I am applying to Macalester, Vassar, Skidmore and St Lawrence and have already been accepted to the University of Minnesota.
I want to drop out of either my general Physics class or my AP statistics one this semester, but don’t know if it will impact getting into college. I have taken 4.5 years of English, 4.5 of Social Sciences, 4 of French, and 3.5 of Math and Science so far. I feel like I really need a break but cannot decide what to do. Not sure if there would be a possibility of a college revoking my acceptance after I tell them that I did not take a certain course this semester.
My mom spoke to someone from Macalester over the phone and they said it would be best for me to take four years of science since that is the one subject I have not taken advanced classes in. However, I feel like it would look worse if I dropped out of an AP class and therefore would not get the weighted grade or take the exam. I know a lot of colleges prefer four of each but I want to actually have a life this last part of senior year. Really conflicted, would love some opinions.
In your applications to those colleges you put down your complete Sr class schedule, correct? Your application was and will be reviewed based on the rigor of those classes that you said you are taking.
If you DROP them , then colleges will NOT look upon your application favorably and may in fact revoke an admission.
College is HARDER than HS, and no college wants to admit or enroll a student who drops classes.
So yes, suck it up .
Do you have precalculus, calculus, integrated math 4? If so, you can drop AP Stats. The requirement is Algebra1, Algebra2, Geometry, and one more from the above (or Integrated math 1-4). AP stats is an “AP lite” anyway, not seen as very rigorous at all. However, having all three of bio, chem, and physics is very important to colleges, so I wouldn’t drop Physics, especially if it’s your only AP science class or if you don’t have another Physics class on your schedule.
Before you drop anything
1° see what other class you could take instead. If you email colleges to tell them you decided to switch out of AP Stats for second semester and will instead take Home Economics, Sculpture, or help your favorite French teacher, it’ll go over better than if you say “I decided to drop AP Stats and take a free period”. Furthermore, having a reason (motivation) might help (“it’s a class I always wanted to take but was always locked out of but now that I’m a second semester senior I have priority and I finally get to take it!!!”)
2° once the replacement is secured, email the colleges and check whether they’re okay with the substitution.
I think that dropping either or both is a terrible idea.
You have worked hard and have applied to some great places. Don’t put those prospects at risk by falling below the basic requirements. Do what you can to motivate yourself to finish.
I would not drop the class. You have all summer to take a break.
My friend’s D was accepted ED to a competitive school and wanted to drop AP Calc. She called the school and was told that if she dropped the class they would re-evaluate her acceptance. So she sucked it up, got a tutor and finished out the class.
If you drop you would have to notify the school you have been accepted to as well as every school you applied to. If you drop it will be obvious from your final transcript and not completing the coursework you showed on your application is ground to rescind an acceptance.
As a side note, you should be making these calls, not your mom. It won’t reflect well on your if you don’t call yourself.