When should you quit?

Three weeks into school and as my students have settled into their classes the realization of the difficulty of an AP class has begun to terrify my students. I can sympathize with them, whenever I start something new it can be overwhelming. I have met with a handful of my students that are convinced that they can't do it and want my permission to leave the class. In my experience this kind of fear becomes reality--the students believe they cannot succeed and so they sabotage themselves. 

I think three weeks is not nearly enough time for my students to gauge their abilities--but I don't know how to convince them to stick it out. Our society is based off instant gratification and therefore my students are getting the first taste of academic adversity and bolting.

When is it the right time to call it quits?

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