Someone please help me

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>My high school isn't like a typical American high school. We're ranked top 10 in the nation. Why? Because my school offers over 15 AP classes, in addition to the IB program, and students do exceptionally well on the corresponding exams. Freshman year was a breeze. It was a piece of cake compared to now. I took 6 honors level classes and 1 regular. This year I'm taking 5 AP classes and 2 honors level. The only class that's frustrating is AP Physics B. The other classes I could easily make As, but I can't because I have to devote so much time towards physics. And guess what? I might get a D in that class this quarter. Does anybody understand how frustrating it is to get your first grade lower than a B in your whole life? It's not even a C, it's a D! A D! I. Don't. Get. Ds. (If I beg and plead, it could be a C since the D is a 69.4). I'm having a really difficult time deciding what I should do about this class. I have a few options, but each one comes with huge cons. </p>

<p>Options:
1. Stick it out for one more quarter, drop it next semester, and take AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, or the Holocaust studies class.
- Pros: I would have to drop the entire program that I'm in, and go to IB. I won't have to take physics next semester, or AP Physics C next year (which isn't as tough as AP Physics B).
- Cons: Will I be considered lazy? Not hard working? Will it be worth dropping the class for only one semester, then having to take the toughest math class in the school on top of the IB program? </p>

<ol>
<li>Don't drop the class, and work harder.</li>
<li>Pros: I'll be successful (maybe). Is there anything else? </li>
<li>Cons: Will I make As (or Bs at least)? I really don't know. I don't know if I'll have the time to do the things that I want to do like tennis and debate. I don't know how much harder I can try than I already am. I got a 75 on the last test, which I studied for. You don't need AP Physics B or C to get into an ivy league university. So why am I torturing myself by taking this class? Because I care too much about what people think of me, and if I drop the class, it'll look like I'm not smart enough to handle the class. </li>
</ol>

<p>I've been crying almost everyday this whole week. I don't know what to do. What's bothering me the most, is knowing (by the looks of it) that my hopes and dreams of being accepted into an ivy league are crushed. It's basically all over for me. I didn't have high chances at all before this, but now I don't have any chance at all! I had it all planned out. I was going to win a few tournaments in debate, make the tennis team this year, and junior and senior years, and make mostly As. But, I don't think I can do that. </p>

<p>I've thought about switching schools. Will colleges ask me why? I'll say the distance was too far. I mean, if I went back to my old private school, I'd be able to wake up at 7:00, and not 5:45 like I do now. The classes are so much easier there, too. I'd easily make straight As. I could even be saludictorian (not vale- because there's this one crazy smart girl there who has straight As, and I got screwed last year with a few Bs). But, here comes those thoughts of what people think about me. The people at my old private school will say, "We knew it was too hard for you. We knew you'd come back." The people at my current school will call me a wimp who couldn't handle the work.</p>

<p>I really, really don't know what to do.</p>

2

<p>anybody? :(</p>

3

<p>Work harder, stick it out. Don’t cry over this bull. Be glad you’re at your school, not mine, here, there is no such thing as the “D,” you’d be failing. Sorry if I seem… Curt, but really, this isn’t a matter for tears. If you transfer out, they’ll know it was because of the grade… So don’t, it makes you look lazy. Do beg, though, but don’t be bitter if your teacher won’t change the grade… Tell him or her how hard you’ve been working, though. And wait…? Do quarter grades go on your transcript at your school? If not, then no sweat, you’ve got time to fix this situation.</p>

4

<p>By the way, I meant don’t transfer classes. Or schools. If you can make all As, with the exception of ONE class, in a top ten school, then transfering is a terrible idea…</p>

5

<p>depends on why you’re failing physics!</p>

<p>ask yourself why you’re doing poorly, and then see if you can remedy it. things like being bad at math are much harder to recover from than not grasping free body diagrams. maybe get a teacher’s opinion on this, although he’ll probably just encourage you to stick with it.</p>

<p>fwiw physics is quite a difficult subject, my year about half the ap physics b kids dropped and went to ib or whatever, so don’t feel too bad if you can’t get a grip on it. believe me you’re not alone.</p>

6

<p>I’m dropping to IB. I decided that the classes I will be taking in the next few years are very rigorous, and I do not need to take the most rigorous load my school has to offer (which is EXTREMELY rigorous) in order to get accepted into an ivy league or a top university. </p>

<p>I chose the classes that I want to take, whether they’re AP or honors, or even regular level. </p>

<p>Moral of the story (that I had to learn the hard way): Do what you love, do it often, and do it well. That’s how you succeed.</p>