<p>IMO, what it comes down to is - will it affect her college acceptances. My opinion? Probably not. Lots of kids take super easy 2nd semesters senior year. As long as she still has 4 yrs of English, and keeps grades up, I doubt most colleges will care. Are the colleges that she is applying to extremely selective? Or just moderately so? Did she have great SATs? Wonderful ECs? Glowing recs? Then I doubt that dropping down from AP to Honors will matter.</p>
<p>If she put down AP or honors as her spring schedule for English I see no harm in her doing honors. Both my kids opted not to do AP English and were happier for it. (Heck they didn’t even take honors as seniors although had up until that point. Didn’t stop Harvard from accepting my oldest who otherwise of course had a stellar application.)</p>
<p>For a math/sci kid AP Comp Sci may be fun and easy - and though she should be aware that it bears little relationship to what a typical comp sci class in college will cover, it’s still a useful foundation. I think I’d listen to the kid on this one. I have no regrets not pushing my kids in to AP English - they both enjoyed their senior years much more than most of their friends.</p>
<p>I do think many are forgetting that with block scheduling 4 courses is a normal load.</p>
<p>Here’s my two cents…Call the colleges and ask if it matters; my guess is that it won’t. Then take the honors rather than the AP if that was the choice. By the second semester of senior year, some kids have just had it.</p>
<p>If my daughter (now a college sophomore)had to do it over again, she would not have opted for AP lit senior year at all, but would have taken a fun English class. The teacher was very good, but nearly impossible to earn an A from, which was what my daughter was going for. DD finally told the teacher that she could beat her head against the wall all year striving for the A or do very little and earn the B and that she was shooting for the B (and that is what she did). The school she chose gave credit for only one AP English class anyway.</p>
<p>Block scheduling of 4 courses is a normal, and not a fluffy, load. However, her colleges accepted her based on the course work she said she would complete (this should be under “work in progress” on her transcript, which will carry more weight than “AP or Honors” written in on her application).</p>
<p>She should clear any schedule change with admissions at the schools where she has been admitted; it may not be a problem, but there’s no guarantee. I would think that letters of rec. described her as a magnet student - which she will cease to be if she drops the course work and the required thesis.</p>
<p>I have known competitive colleges to require students to raise their level of rigor second semester of senior year before admitting them on sports scholarships (even though the kid was a very good student with lots of honors & AP). The last thing you want to have happen is that she drops out of the class/program and suddenly she’s not admitted anywhere…</p>
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<p>Insert S for D and college freshman for sophomore. I think S took AP Lit because his beloved (and LOR writer) AP Lang teacher also team taught AP Lit. It turned out to be his least favorite HS class, by far. He probably should have taken a more fun English class. He likes writing, reading lit no so much. The rest of his classes were AP Macroeceonomics/US Govt, AP Chemistry, MV Calculus (online) and Team Aquatics (water polo and swim), so it’s not like he was slacking off. He’s now a freshman at Northwestern University in their separate application Integrated Science Program. If he ever reads a “lit” type book again, I’d be amazed.</p>
<p>Continued thanks for your opinions!</p>
<p>I talked with her last night, but she was headed out to spend the night and visit a friend at Auburn so I stopped when the tears started. She said that if she took class and started sport and then had to drop sport she would feel like a quitter. But…wouldn’t quitting magnet make her a quitter too?? Kids! :-)</p>
<p>I agree I can be a bit of a helicopter parent - but, trust me, nothing compared to some of her friends parents! I like to give her the information, but ultimately it will be her choice - like I said, if it were up to me she wouldn’t even be in the magnet program.</p>
<p>Of her top college choices, only one is really selective and she thinks shell be deferred. Its only at the top because of ranking and Div 1a football! I really dont think the other tops (already accepted) will care if she has an A/B in Honors or a C/D in AP!</p>
<p>She is planning a science-y major, so other than her couple required eng/lit, she will be like FindAPlace’s son - no more lit books for her! Probably will not go to school on a athletic scholarship. Most DivIII schools interested do not have her major.</p>
<p>AND…I guess as far as the senior project goes, she has basically done the work, has done her prelim presentation, etc so she has the experience to help her when she has to do these research projects in college.</p>
<p>Do I even meet with the magnet director? GC said there is no way she can stay in magnet and NOT take this class. I’m wondering if director can override that? She has a mass exodus from program to get out of senior project so this might be something we can bargain with ;-)</p>
<p>I do want to clarify she can stay at school if she drops magnet, but according to rules on county website, she can. We have a friend who actually moved out of district (but drivable distance) and they allowed senior child to stay in his school…so I think we’ll be good.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Any college/university that would rescind her admission based on taking Honors instead of AP, is a place she wouldn’t be happy at anyway, and as such doesn’t merit any further concern.</p></li>
<li><p>Your kid has consistently struggled with classes with long reading lists, and as a family you have found work-arounds that include Mom doing the reading too, and listening to the books in recorded form. You need to have your daughter screened for dyslexia now. She needs to have the paperwork in hand so that when she gets to college, she has access to accommodations for her individual learning issues. This is not going to somehow be magicked away by electing science over literature as a major field of study.</p></li>
<li><p>I say meet with the magnet director about this. That way you will get a definitive answer.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>I agree with happymomof1.</p>
<p>In my view, D’s behavior warrants investigation to rule out a learning disability or other concern before she goes to college, or if necessary to develop plans to address any problems that might be found.</p>
<p>Have been through the tests - she does have ADD, but has considerable problems with medications (of all types - can’t even take OTC cold meds) so she tries to only take them during really rough semesters. For Example: this semester she has 1 AP, 1 Honors, 1 upper level math and band and is not taken them but getting high Bs or As in all classes. She did say if she takes AP lit, she would go back on meds.</p>
<p>It’s not that she can’t read/comprehend, she just doesn’t like it. She just isn’t good at the skimming / looking for context clues, etc. She has to read every word. Her biggest complaint is, “I hate it when books go on for pages and pages about a leaf!” 
