<p>I have a big problem. I've had some issues with my ap physics teacher this year, but they were nothing that I could not really deal with. However, I broke my hand a week ago, and my teacher has not been accommodating. He has given me zeros on all my homeworks (count for a significant portion of my grade) and wouldn't let me dictate a test to him, so I had to try to write it out with my left hand. It was messy and almost illegible, and he is grading me on that (I'll basically fail it because I can't even read the writing on it). I didn't know what to do, so I went to my guidance counselor. The principle talked to him, but he did not stop. Thus, I dropped the class.</p>
<p>I want to go into physics, so this is a huggggggge issue, especially since my selfreported coursework on my MIT and common app has been submitted as having AP physics in it. I plan on self-studying both sections of the exam and using MIT OCW & textbooks from there to study it. But, I feel as though I or my guidance counselor should send a letter to the colleges telling them that I dropped not because of poor performance but because of other issues. Should I do that? What should I do? Is this detrimental?</p>
<ol>
<li>Relax</li>
<li>Yes, you do have to inform colleges that you’ve dropped the class. I think that sending a note from your guidance counselor would be a good decision - I feel like if you write it, it might have some element of panic in it :)</li>
<li>Relax more</li>
<li>Chances are that your application hasn’t been reviewed at any schools yet, so this shouldn’t change any existing decisions or be an overly big deal. Just inform the colleges that you’ve already submitted applications to about your situation ASAP and send a note from your guidance counselor, and you’re probably fine.</li>
<li>Seriously, relax.</li>
</ol>
<p>It should not be a problem to drop a class, even in a subject that you want to go into. It is not a requirement to have taken physics before coming to MIT; many people have not. It is even better that you are motivated to learn it on your own. </p>
<p>As the others have said, send an email or letter to all the admissions offices about the situation. I highly doubt that if you would have gotten in otherwise, not having AP Physics will change that.</p>
<p>In NY state, there is a law (I believe it is a LAW, not a rule) that students with a temporary disability must be accommodated. I can’t recall the name of the law, but it is similar to one called an IEP, individualized education plan. Disabilities must be accommodated, whether temporary or permanent. Speak to your school’s social worker or guidance counselor about it.</p>
<p>Yeah, the broken hand was a catalyst; I had problems before with him, but then my grade began to suffer tremendously after the injury (which will remain in an injured state for another 7 weeks!). I don’t live in NY sadly.</p>
<p>It’s a federal law, so it applies everywhere. Regardless–</p>
<p>Section 504 FAQs
34. How should a recipient school district view a temporary impairment?</p>
<p>A temporary impairment does not constitute a disability for purposes of Section 504 unless its severity is such that it results in a substantial limitation of one or more major life activities for an extended period of time. The issue of whether a temporary impairment is substantial enough to be a disability must be resolved on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration both the duration (or expected duration) of the impairment and the extent to which it actually limits a major life activity of the affected individual.</p>
<p>I too wish to go into physics and am taking it currently. My physics teacher isn’t so nice about grades and accommodating different issues. What is it with the physics teachers this year? :)</p>
<p>Since we know certain people change their mood depending on the time of the month, we can generalize this to physics teachers as well.
Basically, physics teachers have simple harmonic motion, meaning that they have a PERIOD.
I could go into a complex analysis on why they are more annoying two out of every four years, but I won’t relate their mood swings to the spin of the earth and thus the gravitational earth constant.
Even though the change in their period is very small, we can model their behavior with a stepwise function that dramatically changes y with small change in x. :)</p>
<p>Physics teachers are the pseudo physicists of the trade. They thrive on conformity, taking unnecessary steps to solve problems, and structure in how they do everything.</p>