Is it ok to drop physics in high school if I want to be a bio/neuroscience major in college?

Applying to College
1

Hi everyone. I’m currently in the midst of college admissions, applying for a major in biology and/or neuroscience (depending on the institution, perhaps even both majors). My grades are all fine, except for Honors Physics.

I’m trying my hardest in physics, but I’m ending my first quarter with a 72%. My school allows people to drop courses by the end of November without having the course drop marked on their permanent record. I was considering this so that physics would not harm my gpa so much. I’ve already taken Honors Bio, Honors Chem, AP Bio, and AP Chem.

However, my counselor said that if I am to apply for a major in bio or neuroscience, I must have a year in physics to stay competitive with other students applying, and that my course drop would result in a second transcript being sent to my colleges (because my original transcript has already been sent).

So I ask, is it necessary for me to stay in physics and possibly hurt my gpa with a C first semester, or is it ok to drop out of the course. Additionally, would the second transcript being sent to my colleges affect my acceptance in a negative way, or would it not matter?

For reference, here are the colleges I’m applying to based on selectivity. (Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Washington Uni St. Louis, Emory, UNC Chapel Hill, UMich, Northeastern, BU, Brandeis, TCNJ, Rutgers New Brunswick.)

My other courses in school are (Calc 3 (multivariable), Band, study hall, intro to computer programming, gym, AP Lit, and APUSH)

2

It depends on what your UW Gpa is and what the rest of your application looks like to see whether it matters.

3

Don’t drop a class to avoid a low grade. I think it will cause more trouble than good. I say just try to work your butt off to get it to a B-, and whatever will be, will be.

4

Yes, it’ll hurt you in two ways: first because you’re expected to have one each of bio, chem, and physics (at any level) as a minimum at all universities you listed. Second, because as a STEM major you’ll have a much faster paced, much harder physics class in college and you’ll be at a severe disadvantage if you haven’t had physics before.
Finally, can you simply switch to regular physics? It wouldn’t matter for the college (you’d still have physics).
Had you reached level 4 in a foreign language BTW?
Also, have you run the NPC on all of these and made sure with your parents that they are affordable?

5

It seems to me that there are many aspects to university applications: One is that you want to get into the schools that you are applying to. One other is that you want to be able to do well at the schools that you get into. I am concerned about the latter. You are applying to very selective schools for a difficult science major. It is hard for me to believe that the average science class at Northwestern or most of the schools on your list are easier than high school honors physics.

I think that you need to figure out how to do well in high school honors physics. Have you been getting extra help after school (eg, from a tutor or from your teacher)? Have you been reading ahead in your texts so that when a topic is first discussed in class you have already read the material? Are you keeping ahead of your homework and seeking out additional help on any problems that you find difficult? Are you doing homework the day that it is assigned so that when there is additional related discussion in class you have already taken a close look at the problems? Are you sitting near the front of the class and paying attention at all times? Are you thinking about why things work the way that they do, and not just memorizing formulae?

6

I would say no because getting through physics in college is difficult especially without a high school physics basic education whether honors or AP level.

7

I would say no because getting through physics in college is difficult especially without a high school physics basic education whether honors or AP level.

8

I’m in the same boat, a few weeks ago i had a 76% in Honors Physics; now i got it up to 81.7%; id say to keep trying because i think youll need physics in your transcript

9

What, exactly have you done so far to remedy the grade situation? Have you met with your teacher? Have you found a tutor?

Yes, for the major you are planning you will need at least one year of physics in college - maybe more depending on where you end up going with bio/neuroscience. You do not want to head onto that college class without a solid introduction from high school. You could drop back to on-level physics, but you should finish out a full year of high school physics.