again, just an explanation... it's really not meant to be so defensive :) Say we view this as an impersonal hypothetical situation: Student is accepted to MIT, but drops to a regular-level humanities class after midterm grades are sent. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any advice regarding how MIT would view this?</p>
<p>wouldn't hurt to ask Matt or Ben, Kim. =) and I don't think it'll really hurt your app, especially since you're already taking an overall rigorous courseload.</p>