Effect of dropping an AP class after one semester?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm currently enrolled in an AP Computer Science class.
I am not doing poorly. I have an A, but I am learning ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It is the most pointless class in the entire world.
I want to drop the class at semester at switch into AP Psychology, which will probably be just as much work as AP CS, just more interesting and appealing to me.
How will this effect me in terms of college admissions? Should I notify colleges that I've applied to?</p>

<p>I am not dropping the class so I can have a less rigorous schedule, or because I am struggling in the class.</p>

2

<p>I don’t know about your school, but around here, picking up a year class at mid-year is generally not possible. You’ve missed half the class, and have no background to learn what’s being taught. </p>

<p>It’s a little like reading half of “David Copperfield”, you decide it’s boring, and so start “Pride and Prejudice” halfway through the book. Sure, you can read the words, but you’ll have no idea what going on. And it’s not like you’ve read one novel after you’re done, you’ve read two half-novels, which is not the same thing.</p>

3

<p>Let’s say it is possible (I have already talked to my guidance counselor about this and know that this can be done)</p>

4

<p>Even if it’s possible, it’s not standard, and it may have the net effect of taking zero APs. It’s the two half-novels effect, they don’t add up to a whole. Colleges will probably discount both, and it makes you look like you can’t commit to something you start, which is not a desirable trait.</p>

<p>Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think this is going to have the positive effect you think it will. I just see potential downside. Other opinions may vary.</p>

<p>You also don’t say why AP CompSci is worthless. Perhaps you could fill us in on the details.</p>

5

<p>I agree with MrMom62 – even if your guidance counselor says it is feasible, an AP class is a year-long course … and the exams are based on an accumulation of material. So you have to do DOUBLE the amount of studying this spring to make up for the first semester’s amount that you missed before the exam in mid-May.</p>

6

<p>In our school AP Psych is a semester class taught in the 2nd semester only, so maybe it is that way for you? If that is the case, you could pick it up and still have the whole class. Have you learned enough in the AP Comp Sci class to take the AP exam on your own? You could potentially take both AP exams. If you have submitted college apps with your senior schedule, you should notify the admissions people if you change. Probably wouldn’t factor into their decisions since you are changing an AP for an AP, but if you are planning to major in Comp Sci, it might not look good.</p>

7

<p>Honestly just get a psychology text book. The concepts are not hard. The only thing the class will really do is encourage you to learn by assignments and tests, but if you are already motivated to learn (which it looks like you are) then just teach yourself. </p>

<p>Myers has the best textbooks IMO. Actually fun to read. You can buy a review book/flashcards for before the exam. </p>

<p>Dropping an AP class might also have some negative effects. </p>

<p>I say just continue with AP CS and if you have the time, teach yourself psych.</p>

8

<p>It’s not the overwhelming desire to learn psychology that drives me to drop the class, it’s the extremely poor teaching (the teachers are incompetent and disinterested), the lack of enjoyability, the poor resources and learning environment provided, the lack of assistance provided in learning Java, and just this overall sense of futility with the class. Everything I have learned in this class has been learned by my own initiative to teach myself the language.
There is literally nothing I gain from continuing to take this class.
I took this class out of the hopes that it would facilitate and ease my learning of programming, but it has done absolutely nothing for me.</p>

9

<p>Not saying you’re wrong, but often times it’s the student who is the one with the problem, not the teacher. If the class is truly as bad as you say it is, then it should be reported to the administration. But before you do that, try and answer the following questions so we have some context and can give you better advice.</p>

<ol>
<li>Has this class been taught by this teacher before?</li>
<li>Are you the only student who feels this way?</li>
<li>How many kids are in the class and are there enough resources for that many kids?</li>
<li>Have you taken other APs and how does the teaching compare?</li>
<li>What is your current grade in the class and how well do you think you would do if you continued?</li>
<li>What resources and learning environment is the class lacking?</li>
<li>What is your math background and what other math classes have you taken?</li>
<li>What were your results (grades and AP scores) in other AP classes?</li>
<li>What is your previous programming background?</li>
<li>Overall GPA and other courses you’re currently taking?</li>
<li>If it were in your power to do anything, what would you do to make the class better?</li>
</ol>

<p>Not prejudging you at all, right now this could go either way, but this might just be a case of bad student-teacher fit. Some kids and teachers just don’t mix well.</p>

