by Michelle Brooks| staff writer

Now that we’re getting to the end of the first semester, students who may be either struggling or failing in an AP class can drop to a regular class and can start off with that class next semester.

“The teachers have the forms. That was just emailed to them today and, that’s for, you know, anyone that wants to drop from a Pre-AP to a regular class, or from an AP class to a regular class. That’s when you need that form,” counselor Patricia Snider said.

Snider would like all the completed forms turned in by the deadline, which is December 14th, to the counselor’s office, so that they can start off clean.

“Most of them [students] get it in on time. Because they know that we can’t really do anything once we’re in this dead zone for no schedule changes. Everyone knows that- the students know, the teachers know that we need them by this certain deadline to get them [schedule changes] made,” Snider said.

Students who drop from an AP or Pre-AP class to a regular class do not receive a change in their final grade on their transcript.

“Well, at the end of the semester, the grade is still the grade. So, we’re making changes for second semester. So whatever they’re making this semester is what they’re making. So if they make a 70 in an AP class, it’s a 70 is what goes on the transcript,” Snider said.

The change is only applied when the ranks are being processed.

”Now, when the computer does their grade point averaging, they take that 70 and multiply it by the 1.29 rate for the grade average, for the overall grade average. But, when they move to that regular class, they are given a regular, you know, pure grade. So if they make a 90 in a regular class, that’s what is averaged, a 90,”Snider said.

Although the AP and Pre-AP multiplier may help boost some student’s grade point average, counselors and teachers still recommend students to take classes that are most appropriate for them.

“When we call them in every grading period, when they’re failing, we make that suggestion [to drop], and a lot of the time they say, ‘No, I wanna stay for a little while longer’,” Snider said. “But, we always recommend that if you’re struggling by the end of the semester, it’s better to move to a class where you can be successful. But, we don’t make them. In the end, it’s their choice. But, we do all the recommendations [to drop if they are struggling in a class]. Absolutely, and so do the teachers.”