Transitioning from high school "re-test culture" to college

[Anonymous]

My senior is generally a good student, but definitely takes advantage of APS's re-test policy. I've warned him several times that in college that isn't going to be possible. Your first test grade is your grade. For those who have kids in college now, how was the transition? Did they adjust quickly to the new expectations, or was it a real struggle?

[Anonymous]

Every class / professor is different. And when there are multiple TAs it can be maddening. Lots to adjust to - not just test policies.

So "yes" but with so many caveats it is hard to make that "yes" mean very much

[Anonymous]

Have some faith in your kid! He's smart enough to get into college. He's smart enough to understand the lecture on the first day going over the syllabus.

Remember when kids are much younger, and the parents get divorced, one parent will write in to a parenting expert asking how disruptive it will be for the kid to have different sets of rules in each parent's house. And the expert always says: kids adapt to each household's rules. The same applies here.

Kids (much younger than 18) are able to comply with the rules in their classroom, and then adapt to different rules at home (or in each of their homes if parents are separate).

Kids can figure it out. So can your 18 yr old.

[Anonymous]

I would say don't worry about this now. They have a lot to learn, and each professor will be different. Have them make sure they read the syllabus, understand how their grades will be made up (%quizzes, %tests, %extra credit etc), make sure they go to office hours. Unlikely they can re-test buy my college student has gone to office hours after a test for additional clarity on the points and the professors have notice errors ing grading - so be an advocate for yourself but don't expect to grovel for points.

[Anonymous]

College gives rewrites and extra credit and many classes don’t have tests.

Also the curve is crazy.

It will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College gives rewrites and extra credit and many classes don’t have tests.

Also the curve is crazy.

It will be fine.

+1. Many ways in college to make up for a test grade. DS is doing great this year. He does extra credit when available and they get to drop a test in each class.

[Anonymous]

It has been completely fine, don’t worry about it. College is so different. Fewer classes, more time to prepare, fewer tests and assignments on a daily basis. My son says it is much easier to keep track of everything and be ready for exams.

[Anonymous]

DS learned the hard way how important tests are in college. One of his professors doesn't even give a makeup test without a request from the university med center. DS stayed up until 3 am studying and then fell asleep in the common room and slept through his exam.

He woke up with 10 minutes left in the class and ran to the exam room. The TA was leaving and basically saved his butt. DS told the TA what he did and asked if he could take the exam right then in the testing center. The TA said to him "so what I'm hearing is that you've been up sick all night and need to visit the med center? Once you do that and they submit a sick note excuse, you will have 24 hours to schedule and take the exam in the testing center." The TA also had some harsh words for DS and let him know it was a one-time thing, and since that class was one in DS' major track, he'd probably encounter that TA again in a higher course and he'd remember giving him a freebie already.

That happened maybe 3 or 4 weeks in his first year in college and he's never messed up since. He learned that cramming wasn't going to be a good strategy and tests need proper prep since they are one-and-done.

[Anonymous]

Neither of my kids had extra credit or participation grades. Sometimes it was a mid year test and a final. It’s the big leagues.

[Anonymous]

This is the problem with Gradebook. Parents are expected to both not helicopter and know if their kid is in trouble academically and do something about it if you have access to your kids grades in college you are doing it wrong. My kids are expected to show me they are passing their classes at midterm for freshman year only. But, they are both ADHD. Besides that? College is when you back away and let them drive the car.

[Anonymous]

I would never allow my child to attend a school that allows retests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College gives rewrites and extra credit and many classes don’t have tests.

Also the curve is crazy.

It will be fine.

None of my kid's professors curve. You get what you get. He said there are no retakes or extra credit. He's a junior and has had a midterm and final for every class except his fine arts class. Maybe if your kid goes to an easy state school like Towson or Salisbury, they might have these things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior is generally a good student, but definitely takes advantage of APS's re-test policy. I've warned him several times that in college that isn't going to be possible. Your first test grade is your grade. For those who have kids in college now, how was the transition? Did they adjust quickly to the new expectations, or was it a real struggle?

Gotta study. None of the equity retake BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never allow my child to attend a school that allows retests.

+ 1. I wouldn't allow them to attend a middle school or high school that allows retests. I went to public school in BFE and we never had retests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College gives rewrites and extra credit and many classes don’t have tests.

Also the curve is crazy.

It will be fine.

None of my kid's professors curve. You get what you get. He said there are no retakes or extra credit. He's a junior and has had a midterm and final for every class except his fine arts class. Maybe if your kid goes to an easy state school like Towson or Salisbury, they might have these things.

DS goes to a top 10 engineering school and he has extra credit, can drop a test, and curves in each class. From my experience, professors tend to make exams extremely difficult to challenge the brightest students. The results are curved to reflect the class distribution.