Dropping AP Classes/Snr Ill - -Rescind EA Admission?

Parents Forum
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<p>OP- I would also entertain the notion that a kid who is hell bent on engineering may be less hell bent once he completes physics and calc. So maybe this is a blessing in disguise.</p>

<p>My kid had TWO years of HS physics and calc BC under his belt when he started MIT and it only took him until Tgiving to realize that he was not meant to be an engineer. So a kid who hasn’t really gotten his feet wet in either discipline may not really understand what he’s in for. And my son loved his required physics classes at MIT a whole lot more once he was taking them to complete the core, vs. taking them alongside the required engineering classes!</p>

<p>If it were me, I’d work with the HS and my son to find a way to maintain his health, give him next year to graduate from HS, and defer admission to college (whichever one he chooses- recognizing that skimping on his HS preparation in calc and physics for a potential engineering major is probably a really really bad idea.)</p>

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<p>NYSmile: OP’s kid is indeed trying to graduate a year early per below:</p>

<p>He is stuck with very few other classes…</p>

<p>has doubled up on english (graduating a year early) and one stupid history class-- allthree are simply honors level and take none of his time whatsoever.
HE already scaled back all Extracurrs…might even have to drop band (cannot attend / make up all the missed sectionals – and teacher is not so forgiving with these - gave him a C first marking period – thankfully no gpa impact…but annoying to see).</p>

<p>So he must keep his english and history to earn the high school diploma.</p>

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<p>Blossom–Sorry–I missed that piece of the story. In this case, I definitely agree with your
advice.</p>

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<p>Indeed, it seems that he has sacrificed a lot in order to graduate early. Not a good idea at all in my book–and this from someone whose kid graduated early!</p>

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<p>I agree with an extra year of HS, and deferring admission to a school that accepts him (I am guessing he will want to wait for at least the EA results on 12/15 to choose the school).</p>

<p>If stress worsens his medical condition, I think going to a tough engineering school in the fall after racing through HS graduation is not a wise choice. An extra year will take off the pressure and help to get his health in order for the (undoubtedly) stressful college life.</p>

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<p>It is hard to answer this without knowing the condition, actually.</p>

<p>Our daughter missed a lot of time in senior year. She did let the colleges know, in Feb. I think, that she was dropping an online science class that she was taking, and that had been listed on her application. This meant that she was only taking 4 classes, rather than 5, but she was not going to be studying science. So, even though she did not meet their recommended courseload and only took 3 sciences in high school, the schools did not seem to mind. She had not yet been admitted yet, when she wrote the colleges.</p>

<p>For her illness/surgery, we did the following:</p>

<p>1)A 504 plan, written by us, signed by the school, with a team including the principal, dean and school nurse. This would include excused absences, extensions on papers and postponements on tests. Our daughter hated accommodations and tried to avoid them, but there were times when they were needed. Your son is in the middle of one of those times.</p>

<p>2)A plan (w/in the 504) for keeping up with work, suggested by a lawyer: every day, every teacher received a sheet of paper to fill out, with “Please list homework,” “Please list work done in class and attach any class materials or notes,” “Please attach any quizzes or tests,” and “Please list any grades missing.” Our daughter then had a complete record of what was missing, and could compile the info herself in any way she chose.</p>

<p>3)She also used e-mail a lot to stay in touch with teachers, and even went in after school to get things and for them to go over stuff, when she was well enough. All of this was in the 504 plan.</p>

<p>4)Include in the plan specific info on the medical problem: it helps cooperation if the problem is explained to teachers.</p>

<p>5)In one class, the teacher was not organized enough to do some of this. This system exposed weaknesses of teachers, believe me. The principal realized this and they let our daughter do something equivalent, I forget: my son tutored her and she took the exam a couple of weeks late, after the school year ended. </p>

<p>We never used school-supplied tutors. We did not think they would be helpful, and they might show up at a time when she was resting or not feeling well. The school loved us for saving them this money, and that also brought a lot of cooperation.</p>

