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hummingbird
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 11:08 pm |
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My son's HS is just about to finish up the first semester. He wants to opt out of an elective (Theatre Design) next semester and have a free period instead.
I understand he'll need to get an OK from the schools he's been accepted to, but what about the school he's still waiting on?
And, is this even a wise thing to do? I can't imagine Theatre Design is going to have a lot of homework or anything... seems like the best choice would be to "stay the course." But I have my duct tape on.  Last edited on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 11:56 pm by hummingbird
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mackinaw
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Michigan |
| Posts: | 776 |
| Mana: |    |
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Posted: Thu Jan 24th, 2008 01:15 am |
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My daughter had to drop a course because she became sick in her second semester of senior year of high school. This was different from making a decision before the semester starts. She did call her intended school (this was already in April) and they said there would be no problem as long as she received her h.s. diploma.
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HijinksAndSue
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Posted: Fri Jan 25th, 2008 02:09 am |
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Is it considered a given that classes taken the first semester are the same as classes taken in the second semester? When schools get our kids report cards first semester, are they given their second-semester schedule at that time?
At my D's school it's not uncommon at all for kids to take different classes second semester, especially in the case of electives.
In her case, she still needed just one semester of math to graduate so there was no way she was taking calculus a second semester, so she's taking Comparative Religion.
Hope it's not an issue ...
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hummingbird
Member
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Posted: Fri Jan 25th, 2008 02:18 am |
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Hijinks, had she told her prospective colleges that she was planning to take math the second semester? If so, she should notify them and get their OK before she changes it.
To answer your question, they "forecast" the upcoming year in spring of the previous year. Some of their classes are 1/2 year (one semester) while others are the full year. Mainly it's electives that are 1/2 year. They're not really supposed to change their schedules in between semesters, but some do. The fall semester ends tomorrow, and the new one starts on Tuesday. They received their spring semester schedule this week.
An update: my son has decided to leave things as they are. I'm glad.Last edited on Fri Jan 25th, 2008 02:20 am by hummingbird
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CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3191 |
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Posted: Fri Jan 25th, 2008 02:50 am |
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I agree with Hummingbird. I recommend that students contact colleges if they are going to drop a core academic class like math in the second half of senior year. The exception would be if the School Report showed that the course would be dropped in the second semester.
Most colleges want to know this information, and will advise the student if it will significantly affect their chances, or endanger an early acceptance. Remember: All acceptances are provisional and based on the student completing the year successfully. If they admit you thinking you're taking a full year of calculus and then see on your final transcript that you dropped it, they could use that as a reason to rescind an admissions offer --- it's no skin off of their teeth, as so many schools have waitlists these days. So, it's always better to have the student call the school and ask how it might affect them before making a major course change. If the change has already been made, and a mid-year report is requested, the counselor should explain why the course was dropped there.
Elective courses, on the other hand, generally aren't a problem if they are switched for something else. However, it never hurts to let a college know in advance that there has been a change made to the schedule. (One exception to this would be if the student is applying to a school like the Univ. of California, which has certain requirements for courses. If the switched course means those requirements won't be met, the student needs to contact the college and discuss it for sure).
Last edited on Fri Jan 25th, 2008 02:57 am by CarolynLawrence
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HijinksAndSue
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Posted: Fri Jan 25th, 2008 05:30 pm |
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Hijinks, had she told her prospective colleges that she was planning to take math the second semester? If so, she should notify them and get their OK before she changes it.
I have no idea whether her school sent her second semester schedule but she was NEVER going to take a second semester of math. She needed one semester to finish her graduation requirement and she did it. (She would have finished last year except had to pick between Pre-Calc B and Honors Jazz Ensemble and could not NOT take jazz band since she was the key player).
I know it won't be an issue at her first choice school. They could care less about her core courses or her mid-year report. Either she's in or out on her music.
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hummingbird
Member
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 01:34 am |
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| On most of my son's applications, he had to list his schedule for the rest of the year. If she did not have to do that on her application, then I think the school wouldn't care/wouldn't know if she switched her schedule.
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HijinksAndSue
Member
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 02:50 am |
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Now that you mention, I think I recall seeing her having listed her second semester schedule on one of her apps and I am pretty sure the only one I saw was the Common App ...
Can anyone recall offhand if they do indeed list second semester schedule on Common App? If so, she definitely would have listed the change ...
Her other change I can't see being an issue (switching out of a fourth year of theatre and into a student teaching position in music) but I can ask the GC to make a note of it when she sends her mid-year report to the only two schools that asked for it (the other two schools are both music schools).
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frazzled1
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| Joined: | Sat Oct 7th, 2006 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 42 |
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 01:41 pm |
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A friend of my daughter's was accepted ED at Bryn Mawr a couple of years back. She was having a dreadful time with honors physics, a full-year course at our hs, and wanted to drop it. Her mother phoned admissions, which did permit her to drop, because she signed up for an AP-level social science instead, and had already taken 4 years of hs-level or AP science. This student was a future classics major, btw.
So I think it's necessary to phone the school first, but be optimistic - admissions may be quite willing for the drop to take place.
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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 474 |
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 01:53 pm |
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HijinksAndSue wrote: Now that you mention, I think I recall seeing her having listed her second semester schedule on one of her apps and I am pretty sure the only one I saw was the Common App ...
Can anyone recall offhand if they do indeed list second semester schedule on Common App? If so, she definitely would have listed the change ...
I just checked and the full year's courseload is listed in the Academics section. BUT--and how big a but this is I don't know--it also states that the information will NOT print on your application. I don't know if this means colleges will see it or not.
Now I'm getting nervous, because my S has a "gut" course on his list for second semester, replacing a challenging English course. The thing is, the gut is from an area required for graduation, and if he doesn't take something from that segment of the course catalog--Allied Arts, which includes things like shop, business, and nutrition courses--he won't graduate! The most intellectually-respectable alternatives are econ courses which are notoriously bad. I hope colleges don't think he is looking to slack off when it "doesn't count." (Given the rest of his schedule, it's hard to imagine, but you never know.)
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outwest
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 540 |
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 03:43 pm |
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My D had a taste of Philosophy in another class this Fall and thought it was very weird. She has Philosophy on her schedule second semester (starts Monday) and wanted to drop it and have a free period. After thinking about calling all her colleges and asking them, she decided to just take it and not rock the boat. Who knows, maybe she will get something out of it.
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CarolynLawrence
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
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Posted: Sat Jan 26th, 2008 08:44 pm |
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Consolation wrote: HijinksAndSue wrote: Now that you mention, I think I recall seeing her having listed her second semester schedule on one of her apps and I am pretty sure the only one I saw was the Common App ...
Can anyone recall offhand if they do indeed list second semester schedule on Common App? If so, she definitely would have listed the change ...
I just checked and the full year's courseload is listed in the Academics section. BUT--and how big a but this is I don't know--it also states that the information will NOT print on your application. I don't know if this means colleges will see it or not.
It may not print on your application, but the School Report recommendation form includes the entire planned schedule for the full year.
Most of the applications that I have seen that aren't Common App also ask for the planned full year of courses in one way or another.
Again, the safest course is to just let colleges you've applied to or been admitted to know that a change has been made. If there is a good reason for it (such as a graduation requirement), ask the counselor to note that on the mid-year report as well. Colleges will be also be glad to let you know if it is going to be a problem for them if you ask upfront before making any changes, and that is always a good idea.Last edited on Sat Jan 26th, 2008 08:47 pm by CarolynLawrence
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