Dropping an undergraduate class

[carolinagirl95]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi! So right now I am a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill and I'm looking to apply to dental school in a few years. This semester I currently have 16 hours (Engl, Calc 2, Public Speaking, LFIT, Latin, and Chemistry). My Chemistry class is kicking my butt though, and I'm not sure if I can pull off an A. It's Chem 102H, which I already can receive credit for by applying in AP scores, so dropping it won't mean I have to retake this class later. However, if I were to drop it, that would mean I would only have 13 hours and no science this semester. How will this look to dental schools in a few years? Should I try to stick with it or go ahead and drop? I can still drop the class (I believe) without receiving a W (I do have to go to academic advising to drop it, but I don't have to appeal to the authority of the school, so I believe this is true). Any advice?

 

[afranchise]

Tough call! I can't speak to your schools policy about dropping classes, but it seems to me that after the initial drop/add period you will receive a W for dropping. I don't think dropping is the end of the world, I actually have 2 W's on my transcripts and have received 6 invites this cycle. I was concerned about them, but they weren't even brought up in my interviews so far (they were not pre-req courses). I wouldn't worry as much about not getting an A, if you think you can at least get a B and do well in your other classes I think that would look better than dropping and getting a 4.0 with only 13 credit hours.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Trust me, general chemistry will be hard no matter who you take it with at Chapel Hill. To pull off an A, even in a standard class, puts you in the top 4% of the 400-person class. Making a B will be a new experience--especially since you're in the honors program and I'm sure you've never made one before--but it will be okay. That's just how the sciences are at Chapel Hill. Take it, and prepare yourself for what is to come. I'm confident that you're a very bright person who will rise to the new level of difficulty, but it will take a bit of time to adjust. 🙂

 

[doc toothache]

Hi! So right now I am a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill and I'm looking to apply to dental school in a few years. This semester I currently have 16 hours (Engl, Calc 2, Public Speaking, LFIT, Latin, and Chemistry). My Chemistry class is kicking my butt though, and I'm not sure if I can pull off an A. It's Chem 102H, which I already can receive credit for by applying in AP scores, so dropping it won't mean I have to retake this class later. However, if I were to drop it, that would mean I would only have 13 hours and no science this semester. How will this look to dental schools in a few years? Should I try to stick with it or go ahead and drop? I can still drop the class (I believe) without receiving a W (I do have to go to academic advising to drop it, but I don't have to appeal to the authority of the school, so I believe this is true). Any advice?

Since repeating the class is "kicking your butt", it does make one wonder how well the AP course prepared you.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Since repeating the class is "kicking your butt", it does make one wonder how well the AP course prepared you.

Normally, I'd agree, but chemistry at UNC is something else... especially honors.

 

[hunterx2]

How will this look to dental schools in a few years?

I guarantee you that nobody would care if you have a high GPA and scores in a few years. I doubt anyone would even notice; however, they WILL notice if you get a B or C. If you have any doubt about your ability to get an A in that class, simply drop it and take it over the summer at NC state where it should be easier.

 

[Glimmer1991]

I guarantee you that nobody would care if you have a high GPA and scores in a few years. I doubt anyone would even notice; however, they WILL notice if you get a B or C. If you have any doubt about your ability to get an A in that class, simply drop it and take it over the summer at NC state where it should be easier.

The problem with this is that basically ALL of the chemistries are going to be very hard at UNC. And physics. And a good number of the biologies. It might look a little bit fishy if they were all taken at another university, ya know? Where do you draw the line?

That's why I just suggested that the OP accustom herself to making Bs sometimes. It's going to happen as a science major at UNC, but she will get a fantastic education!

 

[doc toothache]

Normally, I'd agree, but chemistry at UNC is something else... especially honors.

Aha.