<p>I don’t know if your son’s health issues are chronic, but he has every right to go to whatever college he wants, regardless. Colleges have disability offices that will get him a private room, and alert his professors to the fact that he has a health problem. Beyond that, college vary in their willingness to accommodate, but our daughter is at a very rigorous school, and loving it. She would prefer to be at that school and take a medical leave if needed, rather than go to a different school that allows her to stay. That is her choice, and one that she has a right to make, legally and ethically. Also, your son is not obligated legally to tell the colleges anything about the illness, but in this case, it makes sense to divulge it to explain the situation.</p>

<p>(BTW our other daughter is content with CC. Different strokes…Your son sounds like our older daughter.)</p>

<p>As for taking another year…Well, enjoying life is important, as is health. Spending that extra year and still being able to do music, hang with friends, maybe even enjoy a last chance to read literature, and to be less stressed about work right now, might be a thing to consider. Our daughter was glad she spent that last year: she could have graduated early too if she had taken an English class in the summer.</p>

<p>If the health problem is new, it will give him a chance to learn how to live with it and accomplish what he wants at the same time, before heading off to college. Our daughter is a pro at this, but it took awhile to learn.</p>

<p>Sounds like he needs relief right now. Everything will work out. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Compmom, nobody is disputing that the OP’s son has a right to go to whichever college he chooses. But colleges have the right to rescind their offer of admission if the senior year schedule (or anything in the application) changes materially from the time the kid applies to the time the kid graduates. So an A average student getting a B+ in History- not material. An A average student getting straight C’s senior year except for an incomplete in math and an F in Honors Spanish- a material change and colleges have rescinded admissions offers based on that.</p>

<p>This is not about disclosing the illness per se- it’s about disclosing a material change in the kid’s academic program. In my mind, for a prospective engineering student to drop Calc and physics senior year without disclosing to the school prior to admissions, that is grounds for rescinding the offer. But obviously a call by the HS GC to the adcom is the best way to determine that.</p>

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<p>In our high school, there are plenty of juniors who not only have already taken BC Calc and AP-Physics but are enrolled in MVCalc and Linear Algebra. Yet, they do not try to skip senior year. Even if it were not for the kid’s health problem, I would have still asked: what’s the hurry about graduating early? The illness just makes things worse.</p>

<p>Even if the student decides against engineering eventually, chances are that he would want to go into a math/science major for which BC Calc and AP-Physics would be extremely useful. But if he continues on this path, even if the college is still willing to admit him, he will be up against students who will be much better prepared than he will be. That is not a good foundation for a successful freshman year!</p>

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<p>This describes quite a few kids at my son’s high school, including my son. None felt it necessary to skip past senior year. They are now at top colleges and universities, including engineering programs. Some may finish college a year early, which is often a better option than starting college a year early.</p>

<p>Given that the student in question is ill and stressed, I am having a hard time understanding why it is necessary to finish hs early.</p>

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<p>Totally agree with this. The illness/condition may call for a permanent re-evaluation of all plans, future as well as current. Since the student is looking at graduating “early”, taking a gap year wouldn’t be a bad idea.</p>

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<p>I know a kid who was accepted early by Williams, and then dropped an AP class at the end of the first semester. The student’s acceptance was not rescinded. There were no health issues involved: the student just didn’t want to take the class.</p>

<p>I’m wondering, in the case of the OP’s son, if there are non-AP level versions of the same courses to which he could transfer?</p>

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<p>Get a written copy of the MD’s recommendation that he lighten his academic load while recouperating and be prepared to share that withthe college – you definitely have to call them if he drops the courses.</p>

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<p>Blossom, I understand the issue and, in my post, recommended letting the college know about the change in courses, if he drops the class(es). This seems obvious enough. It would be dishonest to do otherwise. My daughter wrote admissions directly when she dropped a course in senior year in a similar situation.</p>

<p>My response about having a right to choose the best college for him was a response to some comments indicating that he should rethink his college choices, in order to reduce the stress that seemed to affect his health. We have no info on whether this medical problem is chronic, what it is, or how it would fit into college life, but I just wanted to reassure the poster that her son does not necessarily have to reevaluate the whole big picture.</p>

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<p>Thank you for your advice</p>

<p>Let me try to clarify a few things.</p>

<p>The student decided he wanted to graduate early b/c our high school has absolutely not a single science or math course left-- he would have a senior year with nothing to take. His choice-- he’s already spend two summers taking rigorous engineering and math classes at summer programs for high schoolers…so no concern about academic ability.</p>

