Is it bad if I drop down to regular US History?

Applying to College
1

So I’m in APUSH, and I have 0 interest in history. I wish this meant that I could just drop the class, but in my school AP classes are taken more for the grade boost than actual interest.

I don’t mind doing the work, honestly. Last year I took AP Euro as a sophomore as my first AP class, but I only had one other advanced course. I got an A in the class. The thing is, I’m taking APUSH in conjunction with IB Math SL, AP Calculus AB, IB English Lit HL, IB Bio HL, IB Spanish SL, and then 1 elective. (I’m not dropping one of my math classes. For me, math is really simple and enjoyable, which is why I’m taking two.) And APUSH is sucking all the time from all my classes.

Basically, here’s how it goes. I can finish my homework in math in around 20-30 minutes. Sometimes, I even finish it in school. Same thing with Spanish. English takes a lot of time (maybe an hour or so), but I enjoy English and I may be a Creative Writing minor, so it doesn’t feel like a lot of time. In Bio, I hardly get homework and when I do I finish it in school. Then APUSH literally takes this 2 to 3 hour block of time, even WITHOUT projects. We get long reading assignments, essays (we’re on our second essay already), in addition to reading the textbook every night. I figure this mirrors the typical college class, but like I said, it’s not necessarily the workload but the fact that I don’t like the subject and it takes time away from subjects I like.

For example, a couple days ago, because I was studying for an APUSH quiz and finishing an APUSH project, I was unable to do my English assignment properly–so I got a C on the English assignment, a B on the APUSH quiz, and guess what-the project due date was moved down. (I explained to my English teacher the situation and she’s letting me redo the assignment and turn it in on Monday.)

The History teacher assigned the “small” project the night before, completely throwing off my schedule. It was basically a 5th grade-esque poster (and I mean no disrespect–that’s what she said it was).

If this is how it is in the first couple weeks of school, imagine how it’ll be in second semester.

However, practically everyone else who’s in Top 20 is taking the class (most people only have 3 advanced courses, so I’m not too worried about class rank if I drop the class). I heard that colleges compare student-to-student in the same school. Someone else that I know has the exact same schedule as me, but is extremely adept in history and is staying in the class for sure. We are both applying to U of M in the future. Would dropping down the regular US History (which is a freshman class) ruin my college admissions chances?

2

I know it’s a little early, but bump because I need an answer asap. It might be too late for me to change my schedule if it takes too long.

3

Nobody here has a crystal ball. Best bet is to discuss it with your guidance counselor. If you wan to apply to top tier schools you should ask him her 1) if he/she would check that you have taken the most rigorous schedule available at the HS if your drop the course and 2) he/she thinks that changing that one course could impact college admissions.

4

@happy1 Good idea-thank you!

5

This isn’t the answer to your question, but what’s the rationale for taking IB Math SL and AP Calc? Could you drop oe of those and have a study hall? Those two seem completely redundant, and it’d buy you time every day!

It is an important lesson to figure out how much time you have to do everything to the level that you’d like. If this really is sucking up too much time, there’s probably no harm in dropping down although you will need to consider whether your school ranks (in which case it could disadvantage your class standing) and how your curriculum will be described by your GC without it. But if you’re interested in writing, make sure you leave enough time for that.

6

Not really your question, but have you paused and considered the madness of this? Will you someday work in a career in which you have no interest just for the salary? Will you marry a person in which you have no interest just because of their good looks? This is seriously not a wise approach to life.

7

@snarlatron Love how you neglected to include the “in my school” part of the quote. Or the “I wish” part.
But I’m not here to argue. APUSH is the only advanced class I’m taking that I don’t enjoy.

8

@gardenstategal

Basically, I was considered for IB Diploma, but I decided in sophomore year that I’d rather just take the classes w/o the diploma. I wanted a class that would best prepare me for the rigors of IB Math HL, but had to take IB Math SL for the diploma. I could drop the class, but math is almost like a blowoff for me and dropping it would only shave off maybe 15 minutes of time.

9

That it is done “in your school” means nothing; if your school has misguided educational values, you are free to identify and reject them.

10

@MurphyBrown Thank you for the Adam Norris suggestion! I’m considering just self-studying for the AP test, and one google search for Adam Norris pretty much gave me everything I needed.

11

I’m inclined to say that it’s in your best interest to drop the class – especially if you think that you can self-study for the AP exam and ace it. In the latter case, then I think that there’s little to no downside to dropping it and a whole lot of upside.

12

@snarlatron
True, but no matter how many times I tell my friend to drop AP Calculus and replace it with a class she a) enjoys and b) will get a higher grade in, she would rather struggle for eternity to get that grade boost. Similar things occur w/many of my other friends. And basically, the school’s policy is that you must pass the prior class with a D (a D!) to get into the next level, which is pretty much the problem. To solve the problem, I would have to first change the attitudes of half the student body, and THEN argue with administration, who would in turn have to argue with the school board. I would rather spend that time doing something I enjoy, like writing, or doing a science experiment, than haggling with the superintendent.

13

@CalBearsMom Thanks! Do you have any suggestions for self-studying?

14

One issue is how well you write. There is a specific formula for answering essays well. My older kid did it instinctively, my second one had to be taught and was doing poorly on essays for a good part of the year. She ended up with a 4.

Not sure if you are from a family that encourages outside tutoring and classes but my D commented that one of the kids in her class took a review class for APUSH before the AP and he aced the final. No idea how he did on the actual AP

15

@SaphireK

I know! I consider myself to be a fairly good writer, but these AP History essays really get to me. Would you suggest using Princeton Review to learn how to structure the essay?
I tried to find that form of tutoring for AP Euro last year, and I couldn’t find anything. ): Maybe it was because that subject is more obscure.

16

Cannot recommend anything. D mostly relied on her teacher’s comments. I know that is not what you want to hear

17

@SaphireK
Nah, it’s fine! Last year during AP Euro my teacher always gave me high grades on all my essays, and I swear I had no idea what I was doing, and I ended up with only a 3 on the exam. :confused: But thank you so much!

18

Dropping the IB math would free up not only the 15 minutes of homework time, but 45 minutes of class time. If you’re worried about how your transcript looks, this would seem odd. It’s sort of like taking us history and apush at the same time.

19

@gardenstategal You’re probably right. But I really do enjoy both classes. IB Math is a really good review of concepts for the SAT Math I + SAT Math II, especially since it covers Probability (something that I’ve struggled with for awhile now) and AP Calc doesn’t. I’ll still ask my counselor about dropping it for something like IB Economics, though.

20

My senior son did not take APUSH last year and he doesn’t regret it at all. Not having all the reading and stress of that class allowed him to really enjoy his other classes. If asked, my son will say “I knew I wouldn’t enjoy APUSH so I took regular US History.” Maybe he’ll never get into college, but we’re hoping 2 years of AP physics and 2 years of AP calc will be helpful. :slight_smile: Drop the class kid and enjoy the waning days of your childhood.