I’m currently a senior in my second semester and have applied to all of my colleges (Ivies, top 10s, UCs). On the Common Application in the senior year courses section, I included an online AP Physics I course, but there is no way I’ll be able to finish it by the time I graduate. Right now, if I send it as part of my mid-year report, the grade will be very low and will look bad. My guidance counselor told me that it will not be part of the mid-year report if I decide to drop it, so I plan to. But my problem is that I have not taken another physics course besides this, so without it I would have no physics on my transcript at all. I’m going into liberal arts so I’m not really worried about that aspect, but I know that colleges prefer students to have taken biology, chemistry, and physics at least. And I would also have to email each college I have applied to to inform them that I am no longer taking the course. Will it look bad if I drop it? Is there something I can do to make it look better?
Physics is a Liberal Art.
To answer your question, I think it shows a lack of commitment. In an arena that you don’t want anyone to have even the slightest negative thought about you, they will now have one. However, at the tippy tops, the likelihood that it will change the decision is low because it is unlikely that even if you completed the class that you would be accepted. That is just the math.
What is “very low”? You’re between two non-good choices, so the actual grade makes a difference.