I told her to skim that section until she gets to the part that is important and she says, “I just can’t do that”. For example: I’ve watched her when typing a paper and she can’t allow weird formatting or a misspelling to keep the flow of thought and go back in correct it later - it has to be corrected at the time. She can’t even rewrite a paragraph below another paragraph and then erase the other one because the spacing is weird…can you say OCD-much? Yes, there is a bit of that - undiagnosed, because it’s not been too disruptive…just “cute” - like how she can’t stand 1 sec left on the microwave, but doesn’t have a problem with clothes all over her bedroom floor.</p>
<p>Your daughter sounds like a great kid.</p>
<p>I think it is strange to fit a whole year in one semester. But having said that:</p>
<p>1) whoever said helicopter - that was just mean, the OPs daughter specifically asked for cc feedback. Clearly she wanted some help from her mother.</p>
<p>2) I think you guys should look at the specifics of the honors vs AP class. Who doesnt hate it when someone goes on for pages about a leaf? But the reading lists may be comparable in honors and AP. AP lit is easier than AP Language and Comp. This AP teacher may be amazing, and also, may be understanding. I guess what I am saying is is she scared of this class because she knows how hard it is? Or does she think its hard because of the word “AP”.</p>
<p>3) She has a busy and wholesome schedule. She shouldnt drop sports, shouldnt stop going to church functions, she or you should contact her top choices of colleges, by email, or by phone, if you have the admission letters you have the right adcon to talk to and find out what they think about this decision.</p>
<p>I think some posters are missing that dropping the AP means dropping out of the magnet program at her school and losing her relationship with her GC. She has already been accepted by all but one of her top choices. About that last school, OP wrote: “…more than likely will be deferred (applied EA), requiring teacher/guidance recs, essays, etc.” So, that’s a consideration, I think. </p>
<p>OP stated she is a “3.3-ish” student. So, my question is: if any of those were reaches, could there be a strong expectataion she wil continue on the rigorous track?</p>
<p>I’d pick one which has accepted her and test the waters with a phone call. It’s not an uncommon question- we had something similar after ED.</p>
<p>I strongly urge you to listen to your daughter’s concerns. She has covered her bases with her acceptances by listing AP or Honors Lit on her apps. As far as the magnet program goes, it abviously doen’t mean enough to her to put herself through the stress of AP Lit in a block schedule. I know lots of very bright kids who are struggling with the workload of AP Lit in a regular schedule. I can’t imagine that workload condensed into one semester! </p>
<p>If this was my daughter, I would have a talk with the Director of the Magnet and see if something can be worked out. I would also have my daughter call her top choice college that she has been accepted and see what they say about dropping the class and magnet program. And then I would let my daughter make the decision and support her in that decision. There is absolutely no reason to ruin the last semester of her senior year over this. She is better off working hard in Honors Lit and getting a good grade than struggling in AP Lit.</p>
<p>The problem here is that even if your daughter avoided mentioning that she was in a magnet program, her transcript may mention it, and her GC and teachers may have mentioned it in their recommendation letters.</p>
<p>So if she drops out of the magnet, she is not completing the curriculum that the colleges had every reason to think she would complete. That could be a problem.</p>
<p>To find out whether it is a problem, she should contact all of the colleges that accepted her and explain that she wants to change her schedule for next semester – which involves dropping out of the magnet. She simply needs to ask them whether they would rescind her acceptance (or reconsider her application) if she does this. If they say no, she’s home free.</p>
<p>
No advice for you, just wanted to mention that you could have been writing about MY daughter! This describes her to a “T”. She is now a freshman at Elon, which is known for “engaged learning,” and she is thriving. I honestly don’t know how I, an avid reader, gave birth to a child who hates to read - but disliking reading doesn’t mean she dislikes learning.</p>
<p>Whatever the final decision, best of luck to your daughter. I’m sure she’ll be fine.</p>
<p>kerrbo,</p>
<p>Your description of your daughter’s reading and writing styles sound exactly like my niece who has been formally identified to have scotopic sensitivity. Here’s a Wikipedia link: [Scotopic</a> sensitivity syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_sensitivity_syndrome]Scotopic”>Irlen syndrome - Wikipedia) Working with the colored filters made all the difference in her ability to tolerate longer reading assignments.</p>