10

<ol>
<li>Has this class been taught by this teacher before?
No. This AP Comp Sci class is managed by the TEALS program, which takes volunteers from Microsoft to teach the class, with an intent to improve interest in computer science and help facilitate a strong background in Java. So far, neither of these goals have been accomplished. </li>
<li>Are you the only student who feels this way?
No, there are around 7 students who are also considering this. </li>
<li>How many kids are in the class and are there enough resources for that many kids?
There are around 22 kids in the class. There are 5 teachers, so I feel that they should be able to adequately address any questions we have, but somehow, they can’t manage that.</li>
<li>Have you taken other APs and how does the teaching compare?
So far, I have taken APUSH, AP Lang, AP Lit, AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Calc, AP Gov, AP Psych, AP Econ and AP Calc. The teaching has varied greatly in quality, but it has never been so poor as to greatly impend my learning.</li>
<li>What is your current grade in the class and how well do you think you would do if you continued? I have an A, and I would probably still have an A. The grading system is configured in such a way that having a good understanding of Java is completely unnecessary and irrelevant to do well in the class.</li>
<li>What resources and learning environment is the class lacking?
It’s mostly the fact that they provide little to no help at all whatsoever, and that their teaching is inadequate. They do little more than read off of powerpoints.
Their “lectures” use almost no examples, and the explanations are extremely unfriendly towards a layman with no experience. </li>
<li>What is your math background and what other math classes have you taken?
This year I am taking AP Calc, and my math background consists of the typical prerequisite classes that you would expect out of someone taking this class (Pre-Calc, Algebra 3-4, etc)</li>
<li>What were your results (grades and AP scores) in other AP classes?
So far I’ve gotten A’s, four A-'s, and a mix of 4’s and 5’s.
As far as things go in this class, without some serious self-studying, I’m probably going to get a 1 or 2 on this AP Exam.</li>
<li>What is your previous programming background?
None so far.</li>
<li>Overall GPA and other courses you’re currently taking?
3.96</li>
<li>If it were in your power to do anything, what would you do to make the class better?
Provide more help and improve teaching.
We’ve made suggestions as to how to improve, but they just aren’t listening.</li>
</ol>

11

<p>Seems like your complaint is legitimate. The main problem seems to be they don’t have professional teachers teaching the class, if I understand you correctly. There’s a big difference between knowing your subject matter and knowing how to teach it.</p>

<p>I’m really not sure how you can best address this. I would suggest that the seven who are considering dropping all get together and file a joint complaint, but in reality, when you get to the “go point” on that, a lot of people get nervous and all of a sudden find there’s nothing wrong with the class. You go ahead, and you’ll be hung out to dry by your fellow complainers. Been there, done that.</p>

<p>This may be a case where you just need to keep your head down and take the path of least resistance. There are two real options, neither of which require you to take AP Psych - that’s window-dressing no one is going to care about. </p>

<p>Option 1 - If you can stomach it, just stick out the class, but pretty much forget the AP exam. Don’t even take it, unless it gets you out of a final or something. You’ll almost be at graduation, you’ll have completed the class, who really cares? No need to report anything to schools either. Just mark time in the class, make sure you don’t get anything less than a B, and you’ll be done. Probably your best option.</p>

<p>Option 2 - Just drop the class. Walk away, don’t make a fuss, just say it wasn’t for you. If you have a study hall or senior privilege, just take that. Not sure schools are even going to really care at this point, you’ve already got a slew of APs, this one isn’t going to make a difference. Just check with your GC to make sure if you drop it, everything is still okay with your applications.</p>

<p>I think trying to fix this class is above your pay grade, and there’s little benefit for you, because it won’t get fixed this year. So just gut it out or walk away at the semester break.</p>

12

<p>Sticking it out during a rough high school AP class helps with college admissions, but nothing more. At this point in the year, my recommendation based on what you’ve said is to stay with the class for your final term. </p>

<p>That thought is based on our S’s experience. He had a horrible first time HS teacher for AP CS who did not even know the subject matter and, therefore, could not teach it. S ended up teaching himself what was needed to get a good grade, realized he liked the subject but not the teacher and is now a CS major at his first choice college. He did not take the CS AP test. (That teacher, by the way, has improved greatly in the intervening 5 years and is a fine CS teacher for our youngest.)</p>