So Im a Junior and the first school quarter ends in less than a week and I currently have a 63% in AP Calculus AB (very unlikely i can bring it up to a C in time) and a 73% in Ap Chemistry ( and Im pretty sure its going to drop to a D once the teacher puts in the rest of the grades). Since im likely going to end up failing both this quarter Im thinking of trying to drop a class for a study hall. ( BTW im taking 4 APs in total)
I know its recommended to have a core class every year of high school and if I drop AP Calc I will be left without any math classes in my Junior year of highschool which im afraid looks bad. In the case of AP chem, if i drop it i still have Genetics honors as a science class so its not as bad. Im technically doing worse in AP calc rn but the teacher has a 98% passing rate while the chem teacher only has 60something% passing rate. With this in mind, and my overall dislike for chemistry as a subject, Im thinking I should drop Chem rather than Calc,
I know junior year is the most important for grades and Im so scared of my GPA dropping when its fairly good right now (3.7 uw). I figure I drop one to prevent too hard a fall if I do fail and with one less class to worry about I can put more focus on my APs and bring the grades up.
On the other hand, I also fear it will look bad that I dropped a class since It might show as “withdrawn”.
So do I risk failing a class or have withdrawn shown on my transcript? If I do drop which class should I drop?
Grades are important, but IMHO the thing that should worry you most is what this is telling you about your readiness for college.
Some kids can’t do the work of calc or chem, but the most likely cause is poor study habits. Either you aren’t studying effectively or you aren’t spending enough time on it. In a college math or science class it would be normal to spend 6-10 hours a week reading the chapters, doing the homework, doing extra practice problems on your own. Given the slower pace of an AP class you should still be spending 3-5 hours each week per class doing this.
Talk to some of your friends doing well in the classes and try to figure out what they are doing differently. Talk to your teachers for advice. There are books about learning and study habits; one good one is “Make it Stick”. You had mentioned in an earlier post you want to go to med school. This doesn’t seem realistic if you can’t do well in HS math & chem classes, so what you have here is an opportunity to turn things around before you’re taking classes like these for keeps in college.
My situation is a little different, but something similar happened to me my sophomore year. I was taking an honors class, AP Art History, and AP Bio, which was mainly a junior/senior class at my school, and I hadn’t taken regular bio or chem yet. Needless to say, I was in over my head, and I dropped it for regular bio after the first quarter.
Swapping classes did two things for me. (1) It gave me more time to focus on my other classes and set myself up for success going into junior year. (2) It made me really thing about what I was getting myself into going forward, and gauge how much work I can realistically do, and (3) potentially most importantly, it was the first real feeling of failure in my academic career. I didn’t technically fail the class, but I wasn’t able to do what I thought I could, and that gave me some real perspective.
I dropped the class with support from my parents and the school councilor, and it wasn’t easy to step down, but looking back, it really set me up for success by having that experience, and knowing limitations.
I took 6 more AP classes during high school, and went into college with some 20 extra units, getting out of some pre-reqs, which was nice, but I ultimately ended up dropping them because I double majored with a minor and hit the unit cap. That being said, I loved the AP classes, so I wouldn’t have changed anything.
i had the same exact problem. i suggest taking it. if you plan on majoring in sciences colleges will question why you didnt take it. it is important to have academic rigor.
Please go visit your counselor ASAP. Like today or tomorrow. And admit that you’re over your head. In your favor, you’ve been getting good grades all along, so he/she will see you haven’t been a total slacker. Then discuss some/all of these options with him/her…
Drop the chem for now, which allows you to double-down and focus on your math.
Approach your math teacher for help.
Go to math tutoring sections if they are offered during your study hall. If your family has the funds, consider a month or two at an after-school tutoring place like Kaplan. Your counselor may have recommendations for a tutor or tutoring company.
Im going to see the counselor on Monday for sure. I was actually able to bring my AP chem grade up to a C last minute so I dont think Im going to drop it( I dont think I could if I wanted to since Im technically passing). I still got a D in APcalc though so I’m going to ask my counselor what she thinks would be the best course of action for me. Thank you!
Good luck Steph. I think it’s wise of you to seek out help and advice. Please do not accept the idea that because you are struggling in math/science as a junior in high school, you won’t make it to med school. Keep doing what you are doing- push through and get help along the way.