So I have a feeling that I would get a C on my transcript for my AP class… If I pass the AP exam would it be bad for them to see the class grade?
It is one grade. Colleges know it is possible for excellent student to get a poor grade. It is way past time for us to get rid of the idea everyone lives at Lake Woebegone. And not everyone gets trophies. And not everyone should be at Lake Woebegone College. Students need to work hard to learn. Assessments should determine level of mastery/learning. If your mastery is at a C level, your grade should be a C. If Lake Woebegone University views a C as suggesting you are not a good fit or if they can easily fill their class with students whose grades never dipped to the C level, there are hundreds of other schools where it won’t be an issue.
The school year isn’t half over. Work hard to bring your grade up. Get a tutor, go to extra help, watch videos that explain your subject, etc…
looking at your earlier threads you’ve been posting about this class since November. You seem to variously attribute the problem with the class to your inability to learn science or a tough teacher. In one post you wrote
My explanation? You don’t know how to study effectively. Reading over your notes and chapters is one of the least effective ways to study. So is waiting until before the test to review the material. A couple of passes over the material (apparently a few days even with what you’ve posted previously) and everything looks familiar, but as you’ve discovered you can’t recall and apply it on tests. This isn’t just about science. When you get to college a lot more of your classes, even those not involving science, are going to require you to master the material the same way this class does.
There is a recent book that you ought to read over the holidays to understand how to learn effectively, titled “Make it Stick”. Written by 2 of the leading researchers, it covers not just the theory but practical applications for HS and college students. It will explain concepts like distributed practice and self-testing.
Life is trying to teach you a lesson here. You ignore what it is telling you at your peril.
Most students taking AP classes won’t take them if they can’t get at least a B. For a short cut version of what mikemac is talking about see theScientific American article about more effective ways to study. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-the-best-and-worst-ways-to-prepare-for-an-exam/ There’s also an interesting article in the August 2015 issue.http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/researchers-find-that-frequent-tests-can-boost-learning/ The book sounds very helpful.
It may simply mean that, as a high school student, you’re not quite prepared for college level work.
That’s OK-- you’re not in college yet.
But I do think that @mikemac has some good suggestions!