<p>I just found out yesterday that i have been wait listed at Madison and they will want to see my first semester grades to make a final decision. I have a very difficult schedule and I'm doing well in all of my classes except for physics where i have a C+, without physics I would have a 3.9 this semester which would really help with my addmissions but I don't want to look bad for dropping a class.
What should I do?</p>
<p>Discuss with your HS guidance counselor. Ask yourself why you are taking this class- is it needed to graduate or to fulfill any college admissions reqs? Is the knowledge gained with a C grade worthwhile, could you do better next semester?</p>
<p>Also- I didn’t know they had the waitlist yet- are you sure you don’t mean a deferred decision? All students- be aware of semantics, there is a difference in different terms used.</p>
<p>I have all the science requirements to graduate, so I’m not worried about that. I just want to know if I’ll looked down upon for dropping a class right before college decisions are made. Physics is just a difficult class for me and I’m afraid to take it next semester if I have more difficult classes next semester that my C+ could be even lower. I’ll be sure to talk to my counselor soon about it though.</p>
<p>Also I just checked back online and it says “We have postponed a decision on your application. A letter has been mailed that will explain the decision and your next steps.”</p>
<p>Depending on what you wish to study at UW-Madison. If you want to study science-related, you will be required to take physics again? You are indeed stuck between a rock and a hard place…</p>
<p>At this moment my plan is to study economics and marketing, but if not those something related to business with an intention of pre law. Hopefully I could work around any sort of difficult science classes with those majors, but I just don’t want to seem like a quitter to the colleges I applied to for dropping a class.</p>
<p>Most if not all UW freshman admitts have completed 4 years of HS science. If dropping your current physics class leaves you with only 3 years of science - it will likely weaken your admission chances. They may overlook the missing 4th year if you scored a 30+ on the ACT science section. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d call the admissions office and ask. The people are very friendly and you won’t necessarily need to give them your name. Explain that you just found out that your decision has been postponed and that you know that 1st semester senior year grades are very important. Discuss that you are in a quandary over whether to drop physics since you don’t need it and it’s not your best subject, and that without it you’d have a 3.9 this semester. Sometimes students answer the admissions phone, if you feel the person you are talking to isn’t knowledgeable enough about your question, ask if you could speak to her/his supervisor.</p>
<p>Link to FAQs on postponement:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/images/UW_Postponed_Applicant_FAQ.pdf[/url]”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/images/UW_Postponed_Applicant_FAQ.pdf</a></p>
<p>“Historically, approximately half of postponed applicants are offered admission.”</p>
<p>Read more here on Senior Year Course Changes:</p>
<p>[Senior-Year</a> Course Changes - Office of Admissions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison](<a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/freshman/seniorCourseChanges.php]Senior-Year”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/freshman/seniorCourseChanges.php)</p>
<p>I think it would be better to get a C+ and keep the class than to drop it and tell Madison that you’ve dropped it. </p>
<p>I was postponed last year and got a C in calculus and I am happily studying in Madison today. Retaking calculus, of course.</p>
<p>Yakov- you probably have many veterans of AP calculus in your class. Many students who pass the AP Calculus exam taken in HS often start over with first semester UW calculus- there is much more taught in the UW version than the AP version so some students who start with second semester UW calculus struggle with it.</p>