<p>i posted this in the parents forum:</p>
<p>My parents don't want me to take AP Bio next yr (my sr, yr). They think i will be overloading myself.....however, I really want to take AP bio...i put myself on a track at my high school so i would be able to!</p>
<p>I am planning on writing a proposal to my parents about why i should...but they seem pretty determined to not let me take the class..</p>
<p>Does anyone have any convincing advice?
?????</p>
<p>thanx</p>
<p>Do they have a say over the matter? In other words, must your parents sign off on your schedule or is it up to you?</p>
<p>At some point, they will have to let you make your own decisions. They won't be vetoing what you take in college, will they? Explain that you need to make your own decisions at some point and may as well get started.</p>
<p>I would approach this with the understanding that they want what is best for you and don't want you to struggle. Acknowledge their feelings, thank them for their input and caring, but tell them you think you can handle this and will promise not to whine about your work load. You could explain what research you've done about the work load, what you might cut back on it you need to, etc., but do so as a way to say, "I know you are concerned, but don't worry, I've carefully considered things," rather than "please let me do this." </p>
<p>If it is your decision you don't need to get them to agree. This is an important life lesson -- even if someone in authority disagrees with you, if it is your decision you don't need his/her OK. (I remember using this with a doctor who insisted I needed knee surgery last year. I said it was my decision and I wasn't convinced that surgery was the way to go. He got very angry but I insisted. I didn't have to get him to agree with me -- he couldn't do the surgery unless I agreed to it. My knee got better with physical therapy ... whereupon he said he was glad "we" had decided against the surgery!)</p>
<p>I say all this as a parent. My son in his freshman year in college took 21 credits of science, math, engineering, and Japanese. My husband and I thought he was making a big mistake (he also planned on doing debate). But, you know, it wasn't up to us and he has to make his own decisions and live with the consequences. He did OK, probably could have gotten somewhat higher grades if he had fewer hours but I don't know for sure. It did have the salutory impact of showing him what he could do if he had to.</p>
<p>You also might tell your parents that you need not take the test or that the score won't matter. College applications will be made and judged long before that. What colleges will look for is whether you have continued to challenge yourself in senior year.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>tell you parents to shut the hell up. Holy crap, my parents never told me what classes to take, and they like to tell me a lot of things to do, so your parents really must be control freaks. </p>
<p>TELL THEM TO TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL COUNESLOR IF YOU HAVE ONE. Maybe the counselor can talk some sense into your insane parents. </p>
<p>You can do whatever you want, take whatever classes you want, as long as you can manage, WHAT THE HELL IS THE PROBLEM?</p>