<p>Im sorry, lots of rambling but I need ADVICE !!!</p>
<p>I'm not doing very well in my AP physics class. I'm trying SO HARD, coming in after school, studying during lunch yet I'm just scared I'm not going to cut it. We have a test tomorrow, and by the looks of it, I'm going to fail. There's no way if I'm doing THIS bad THIS early in the year am I going to pass the final and get anything above a D in that class for the semester. Plus, it will be even harder to maintain my motivation to do well in that class once its second semester and I'm in full senioritis mode.... Uhhhh god I just don't know what to do. I'm so frustrated. My options are: stay in AP Physics, struggle, devote ALL my free time to it and probably get a C at best or transfer down to regular (academic level) physics and probably earn an A. </p>
<p>I'm also applying to college this year. Here's my problem. I'm not the BEST student and I haven't taken mounds and mounds of AP/honors classes. My whole application and appeal is based on my improvement throughout high school and the challenging classes I have taken. Now, If I drop AP physics that whole appeal will be ruined. It will seem as though I've given up, don't care and am regressing back to my old slacker ways. My GPA will definitely go down this semester. Probably it will be a 4.2 at best (last year it was a 4.6). Should I transfer down to regular physics and get an A or stay in AP physics? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>And how will transferring down affect my college admissions? Will it REALLY be looked down upon? If I transfer down to reg physics, I'll only have 2 AP classes, 2 Junior College Classes (count as AP credit at my school.. so an extra grade point) and the other 3 regular non honors classes ... that DOES NOT look good if u ask me.. Especially for senior year. Looks like I'm slacking...</p>
<p>What should I do!!???? </p>
<p>To give u an idea, these are the colleges to which I am applying:</p>
<p>Almost all UC's (except Merced)
3 non competitive CSU's
Mt. Holyoke
Smith College
Reed College
Loyola Marymount University
Willamette
Santa Clara University</p>
<p>Have you tried getting a tutor?
Unless you're planning on going into the sciences, I think that you can do without AP physics. In fact, you may be able to do without physics altogether. Many students do not take physics and still get into the kind of schools you're applying to.</p>
<p>I don't have the time nor the money to get a tutor. I'm in school (with JC evening classes) until 7 pm mon-thurs and do volunteering on weekends. plus i'm applying to colleges and for scholarships... senior year is busy lol</p>
<p>I would transfer down to regular physics. From what I've heard at college info sessions, if you are struggling in an AP class but can pull your grade up to a B, stay in it and keep trying. Otherwise, it's better to take a lower-level class where you will do well.</p>
<p>I'm definiteley NOT going to major in anythign science related. I'm applying undecided to most schools but i'm leanign towards a major in poli sci or business. I've never been great at math... but i just feel it will really hurt me to drop one out of my 3 ap classes this year. </p>
<p>It probably wouldnt make much difference to some super steller student but i'm average. my cumulative GPA is like 3.84 (weighted)</p>
<p>i'm just worried about how bad transferring down will hurt me at the schools I'm applying to. I'm supposed to be on the "upward trend", challengign myself and what not. transferring down will demonstrate weakness and a lack of commitment i think</p>
<p>It's a nobrainer. Transfer to the regular Physics. There is no way that one more or less AP class will substantially alter your profile. What is important:</p>
<p>1) your application will be enhanced by completing a Physics class
2) you should avoid any risk of a D and try to avoid a C</p>
<p>In this case an A or B in regular Physics is fine. I don't think the transfer of classes should show in your transcript, check to be sure, but it seems a nonissue to me.</p>
<p>Those schools will be happy with physics period.</p>
<p>those schools are pretty competative though.. transferring into reg will just make me EVEN more mediocre. I'm SO average to begin with. nothign stands out about me as an applicant besides me upward trend in grades. And yes, i think the reg physics class will show up on my transcript rather than AP physics. it will show that transferred.</p>
<p>I think you should drop AP physics because one less AP class won't really affect the college's decision that much and getting the A or B in the class is worth it.</p>
<p>How bad would it look to get two B's in junior year when having received all A's in 9th and 10th grade? They were in AP USH and Honors English by the way. My teachers were particularly hard (only 1 person in my AP USH class got an A and my English teacher was a PA teacher of the year). It really irks me since classmates higher in rank than me have straight A's because they have had significantly easier teachers.. ugh..</p>
<p>NO! Don't drop AP PHYSICS. Hey I have been getting a B(89) in AP Physics C. But today, I got a 97 on the test, the highest in the class. Naturally i was happy. Anyways my point is that with work and concentration(REALLY IMPORTANT) u can definitely improve. The test bumped my average to 91 in physics. So with a test or two I will get an A for the quarter. YES!!
Oh yeh really keep it.</p>
<p>Masha, I think you should drop AP physics if it is causing you so much trouble. In fact I am surprised you are in AP physics unless you have already taken a regular physics course; at our school the AP sciences are taken senior year as second-year courses to follow up on the regular ones taken earlier in high school. If you can get in to whatyou call academic physics (also a second-year physics class?) and think you can get do realyl well, then go for that. It sounds as though AP physics will really blight your senior year and posibly pull down your other grades, which are very important first semester.</p>
<p>I also tend to agree with northstarmom that you might not have to take physics at all. IF you have five other academic subjects you are probably ok without a senior-year science (should then have math, English, history, foreign language, adn somethng else). (My son did not take science senior year and was accepted at several top-ten LACs--like you, not intersted in pursuing science--he did have excellent grades though, so of course that helped.) Can you check with your college counselor?</p>