I’m currently in the class my senior year of HS, and have already/am applying to elite universities (Duke, ivies, UC schools, etc.). However, my teacher is awful. There is never a lesson plan or any structure, he plays the class out “by ear” and usually he just goes over problems from worksheets. There’s never any note-taking, and he never lectures or goes through any of the content. I am in the class because I want to major in Chemistry, and did very well in AP Chemistry and standerdized test (34 on science ACT, 780 Chem SAT II). No one in the class passes the exam, and I feel like I would be better off taking an online course (Rice University offers a 30 week program I’d be interested in pursuing), and then taking the exam at the end of the year. However, I am reluctant to inform the colleges I’m applying to that I dropped an AP and am not enrolled in a science course, with my intended major being a science. The class is really having a toll on my GPA but more importantly my health; I’m wasting so much time trying to learn the material on my own and then fail the tests. I’m also enrolled in 3 other AP’s (BC Calc, English Lit., Psych) and am doing well in all other courses. How bad would it be if i dropped the course and enrolled in an online one? How do I relay it to colleges? Any feedback would help a lot, I’m really not sure what to do. Thanks
You first have to talk to your guidance counselor to see if it’s even possible to drop or withdraw at this late date. Usually you have 3 weeks or so to drop without penalty, but after that, a “W” (withdrawal) will appear on your transcript. At my school, after 1st quarter you are no longer allowed to withdraw- if you do, the “W” on the transcript turns into a “WF” (withdrawal/failture).
So it may not even be an option. If it is, ask your guidance counselor what the implications are. At my school, we send out a list of classes each senior is taking although with their transcript, then at the end of 1st quarter, we send 1st quarter grades. Counselors have to fill out a report and notify colleges if there is a schedule change- and you do, too.
I’ll be honest…dropping an AP class is not gonna look good at the Ivy or top-tier level. However, your mental health is the top priority! Better to sacrifice the chance to attend an ivy and drop the class and find yourself in a healthier place at a less competitive school. I’ve seen 3 kids on the verge of nervous breakdown in the last two years, and i’m here to tell you IT IS NOT WORTH IT.
Best of luck!
What does your guidance counselor have to say about dropping? OK in that person’s experience or not? What about jiggering your schedule for next semester so that is isn’t a “drop” but rather an “oh gee, how awful a scheduling conflict”? What does your guidance counselor suggest about the online option? If you switch now, will you be able to make up for any missed material?
What did your guidance counselor and the head of the science program have to say when you and the rest of the class stopped by to express your concerns that the lack of formal lesson planning would mean you are umprepared for the AP exam in the spring?
As a prospective chemistry major, you really should have some physics in high school, since physics in college often assumes knowledge of high school level physics. So if AP physics 1 is worthless (in terms of learning) at your high school, it would be better to switch to regular high school physics instead of dropping physics completely.
Yes, you do need to inform colleges that you have already applied to of your schedule change.
@happymomof1 has a good point. Your guidance counselor is able to log into the AP professional website and view the AP scores of that teacher’s classes for the last 5 years. If the pass rate is very low it should be brought to the attention of the administration at that school.
Can you get a private tutor to help you? My daughter was having a hard time in AP Calculus senior year and had a similar teacher to what you described. Most of the students were lost in his class. I asked around and found a tutor that used to teach at the school and was tutoring other students in the class. The tutor helped her learn the material, and she made a good grade in the class. She made a high score on the AP test and placed out of Calculus in college.
Are we talking about getting an F vs. dropping? Or getting a C vs. dropping?
Those are two different things.
But I agree that if your mental health is at stake, it’s a no-brainer to drop the course if possible. That’s unrelated to other factors.