<p>Emotionally- sure - this episode of stress is raising some red flags-- but anyone facing health issues of his magnitude would be overwhelmed. He’s a boy too- (sorry I’m sure we can all agree-- boys /men don’t do as well with handling health issues- -denial).</p>

<p>He may after all is said and done actually consider a gap year working in technology (he already can secure any entry programming job) and chill-- that’s actually what my husband and I would like to see him do-- but we can visit that in May…</p>

<p>The immediate issue<br>
Physics teacher isn’t a good one- that’s her reputation - she’s a bio teacher and cannot answer questions outside of her comfort zone. He’s an auditory learner-- and well, she has nothing worth listening too – he had even considered not taking the class with her from the start – but hind site is 20/20.</p>

<p>If he drops, his plan would be to audit (b/c yes, it’s MUCH less expensive that way) Physics Mechanics at a local schooll (we have a choice of three in our community-- and one is an Ivy League school)during spring semester-- that’s end of January – a long way and he will be much better shape.</p>

<p>The nature of the illness is going to resolve-- it’s not life threatening-and with a very drastic change in life style and some meds to get things under control it’s not even going to be chronic. That is stressful in and of itself and a huge change.</p>

<p>If he drops physics now (with the accepted first choice college blessing) he can catch up in calculus (not really a big problem) and english – and then once spring rolls around, he begins physics again (same textbook), and would have the benefit of 2/3 of the BC curriculum behind him rather than having math as a co-req as it is now. He doesn’t want the credit- his first choice is a school which doesn’t even award AP credit for physics c anyways. All of this contingent on college approval.
GC was luke warm - but we all agreed, the teacher isn’t going to deliver a fabulous course-- so his grounding in physics would likely be better listening to a solid lecturer (those teaching in the spring have superb teaching evals) than continuing to listen to the high school teacher and trying to learn this independentl-- which is meaningless.</p>

<p>504 awarded BTW - extension.
School district approved tutor – now need to find one qualified to review physics and calc…no one comes to mind on their list.</p>

<p>Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!</p>

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<p>So the idea is that he would only drop Physics but catch up in the spring? That looks like a much better scenario.
If you think he will be better by January and can catch up in math, I’d wait to let the college know about his illness. He might consider applying to a few more colleges RD in case things do not pan out at his EA college, but there is no sense rushing until his situation is clarified.</p>

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<p>he wouldn’t catch up in the spring…he would start anew with AP Physics Mechanics by taking mechanics at a local college and prep for the AP exam…
So there’s no catching up with the high school- they’d be out of the picture…</p>

<p>we would have to run this by the college of choice</p>

<p>RD options being discussed…we would like him to have one tier ii school in his options -come may – right now, he has all three schools are top 10 engineering - one already in, one likely admit and one will hear dec 15…he should pick one less intense school- b/c he could change his mind about the college intensity…</p>

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<p>Well, regardless of the decisions your son ends up making, I just wanted say good luck. It is so challenging when our children face setbacks, and it is great that he has you to help him to steer through the various options and to help him know the right kinds of questions to ask himself, as well. Good luck to all of you.</p>

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<p>I understand he would not catch up in the high school sense. I was more interested in his catching up in the purely intellectual sense of knowing the material. If he can cover the materials in AP Physics C-Mechanics, he would be in good shape. Most students who take AP Physics C end up only sitting for the Mech part of the exam. You probably will want to contact the college to explain why the transcript will be showing that he is withdrawing from the course; he’ll need to explain that he will be taking Physics at the community college and will be sitting for the AP exam in May.</p>

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<p>Sounds like dropping the current Physics course and auditing in the spring is an excellent solution. I doubt that his current colleges will be bothered by that, given the circumstances. I think that you can wait to hear from the EA school. The GC can advise you whether the explanation should be sent with the mid-year report (or before or after it). Having him add the option of a potentially less stressful college and keep the gap year option in reserve is great: always keep your options open.</p>

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<p>Thanks Everyone for all your inputs</p>

<p>Happy Thanksgiving</p>