<p>If the dear kid has ADD, then a fast paced, read a ton, massive work load class will be much more a nightmare than it is for most folks. </p>
<p>I like “More Attention, Less Deficit” as a great book to help kids get learning and coping skills. But please know that ADD kids can beat themselves up with truck loads of guilt. It is very typical for an ADD kid to see only his/her failures and not really count the successes. </p>
<p>You can “tell” her it is her “choice” – but she has got to be very, very shrewd about what you really think. So, I hope you “really think” she is a great kid and that she can let herself off a horrible situation (horrible for HER – not necessarily horrible for other kids in the program).</p>
<p>Please read a ton about adult ADD – some of Jeffery Freed’s work is great too. These kids just kill themselves in trying to cope – and we need to give them some options instead of laying on the lash.</p>
<p>All -
Thanks for all the input! She is a really good kid! Cares about others, gives us no trouble, has good self-esteem (well…for a high school girl), is honest with others and herself about her ADD and OCD, is responsible and does put forth effort (most of the time) in school.</p>
<p>I agree Olymom, that the face-paced, read-a-ton class terrifies her and since it is last semester senior year the chance that she wouldn’t pass and not walk with her class just adds another level of pressure that for a ADD kid is counter-productive.</p>
<p>She was home yesterday for the first Saturday in months! so we had time to talk with her some more…without her getting upset. H and I both agree now that if she feels she needs to drop magnet to take an easier lit class we are on-board. She is planning to meet with director this week to discuss her options.</p>
<p>Switters - Her classes are similar to a college schedule. She takes 4 per semester. So instead of (8) 45-min classes a day for an entire year, she has (4) 1.5-hr classes a day for half the year and another 4 for the other half - so 8 for the year. My S’s high school was (4) 1.5-hr classes every other day for an entire year. It all works out the same. I think her school better prepares her for the college schedule. S thought all of a sudden having only 4 classes (plus band) is freshman year of college would be so EASY! He had a rude awakening!</p>
<p>Regarding the 4 by 4 schedule: My D did it for 3 years, and believe me, it is much harder than 6 or 7 courses taken all year long. The semester flies by, with no time to ease into the material, no time for meaningful discussion. 3 AP’s on that schedule is even harder than 6 AP’s on the year-long schedule, because there is no time to synthesize the information–new info is coming at you rapidly. </p>
<p>She’ll be fine without the AP Lit–you can check with the colleges to be sure. When she looks back on her life will she say: I wish I had started/continued with that sport, or will she regret not having taken AP Lit? I think the answer is obvious.</p>
<p>Sounds like a great kid who wants to enjoy her senior year. She’s not dropping out or doing anything drastic. Choose your battles.</p>
<p>Reading her books with her? That sounds a bit over-involved to me. Proofreading a paper that she’s written, sure, that makes sense, after all, published authors have editors. </p>
<p>At some point we need to let go. This would be a great time to do that, while she is still at home, and you can observe the results of her decisions. Let her make this one.</p>
<p>Skimmed through this thread and have one observation.
If the kid is truly averse to the Lit type courses (I had one like that); she should check if the AP or SAT II scores will allow for college credit. Maybe she has earned appropriate scores already; maybe she needs the AP course to qualify; maybe she needs to register for the tests.
My science kid was able to get credit for Poly Sci and Eng 101, 102 based on AP and SAT II scores.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d post an update:
I found out I had been given some bad information about HOPE scholarship from my S’s (older than D) GC and never really checked it out for myself and I thought she was just out of luck in that department…I was wrong! But to qualify - she will need to pull and A (for sure!) in this lit class and that couldn’t be a guarantee with the AP class (she has friends planning lit majors barely making B’s). They wouldn’t let her out of that class without dropping magnet, so that’s what we did. re: the senior project - sure she won’t present, but she has done all the work up to that point, so at least she has that experience.</p>
<p>She is in a CRAZY easy lit class, but she just read the first book in years that she needed to read without my forcing her to sit and do it. She’s actually thinking about getting another one that was reviewed in the back to read just for pleasure! </p>
<p>She’s serving as an officer in two clubs, Preparing scholarship auditions on two instruments, playing Varsity LAX and anticipating four A’s this semester and yet the stress level is still non-existent at our house now days…I think we made the right decision.</p>
<p>thanks again for your help!</p>