original501

I'm a junior in HS and I'm taking honors physics but the class is SO hard! I have an 80 average, but I am putting in 110% effort and it's KILLING me! My grades in other classes are suffering! My teacher is horrible and doesn't teach at all, and the homework keeps piling on and on night after night.
I want to get into regular physics, where I would actually learn something and have an "A" as opposed to honors physics and have a "C" average.
The only problem is I've been in honors science since freshman year and this might look bad on my transcript.
At the beginning of the year, my GPA was 3.69, as of now, it's 3.25.

I plan on majoring in journalism or political science, and I don't see how physics will really be relevant.

Please help me!

mikemac

It depends on where you plan on applying. If you're looking for the most selective colleges, the kids applying to them have typically taken AP Physics (if offered), and honors if it isn't.

A lousy teacher makes for a tough year. But there's another way of looking at things. First off, many HS kids expect the teacher to do most of the lifting; not saying you do, but its a common sentiment. Without spending much time reading the material before class, many kids expect to show up and have the teacher explain it all to them. In effect the book is just the collection of homework problems and for review. This doesn't work so well when the teacher has other plans, or is just incapable of teaching the material effectively.

So another way to approach this class is to realize Physics is pretty standardized. Unlike something like history where the teacher can choose what to emphasize and come up with his own interpretations of causes & meanings, in physics the equations are the same no matter who teaches them. So you can learn a lot on your own and be comfortable what you're learning will match the class 100%. There is no law or school rule limiting you to using the book from class. You might find another book from the library better; furthermore many college students find books like the Physics Problem Solver invaluable. You read thru the section in a book to get an introduction to the material, but the real learning comes when you are solving problems on your own. Open the problem-solver book to the chapter on those, cover up the answer, and start working. Every question has a fully worked answer, so its almost like studying with a tutor.

Lastly there is an incredible amount of material on the web these days. You can find complete tutorials on physics, and some schools like MIT have even videotaped their classes and made the lectures available for free!

emerica22

I had a similar experience in Physics last year, I ended up teaching myself a lot of stuff (as did almost everyone in my class). It worked out okay , I probably would have done better if the teacher actually did his job. Anyways just stick it out, it may just be that physics is not your thing, one of my friends has like a 102 gpa and struggles in physics. Also you could talk to your physics teacher and maybe meet with him outside of class sometime for extra help.

knollies

Personally, I would drop it. Junior year is an important year and yes, taking higher level classes is technically better. But is it honestly worth it to sacrifice not only the rest of your classes but your own happiness/comfort? It seems like you're truly giving it your all and the class is really stressing you out and you're still not getting the grades you'd like.

fauve

Agree with ^^^. If you have hit the wall, drop it, and take other challenging AP classes. Could you try AP Chem or AP Bio next year to show a willingness to challenge yourself?

limabeans

Some things to consider: did you talk to your GC about this? You may find out that you can't quit now. You may need to wait till after the midterms, for instance.

Also, does your HS weight an Honors class differently from a regular class?

Physics is a high-level course, so this isn't surprising. It could be you'll get into a groove.

Have you spoken to the teacher, or worked w/ the teacher afterschool for extra help? Sometimes that teacher isn't nearly so bad as you once thought after you got to know him/her.

Jay1020

Drop it.

The biggest mistake I made in high school was just signing up for as many AP and honors classes I could get into. Having gone through the whole process and now attending an Ivy, I wish I could go back and drop them all. It hurt me more than helped me. You should only take difficult classes if you can perform well in them. An "A" in regular English is a lot better than a "B+" in AP English.

OneShot

Jay, I've heard the exact opposite. The fact that you have taken AP English and have received a "B+" in it is much better than getting an "A" in a regular class as it just shows that you take easy classes and get A's in them.

CharmingQuark

An A in regular physics is much better than a C in honors physics, especially if you are interested in journalism and not one of the hard sciences. Yes, you should challenge yourself, but a C will bring your transcript down. Recognize your limits.

original501

Thank you everyone!
The AP physics teacher helped me A LOT, so I will stay in the class