<p>Would appreciate any wisdom/guidance parents/students/counselors can provide our family. S and D are just beginning their final semester as seniors and currently take eight academic courses. Each child wants to drop one elective course and add a study hall for the last semester. College counselor advises we must write to each college/university D/S has applied to and find out impact drop/add would have on admissions chances. School would also note this drop add on mid year report. </p>
<p>Even with drop/add both D/S still have 3 AP's, 2 Honors courses and electives which include foreign language. Have others had simliar experience? Also, what do other schools typically include in mid-year reports? I thought mid year reports documented course work and grades, cumulative GPA through first semester. Many thanks in advance for guidance and help,.</p>
<p>Because students must report what they believe their second-semester class schedule will be on their application, you do, as your counselor advised, have to write adcoms.</p>
<p>Mid-year reports include what you think they include, as well as any disciplinary action or other notes that would go on a ‘permanent record.’ </p>
<p>What is the elective? If your kid wants to drop carpentry, then I don’t think a university will care. But if they want to drop out of chorus (which they’ve been doing for the entirety of their school career) or leave the school newspaper or drop one of those foreign languages then it’s a problem.</p>
<p>Bottom line: dropping a class can be a bit of a redflag. The important question is, without this elective will your child still have a workload comparable to or more challenging then the average kid at their school?</p>
<p>Agree with ses: you need to notify the colleges, but with at least 6 academic classes already, dropping a non-academic elective is probably not a make-or-break change. It sounds like their schedules are pretty rigorous even with the study hall. </p>
<p>I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but would like to get some feedback on a related question: D listed two college courses, one each semester, at a top-20 LAC on her original applications, identifying the second-semester course as “anticipated.” The course she intended to take second semester was filled, and thus not open to her, but she was able to sign up for a very similar course at a less prestigious local college. I’m not sure the GC will change this on the mid-year report, which is already printed out, and it seems like a truly minor change, anyway. Still, I think that sending an e-mail to mention the change is a nice opportunity to make an additional contact with the adcom and express interest. I’m certainly not worried that they would hold it against her that the course is at a different school. D’s attitude is “Dad, you take this way to seriously!” What do you think?</p>
<p>I’d say no harm letting the college know. Especially if it is one where expressing interest is important, it’s a good opportunity to maintain contact since the change is minor.</p>
<p>I agree-in looking at everyone’s feedback ( which I appreciate) anytime there is an opportunity for contact with admissions why not take it? I would hope admissions officers would appreciate any authentic display of honesty on an applicant’s part. </p>
<p>With regards to our S and D’s situation- they attend a private Catholic high school- two of the eight courses in their schedule are Religion IV( with copious homework - including MLA annotated papers) and Latin II. The school requires these two electives of all upper school students- so the only elective option each child has to drop are either Constituitional Law or Anatomy and Physiology- for a study hall.</p>
<p>Since my original post, I have been in touch with two friends with kids in private schools in the metro. Atlanta area and my sister in North Carolina. UNC-CH sent out notices to all high schools requesting that any student who had a pending application, or had been accepted EA, waitlisted, or deferred and had made a “schedule change” notify admissions in writing specifiying reason, etc. Two private schools in Atlanta also sent notices in electronic newsletters reminding seniors and their parents of essentially the same thing as the CC at our school asked our S/D to do. For what it is worth so far, two of 14 schools our kids have contacted have said to drop one elective for a study hall would not affect admission chances- that said, these are more “safety” schools.</p>