After last semester’s grades you might be considering dropping a class. How can you be sure this is the right decision for you?

Classes most frequently dropped are advanced placement and elective courses, for many different reasons. If any of them apply to you then you might want to talk with your parents and counselor before the grace period for dropping is over.

AP classes look great if you can pull a B or higher and you are genuinely interested in the subject. If your grade is suffering terribly and you struggle to finish all the required work so other homework is being neglected, dropping the class may be in your best interest. For some this may result in a permanent off hour which will do wonders for a stressful work load. For others, this may mean picking up a standard level class instead, which does not mean less work, just being able to comprehend the material better. (For example, replacing APUSH with American History).

Electives are a good way to earn credit while feeding your interests. If you signed up for a class entirely on the spur of the moment, halfway through the semester you may realize that you don’t plan to go into jewelry design, and your D+ is severely impacting your GPA. In this case, it’s too late to drop, but realizing this two weeks into the semester would have saved you a lot of pain.
Dislike for a teacher, missing assignments, and lack of preparation are not good reasons for dropping a class. If you’ve truly tried your hardest and your low grade and lack of understanding is all you have to show for it, talk to your counselor about dropping.