<p>Are you guys and girls lightening the load? Will it matter too much if I take a little time to enjoy myself? I've already sent in all my apps, and the latest I'll hear back is Jan. 30.</p>
<p>I've never heard of anyone getting dropped by a college after the final transcripts are reviewed; what are the grounds of dismissal?</p>
<p>I'm not thinking of COMPLETELY slacking off, but right now I only have two classes (out of 4 possible) and those are AP calc and AP chem. If I added anything, it would be a basically worthless course: music appreciation. I've taken all of the AP classes my school has to offer, and nothing else worthwhile will fit into my schedule.</p>
<p>I was thinking of teaching myself astronomy and physics in my spare time...two subjects I've recently become very interested in. Besides, a school day from 10 a.m. until 1:40 p.m. with 30 minutes for lunch sure sounds nice...</p>
<p>So, what are your plans for the last semester of your senior year?</p>
<p>Yeah Im doing what you are doing. I take classes at a university.
Im taking Calc II and Chem II there, and then im taking two fluffy courses, they will still be hard i think. Intro to Mass Communications and Intro to Nonfiction Writing. We’ll see how that goes. :)</p>
<p>Didn’t you have to send in your 2nd semester classes on your application? If you’re not changing them, then any college who admits you won’t care. But, if you’re thinking of changing from what you submitted…yes, that can hurt you. Of course, I don’t know what types of schools you’re applying to. But even my D’s state Uni required that she submit her 2nd semester course load for their consideration. And I’m relatively certain that changes can affect your acceptance. Now that doesn’t mean that you can’t switch out your art history to art 3d. But if you said you’d take AP Calculus BC and switched to … art 3d…THAT is another story.</p>
<p>Yeah, currently I have AP Spanish 5 on my transcript and my guidance counselor will have to call the universities when I switch. He recommended that I take only two, as a girl similar to me in stats did that last year…</p>
<p>I’ve just never gone easy before…wonder what it’ll be like?!</p>
<p>Wow, well, if you think your GC is right, then do what you are comfortable with. Again, I imagine it depends on the college. All the colleges to which my D applied require MOST RIGOR. Her school offers over 30 APs, so no danger of anyone maxing out on that. Some kids take 5-7 APs as a senior. Some achieve the highest AP scholar level as Juniors, but no one I’ve ever heard of has fewer than 7 classes. Her school actually doesn’t even ALLOW it. The ONLY option is leaving ONE class early, provided you either have a job or other circumstance such as having to care for younger siblings. And that is only really for the non-college bound students. If you’re speaking of “teaching yourself” physics…why not take physics? Doesn’t your school OFFER advanced physics and/or at least AP physics? My D’s colleges specifically warned them NOT to “lighten the load”…are you going to a Community College?</p>
<p>I’m third in my class of 230 with a 5.02 GPA (3.98 uw) and a 2040 SAT. I took 5 classes the fall semester (three were AP, one was advanced chemistry [a pre-req for AP chemistry], and the last was marching band). We’re on the block scheduling system so the typical student takes 4 fall classes and 4 spring, totaling 8. If I take 2 in the spring, I’ll have 7. </p>
<p>I can’t take physics. It’s only offered 2nd period when I have AP chemistry. Chemistry is my favorite subject, so it won’t work. My school doesn’t offer AP physics, but I may do a self-study for the AP test.</p>
<p>NO, I’m not going to a Community College. My first choice is UNC Chapel Hill.</p>
<p>This comes up every year. Unless you have been admitted already to some schools you are happy with, you can’t afford to take it easy. If you are on the boarder line for a school, adcom may request to see your mid semester grade. A Cornell EDer asked why Cornell wanted to see his first mid semester grade, when it wasn’t required. I told him that I thought it was a good sign because it showed they were interested, but needed further validation. If you should get waitlisted during RD. The best way to get off it is by having a very strong spring semester performance. The worst case scenario would be if you want to transfer to a “better school” later then your senior grades will also matter. My daughter was shut out of all her top choices during RD with 4.0 UW. She then got off her 2 top choices wait list. I think it was because of her strong senior grades. </p>
<p>I say you guys are at the final stretch, don’t let up now.</p>
<p>Beta - if you are allowed to add classes now (my kid’s classes were selected a year ahead) and you have taken all APs at your school, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take art appreciation or some other electives. What’s important is to maintain your GPA. If you are already in a school you like, by dropping your grades a bit is no big deal. But if you are still trying to get into a school, then you should maintain your GPA or even show an upward trend. Good luck.</p>
<p>See, that’s somewhat the thing. The new semester starts Jan. 30. I find out from UNC Jan 30. I can add classes now, well, when I get back to school on Monday. Also, my GPA would drop even if I got a 100 in the class (I had a 115, no joke, in the first level). It’s a standard class, so the most I could get is a 4.0. My school will have determined valedictorian and GPA by the end of the first semester; it’s really dumb, they don’t consider second semester grades at all when determining final rank. If they did I’d most likely be salutatorian. Oh well, I’ll finish 3rd.</p>
<p>I suppose the possible over-achieving aspect of CC has persuaded me to take something in my first period… :)</p>