I’m dropping AP Environmental Science second semester because of the workload- although it may be an “easier” AP, the amount of busy work we get is overwhelming. I was wondering how bad this would look on my college application? I don’t want to look like I’m slacking, but I also know the rest of my course load is still challenging. However, I’m willing to stay in APES if it would look too bad; I just wanted to get a lighter hw load, and ironically APES is the biggest offender.
My intended major is Physics and my remaining second semester classes are listed below:
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science A
AP Statistics
AP Art History
AP Physics C (both)
AP English Literature
FWIW, which isn’t much, my kid was told by a college with a ~30% acceptance rate that dropping one AP class would not be an issue due to the rigor of her overall course load for the year. They advised her to put a note in the Other Info section of the Common App explaining.
The four years you need, (assuming it’s 4,) would be cores, not APES. You’ll need to tell the colleges, if you’ve already submitted your app with this class included for 2nd semester. And don’t say it’s because the workload is too much.
The impact dropping the class might have will depend on the selectivity of colleges you are applying to.
If you have already applied to colleges you will need to inform the admissions department of each college that you have dropped the class or you risk having your admission rescinded when they get your final transcript and realize you did not complete the class.
And have you taken four lab sciences without APES? If not you should check the common data set of each college you plan to apply to/have applied to and be sure you will have completed all of the recommended/required HS coursework without APES.