Beginner course: I can't reach the high notes

Hi, I just joined 30 day singer.  On the first 4 days, I can't keep going as the lessons move up the keyboard in to the high notes.  I end up dropping an octave.  Is this normal?  Should I just keep trying to hit those higher notes and eventually I might?  I am probably an alto.

thanks

You can always change octaves if an exercise gets too high or low to be sung comfortably. But before that, try three things:

1. Modify the exercise to make it easier (ie: sing on a lip trill, hum or NN/NG instead of an open vowel or other syllable, if that's more doable). 

2. Sing most of the exercise, and just "think" (audiate, or sing in your head) the pitches you can't reach without straining or going sharp/flat. This gives your vocal folds an opportunity to still adjust and prepare to sing those out-of-reach pitches, even if just air comes out. 

3. Make sure you're shifting registers when necessary. For example, you may be unable to sing higher pitches because you're still in chest voice, in which case you'd need to "shift gears" and find your head voice placement.