I completed an entire year of AP world and got a B first semester and a C second semester and I did not pass the AP exam. I still however decided to take AP US history because I felt obliged to take every AP class that is available. Now that I have completed a full semester of APUSH, I find myself struggling in that class more than normal. I spend hours studying for this class and often read each chapter 2 to 3 times and I still am not successful. I find that the numerous hours put into this class have effected my grade in all of my other classes. With that said, should I drop AP US history and just take regular history for second semester or should i just stick with it and suck it up. Keep in mind that I am willing to do the work and put in a lot of effort just as long as it pays off in the end. I also currently have around a 74 or 75 percent © without the final exam.
I am also taking 2 other AP classes AP Biology and AP lit and comp
Talk to the teacher.
yes I am planning on doing that but I also wanted other peoples opinions!
Stick with APUSH. Try using Coursenotes or reviewing your study guide (if you have one). It’s more time-efficient than reading a chapter repeatedly. It isn’t a hard class, just requires dedication. Good luck, you can do it!
I have also tried those study techniques but I am still awful at the class. I want to stick with APUSH just because the teacher is great and it interesting I just cant afford to get a C and also have pretty bad grades in my other classes because I’m focusing too much on APUSH. Right now I have 4 C and I am only taking 5 classes because I have been putting all my time into APUSH. Overall I feel like it’s bringing my gpa and I feel like it isn’t worth it for just one class. Another question: If I do decide to drop it will it look too bad on college apps? Thank you!!
My advice: find another student in the class who is really interested in it or good at it and see if they are willing to tutor you. APUSH is one of the hardest AP classes, but if you can improve your grade it’ll probably look pretty nice on your transcript. When it come to your other classes, I’d make a calendar or schedule to try and plan out when to study for what. Also, utilize your friends! Start up a weekly study group or arrange to meet up at the library a few times a month with classmates. Trust me when I say that studying with others can be a lot more beneficial than studying alone.
If APUSH is too difficult, then drop it. I know many people who have switched to regular history. It’s more slow paced and offers less material to study. If you decide to drop, it won’t necessarily destroy your chances of getting into college. Remember, they look at more than just the classes you take. If you are taking other AP classes, then you should be fine. Just do what’s best for your grades and time management. Don’t give up!!
If I do decide to drop APUSH, will it look too bad on college apps? Will it affect my chances of getting into any cal state or UC colleges??
Are you sure that you won’t also struggle in the non-AP history class?
There is little advantage from a college admissions perspective in taking AP courses and then getting Cs and failing the AP tests.
Limit the damage to your grades. AP courses are not meant for everyone.
I also got a C for APUSH this year so your not alone. Still don’t drop it it looks really bad to colleges. Try really hard next semester to get a better grade. Colleges would rather like to see a B in an AP class than an A in regular class.
Will it show up as withdrawn on your transcript? If not, I would recommend dropping. If it’s affecting your grades in other classes, it’s not worth it, the damage to your GPA will be too great.
fogcity and jeremyL17: I am not sure what my grade will be for the first semester. My school has finals next week. As of right now I am on the edge of getting a B but if I don’t do too well on the last test of the semester and the final, I think I will get a C. A 78-79% is considered a B because the teacher curves the class. Right now I am at a 77.5%.
butterfreesnd: I am not sure if it shows up as a withdraw on my transcript because I’ve never dropped a class before. I would think so though.
I also spoke with my teacher and he said people who drop usually have a D or F in the class and that my grade isn’t a reason to drop. The only reason I should consider dropping is because of time issues.
Yes, of course it will affect your UC chances. They look at the difficulty of your schedule. And keep in mind that if you are a senior and have already applied then they require you to notify them of any schedule changes.
But there are other issues. You wrote that you have 4 C’s in your other classes because of the time APUSH is taking. You are not going to be a realistic candidate for the UCs as a C student. In fact if you are a senior they require you to maintain an unweighted B average senior year or your admission can be revoked.
This is the real elephant in the room. APUSH is equivalent to a freshman-level college class. Its nothing more tha millions of frosh across the country are expected to do. If you are spending hours and hours studying and not getting it, then you need to change something. One tongue-in-cheek definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. More hours on APUSH is not going to fix it. Ducking the issue by dropping the class will not make you a better student. You need to work with your guidance counselor and teacher(s) on how to improve your academic performance or your chances of success in college (wherever you finally attend) is small. Get tested for learning disabilities, see if you are studying effectively, etc.
Posts like these make me shake my head when I see people post that STEM classes are harder than humanities and that those who major in, say, philosophy, are lazier or less academically inclined than those who study math. It is all a matter of where your interests and gifts lie.
To the OP: APUSH is fantastic preparation for the Critical Reading section of the SAT, which matters a lot more in college admissions than any single class you take. If you can hold out (and really work on those DBQs), you will do much better on the CR section than you would have without that APUSH class.
And when you get to college, don’t major in history. Find something you love and are naturally good at, and study that, no matter what it is!
Are you a junior or a senior? How are you doing in AP Lit and AP Bio?
A C in an AP class will not help you with either the UC’s they want A or B, or Honors), nor the CSUs (they use your GPA X SAT score). In any case, there’s a limit on how many AP classes you can use to calculate your UC GPA so drop APUSH and take Honors or Regular US History, and bring those other 4 classes’ grades up.
mikemac:
I am not a senior. I am a Junior. As for studying methods I have tried different ways and I find that I am greatly improving. The problem is It takes too much time. And I am not trying to dodge the issue by dropping out Nor am I trying to take the easy way out. I am more than willing to put in the effort I just don’t want my other grades to be negatively affected. I know that my grades are pretty bad and I already have a low to no chance o getting into a UC however there are easier UC’s to get into such as UC Riverside and UC Merced. I am also aiming for San Diego State because it is a better Cal State. Lastly, this is not an excuse to get C’s but my sister got into UCI and maintained C’s for second semester grades senior year and her admission was not revoked.
@kerstinhanna: it will get better. If you are interested and motivated, stick with it and I’m betting you will see improvement this semester. It’s a tough class but everyone in my daughter’s class seemed to click with its demands second semester. Now if you really dislike the class, that’s a different story. In that case, by all means drop it and find the mix of classes that’s right for YOU. Don’t worry about colleges and what you think they want. I know it sounds easy for me to say but it’s the truth.
So true! It goes along with the notion that “smart” people can breeze through high school. As if papers just write themselves without hours of effort and research.