Should I drop out of an AP Class?

Answered

This is perfect opportunity for you to re-engage with your HS counselor when you go back to school and make amends for whatever happened between you. This kind of inquiry to you HS counselor will make her feel like she is needed. Plus you can use the time to apologize for your past behavior as you mentioned in your previous post and start fresh.

I think you need a fresh clean slate on your academic narrative because I don't understand why your mom thinks you should take 3 APs sophomore year and how she got involved in selecting those 3 APS because the are not the typical ones that most successful admits have in getting into Top Schools.

You are setting yourself up for a lot of uncertainty by taking 4 weighted classes as 10th grader. AP Chem is brutal. AP Euro hist is out of sequence and most people take AP US History First because it is more important. And AP Microeconomics is sort of a add on in 11th/12th if you are going to apply as a business major. So if you don't get all As in these 4 weighted classes that's going to be hard to bounce back from. Plus keep in mind that doing Volleyball is going to take 15-20 hours of time each week with practices, games, travel time etc etc.

If I were your HS counselor I would tell you and your mother that you probably want to end up with 8-11 APs even if you are applying to Ivies, Elites and Top Liberal arts colleges. So the best way to break them down is to take 1-2 in 10th grade, 4-5 in 11th grade, and 3-4 in 12th grade. I understand that some kids are certifiable geniuses and can handle 3 APs 10th, 5-6 in 11th and another 5-6 in 12th, ending up with 13-15 APs but in all honesty that is complete overkill. And admissions officer is not going to give bonus points out to someone with 15 APs because they want a well-rounded applicant that has sold leadership positions, community service, athleticism, and other great ECs, not someone that is just book smart. Colleges like to see applicants get As in APs, but they are not that keen on someone taking 15 APs and getting 5s in the test because they want their cohorts to take classes on campus, not graduate early because that costs them $40-45,000 per semester in income. And they would rather have some use the extra time they would taking another 5 unnecessary APs on developing there personal character, community service, leadership positions and other ECs. After all APs are just a good lead indicator that the applicant will be a good student and not struggle with college level courses when they matriculate. This takes the risk out of them dropping out early and keeps their graduation stats high.

Also be mindful of the APs you take. They should have a loose relationship to your best academic talents in schools. So if you are a STEM/pre-med girl then you want to make sure within you 8-11 APs you have AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Calc A/B or B/C, AP Physics 1/2. And if you are Business Major then you want your AP Micro, AP Macro, AP Statistics, AP Calc and if you are Pre-Law, you want AP US History, AP Government, AP Psychology, AP EuroHistory, and maybe a Constitutional Law course if your school offers it. But right now, those 3 APs you picked are not foundational for anything specific, they are just random APs okay. And regardless of your major, you want to take AP Lang and AP Lit because being able to read/write/speak well is paramount to your success.

HS is very stressful. I took 9 APs, 30 credits of college courses, team captained my water polo team, held multiple leadership positions and held top community service directorships, and won many scholarships and awards. I got into Columbia ED. The biggest regret is not being aware of how all this affected my mental health. Therefore, listen to your gut and protect your brain and mental health. None of this is worth it if you can't find the motivation to thrive in college after sacrificing your health and happiness just to compete with the other 60000 applicants for a seat at a college. Some people can spin 5 plates in the air at time and others can spin 15 plates. So my big message is know your limits and learn to say "no" when someone is pressuring you to do more. Your mom is not going to college, you are. Your mom is not going to be doing your homework, presentations, labs, quizzes and tests, you are. If mom is going to be your personal college advisor then she should know better and focus on helping you be your best version of yourself, not what she expects you to be. Stand down mom.

Good luck.

Hello! At my school only seniors and juniors can take AP Chemistry. Unless if you have taken a previous chemistry class, I would not recommend taking it since you are a sophomore. The choice is yours!

I do not know much about the other AP courses personally, but from what I have heard, some admission offices at college look for increased or consistent work load, meaning that they want you to take more challenging courses throughout your highschool career (Like one AP class freshmen year, two sophomore, three junior, ect.). Taking two sophomore year is a great option! Plus, it is good to know your limits.

About contacting your councilor, do it. It is literally their job to help students with stuff like this. If she gets annoyed, that is her problem. Be respectful, but make the most of the adults at your school, it is their job to educate you and prepare you from the real world. Plus, once you graduate, you will probably never see them again.

Good luck! It is a hard choice to make but no matter what you decide, it will turn out okay in the long run.