Should I drop an AP class four weeks into the quarter?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello all-</p>

<p>I'm currently enrolled in AP Microeconomics and am having the hardest time. I go to all of the after school study sessions, I study rigorously at home, I complete all of my homework, yada yada. Yet, I've failed every quiz and test except for one A on a free response question. It's very frustrating to me because I have a C in the class right now; the lowest grade I have ever gotten is a B+. This is not my first AP class, sophomore year I took AP US History and earned an A.</p>

<p>It has been 4 weeks into the quarter, and I'm starting to see that AP Microeconomics is not necessarily my forte, and have come to the conclusion that perhaps a memorization-based class such as AP US Government would be better suited to me. I talked to my teacher earlier in the year, and he told I should stick with the class and see how the next two units go. The next two units have passed and I failed them miserably.</p>

<p>However, if it will show on my transcript that I dropped AP Microeconomics four weeks into the quarter (I will find out from my counselor soon if it will show or not), I have heard it is frowned upon by many colleges.</p>

<p>Would it be better to switch out out of AP Micro, take regular economics and earn a higher grade, and instead of taking AP Macroeconomics next semester take AP US Government?</p>

<p>I would appreciate any input ASAP, seeing that my time is constrained in my decision.</p>

<p>Thank you very much,</p>

<p>kmizdancer</p>

2

<p>If it won’t show up on your transcript, drop it right away. Otherwise, try to talk to the teacher to see if there’s any way at all you can bring up your grade. Hopefully she will see how hard you are working and offer you some help. If you ARE able to bring up your grade, you will have the teacher rec of a lifetime!</p>

<p>If you try everything and just can’t succeed in the class, it is important you discuss this with your GC, make sure she fully understands and supports your reasons for dropping the class so she can explain your decision on her rec. I would also advise trying to see if you can transfer into a different AP course (like straight to government) rather than into regular econ, which will look better to colleges (or does it have to be econ to fulfill a requirement?).</p>

<p>I honestly don’t know how colleges will receive your decision. Which schools are you applying to?</p>

3

<p>Hi mmmgirl!</p>

<p>Okay, so I don’t think it’s possible to switch into an AP Government course straight away after dropping AP econ, however I know it is possible to sign up for the next AP Government course next semester (AP gov is a one semester class). It is required at my school to take an economics class, whether it be a full year of AP economics or just a semester of regular economics.</p>

<p>I am planning on applying to the University of Michigan Ann-Arbor, with Michigan State University as a back-up.</p>