Kid had a positive preread at a competitive D3 (not Ivy but about 20% admit rate). At the time (this past summer) he sent his senior year schedule which listed accelerated physics for both first and second tri.
He has completed first tri of physics and would really like to drop it for second tri. His other courses are all APs so his schedule is already pretty demanding.
He does not need physics to graduate and has no interest in any sort of STEM major but might the school backtrack on the positive preread/admission because he dropped a class that was on his schedule when he got the positive preread?
I know I could call admissions but not sure I want to call attention to this if it could be a problem because he isnāt admitted yet.
Yes, as Tony said have him talk with his coach and also his college advisor. We had a similar situation. S24 is taking honors MVC and itās kicking his butt. He talked with his recruiting coach. This allowed her to have a conversation with Admissions on how much capital she would have to use to keep him. Heās committed to rigorous SLAC. It turns out he is fine. But he cannot drop down to intro MVC, as much as he would like. He too is not a STEM guy. Most schools frown on kids dropping to an easier course load upon an acceptance. This is all highly variable based on the school and level of recruit. Before doing anything have him have a frank and honest conversation with his coach. Good luck.
I agree he has to get approval from the coach (who will get it from admissionsā¦and they may or may not allow it). He can NOT drop the class until he has approval from the coach.
Iāve told this story before but D19 committed to a top LAC. Wanted to drop AP CS second semester and add another CS class that was at the SAME level as the AP class (but not called AP) at a rigorous āknownā HS. It was a huge ordeal, and for a time looked like they might not allow it. It was the coachās first year, so they learned a lot throughout the process too. Admissions ultimately did allow the switch, but it took a month of back and forth, sending syllabi, reading materials and the like back and forth with the coach as the middleman. My D NEVER spoke with admissions.
D22 had successful pre-read from SLAC. When giving pre-read results, the coach specifically said ādonāt kill anybody and donāt drop an AP.ā By the end of first semester, D22 wanted to drop her elective (non-AP) science because it wasnāt as interesting as she thought it would be. We had our high school counselor call the admissions office and ask generically if it was OK for her to drop (without giving specific information). Looking back, I think only seven kids from her high school applied to that SLAC and she was the only recruited athlete, so Iām not sure how generic the request really was. At any rate, the admissions officer said, as long as she was still in her AP science that year, dropping a non-AP didnāt matter. (In other words she still had her ācoreā subject matters covered and had not changed rigor in those subjects.)
She would not have dropped the course without approval from the college. The posters above are smart for going thru the coach. (Iām embarrassed we didnāt think of that.) Definitely do not drop the class before getting approval from admissions/coach.
My non-recruited athlete daughter was accepted ED, and she had to get their approval to drop a class. This is similar - the preread was based on a particular set of circumstances. If that changes, their answer may change.
And I echo what everyone else said about talking to the coach first, and only talking to admissions directly if the coach directs you to do that.
One of the advantages of being a recruited athlete is you have an advocate at the school who very much wants you to come. Take advantage of that! The alternative is going behind the coaches back, and possibly creating a bad relationship, even if admissions gives you what you want. Pretty much if anything changes at all, you need to be talking to the coach, so there are no surprises.
What I wonder is (hypothetical question) if a student gets the approved pre-read, applies ED, gets accepted in December.
January rolls around and student drops AP Calc for regular calc. Doesnāt do anything or tells the college. May very likely be because no one tells her she needs to.
College has no idea student dropped down in one of her AP classes.
In the meantime, a deposit has been made, admitted students day attended, student signed up for summer orientation and summer meetings with the team.
Mid-June the college gets the final transcript along with transcripts from 600 other incoming freshman which shows a Calc class listed for second-semester senior year vs. AP Calc
At this point in June, is there truly someone who is comparing the final transcript to the Common App list of second-semester senior classes? Is the college going to revoke her admission 6 weeks before classes began?
Of course, I know that the school has the right to do so, but in reality has this ever happened?
I would be extremely surprised if the coach didnāt tell the student that pre-read results are based on continued good grades and taking the classes that were communicated. Even if that wasnāt communicated, itās common sense. NO ONE likes surprises, just donāt put the coach in that position.
Many schools will ask for first semester transcripts even for ED students (and many counselors will just send them.)
Yes admissions staff are reviewing final transcripts for grades and course drops/changes as compared to the applications (and any aberrations/low grades should not be a surprise for admissionsā¦communication is key.)
Absolutely, 100%, schools have rescinded for grades and changes in senior classes that have not been communicated and/or approved by admissions. Even for recruited athletes.
Agree with all the good advice to communicate with the coach.
Just a thought to add: if this is not just a matter of ādroppingā a class but rather replacing it with one that better fits a studentās interests, thatās worth communicating. Often the dividing line in how this is viewed is coasting vs maintaining rigor and engagement.
If this is the only science class in the schedule, though, Iād be prepared for the coach to suggest sticking with it.
In my absolute hypothetical a couple of things
-The first semester transcript would show the AP Calc class, as the student switched in January.
-I do think that recruited athletes are probably more in the loop than your average student on protocol. I wouldnāt assume any 17-year-old has the common sense that if he switches a class, he needs to let a college know. It is certainly second nature to parents on CC but not to high schoolers. I also think kids who are athletes and going through the hoops of selective D3 admissions have parents who are more involved and knowledgable but I bet 99% of the parents at our school wouldnāt have a clue.
Their HS counselor and/or school admin should know, and typically course changes have to be approved by someone at the school. Regardless, not knowing is not an excuse.
Certainly in a perfect world, the overworked and harried office administrator who sees 100 kids a day in January would advise students of the duty to report changes to college, but alas even at our private school that is not happening.
Iām not arguing with the concept, and I agree with the principle, but I think in reality there are tons of kids and parents who donāt have a clue about this rule.
If you want to run the risk, go for it. I think several of us here have made it quite clear that schools do clawback acceptances. And they have deep waitlists. You are also potentially putting the coach on the spot. Again, as I noted above, this is highly variable but if it is T20 school, I wouldnāt risk it. At the end of the day itās your call.
FWIW we just went through this exercise. S24 very nearly had to drop a relevant academic elective to fit a graduation requirement. (He would continue to pursue his work as independent work for credit) CC, while not concerned, made it clear that heād have to email all colleges explaining the reasons for the change.
When my S22 switched an AP elective to a comparable advanced course in January, we emailed the colleges to let them know and gave the reason (thanks to being in this group and knowing what to do). They all emailed back āThanks for letting us know, we will note in the file!ā. Sort of a universal thanks for the update. The interesting thing was how all the regional reps answered the same way.
If you are āin processā thatās all they need to do. They will evaluate as needed, when they review your file.
A recruited athlete has already been reviewed by admissions and received a positive pre-read under the presented conditions. If things are no longer the same it may or may not affect your results, and an athlete will be advised as such.
I first thought well it is the same as telling schools to which you already have been accepted, but it really isnāt. I remember being much more stressed letting schools know of a class change when the app was still pending vs. the schools where he already been accepted.
Along those lines all my athlete friends are hunkered down, waiting for the official ED1 results; no one is overly confident even with positive prereads. The tension is palatable!