What do colleges think of dropping a class in HS?

Applying to College
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<p>How do colleges look at a dropped class on a high school transcript? </p>

<p>I've heard several theories about this, but I'm not sure what to believe. I've heard that colleges look at it really negatively, as though you gave up, and take into consideration your grade in the class. Like if it said you got a D, they would be like "oh, this person got a D.. we can't accept someone who got a D" even though the student technically didn't officially earn that grade, they just withdrew while having that grade in the class.
But I've also heard that colleges just ignore it/overlook it as if it wasn't even there.<br>
Which one of these is true? </p>

<p>I dropped AP Macroeconomics. My transcript specifically says "Withdrew--10/2009 with a C". But I know in other school systems, it just says the date of withdrawal and says whether you were passing or failing at the time of withdrawal. So I was just thinking, wouldn't that be unfair to me that it said the specific grade, and if I were in another school system, it could have said "Passing grade" on my transcript and colleges wouldn't know if it was a D, C, B, or even an A? Will colleges know about how that's unfair to me?</p>

<p>Should I write some explanation for why I dropped it? (I just found it too hard and uninteresting, plus it wasn't a necessary graduation requirement so I didn't want it deter from my work for my other more-important classes.. yeah, I know, bad reasons)<br>
By the way, all of my other grades have been As with the exception of one B and one C (and in the most challenging classes).</p>

<p>Sorry, got a lot of questions here. I would appreciate if anyone could be so kind enough as to clear this up for me. Thank you! =]</p>

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<p>People are allowed to make mistakes in high school. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.</p>

<p>It might be in your best interest to not write an explanation.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I completely agree with what you said about people being allowed to make mistakes in high school.</p>

<p>I guess what’s making me so worried is seeing all these super-amazing kids with 5.0 GPAs, 2343 AP classes, extraordinary extracurricular activities, perfect SAT scores… I feel like I can’t stand up against this kind of competition at the selective LACs that I dream of attending and I just know that they deserve to go over me. Especially with my pathetic 4 AP classes, one dropped class, a C, and only a few not-too-great extracurricular activities with very little leadership. These worries have been taking over my mind lately… :confused: I just need some reassurance that I won’t get rejected everywhere I apply.</p>

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<p>Colleges look at test scores and transcripts as a way to qualify you for their school. It’s not the end all be all of admissions.</p>

<p>Most universities are more subjective than objective after a certain point is reached. Your admissions depends greatly on what you’ve done with your life, what you want to do, and how you present yourself.</p>

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<p>I find that the population who post here tend to be the uber achievers. Dont try to compare yourself. Be the best you can be and be passionate about who you are and what you are t may not be harvard, princeton, yale, stanford, but you can get a top rate college education at far more than the popular short list would make you think. Good luck and don’t panic…</p>