Do college reps know certain schools have tough teachers?

[Anonymous]

I read on this board somewhere that college reps would consider a 3.6 from Sidwell differently than a 3.6 from another school.

Would a college rep notice that particular teachers and certain schools scoring especially hard? In my case, I'm thinking of a teacher with a number of students performing poorly on tests. To me, having a majority of students not do well speaks poorly of a teacher's ability. Do college reps notice this kind of thing?

Kid has a bad grade in a class and two other parents of high-achieving kids are seeing the same. Although there was a bit of slacking two months ago by my kid, it's not a matter of slacking now. In fact, a lot of work is being done, and grades are not much improved.

Teacher drowns them in homework and then can't keep up with the grading. In fact, the teacher has taken days off school to do grading...

Second question: Do I complain or keep my mouth shut?

[Anonymous]

Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

[Anonymous]

Curious for answer but I’d be shocked if they got that far in the weeds in the 12 minutes they spend on application. I also assume that’s a big part of reason kids’ schedules change each semester in MCPS - to even things out. Not sure if other schools and districts do that.

[Anonymous]

Prime example of grades not being a standardized metric. Yes, everyone knows this, yet we treat them as if they pretty much are standardized.

OP, if possible, switch teachers. College admission officers don't parse the minutiae of the transcript carefully enough to discern that some teachers grade much harder than others.

For what it's worth, my younger kids are attending a different high school than my older kids. Older kids' private high school had teachers like this. In a test optional world, grades are of the utmost importance.

[Anonymous]

O good lord, OP. Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

That's what I think, but it doesn't help with this semester's grade.

Are you suggesting that we change for next semester? The school (private) discourages changing teachers, but I'm thinking about pressing the issue and could maybe make a case if I suggest kid be moved to non-honors instead of honors. But I want to make sure that the bad teacher doesn't teach that class, too.

Next year, student will take a different topic that this person doesn't teach.

It makes me sad that one horrible teacher can ruin a kid's transcript after that kid has worked so hard. It's like my kid--and the others--were punished for being smart and getting into this class in the first place.

With regards to the school, I'd be surprised if they aren't alarmed their best students (top 10% and 20%) are getting such low grades in this class.

Would it be wise for me to request the principal look into the class grades?

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read on this board somewhere that college reps would consider a 3.6 from Sidwell differently than a 3.6 from another school.

Would a college rep notice that particular teachers and certain schools scoring especially hard? In my case, I'm thinking of a teacher with a number of students performing poorly on tests. To me, having a majority of students not do well speaks poorly of a teacher's ability. Do college reps notice this kind of thing?

Kid has a bad grade in a class and two other parents of high-achieving kids are seeing the same. Although there was a bit of slacking two months ago by my kid, it's not a matter of slacking now. In fact, a lot of work is being done, and grades are not much improved.

Teacher drowns them in homework and then can't keep up with the grading. In fact, the teacher has taken days off school to do grading...

Second question: Do I complain or keep my mouth shut?

Switch teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

That's what I think, but it doesn't help with this semester's grade.

Are you suggesting that we change for next semester? The school (private) discourages changing teachers, but I'm thinking about pressing the issue and could maybe make a case if I suggest kid be moved to non-honors instead of honors. But I want to make sure that the bad teacher doesn't teach that class, too.

Next year, student will take a different topic that this person doesn't teach.

It makes me sad that one horrible teacher can ruin a kid's transcript after that kid has worked so hard. It's like my kid--and the others--were punished for being smart and getting into this class in the first place.

With regards to the school, I'd be surprised if they aren't alarmed their best students (top 10% and 20%) are getting such low grades in this class.

Would it be wise for me to request the principal look into the class grades?

OP

If there is a single teacher tanking students college applications through grades that are not in line with other teachers at the school, I'd be going to the HOS. If this is just a your kid issue, than that a completely different matter.

[Anonymous]

No, but I wish! My DS’s AP Chem teacher is awful. Third kid to go through with her so we need the drill before hand, actually. Everyone knows and the school has gone from having five sections of the class in past years to only one this year. She’s a terrible teacher and there’s a huge disconnect between her teaching and the tests. I wish one of the other chem teachers could teach the class but for some reason she has a lock on it.

[Anonymous]

Oh brother OP...

[Anonymous]

Oh dear God.

[Anonymous]

My DD is in a class like this, they are down to 8 students in the math class. She is still hanging in there, but worried we should have switched.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prime example of grades not being a standardized metric. Yes, everyone knows this, yet we treat them as if they pretty much are standardized.

OP, if possible, switch teachers. College admission officers don't parse the minutiae of the transcript carefully enough to discern that some teachers grade much harder than others.

For what it's worth, my younger kids are attending a different high school than my older kids. Older kids' private high school had teachers like this. In a test optional world, grades are of the utmost importance.

I don't think teachers' names are even included on most high school transcripts.

[Anonymous]

No they don’t. All that matters is the bottom line GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh brother OP...

You know, I get it. Had one DC who was bullied by a teacher in MS. We thought something was up, but it was another parent who said, "my kid thinks X is bulling your kid." Really eroded DC's confidence in the subject, barely netted a B at the of 7th grade after having teacher for two years. Fortunately a new teacher in HS turned it around for DC.

Another DC, who is a senior, got a history teacher this year who was much more skilled at bullying - had this teacher in 9th grade. DC gave it four weeks, then went into the veep for academics office and provided examples of how this teacher was starting up where he had left off in 9th grade. Teacher always used DC when talking about malevolent actors - "now imagine if X were to behave in this way, blah blah." DC decided too risky to find out if the examples ran over into the grading. Veep allowed him to move.

That said, some AOs, probably at smaller schools, may know, but also think they will surmise if an otherwise strong transcript has an outlying grade.