First quarter grades

[Anonymous]

Senior is applying to colleges and about to submit an ED1 application to their 'dream' school. Their ED choice is a high reach school but they have a strong application and we thought they would have a decent shot. (also legacy but not sure that really helps). However, they just did very poorly on a physics exam and they are upset it may affect their chances for acceptance. Do colleges request "first quarter grades"? Of note, they are not applying for a stem major. Would appreciate any thoughts or insights into this already stressful situation.

[Anonymous]

Some schools request first quarter grades for ED1, but there aren't many that do. What college was it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some schools request first quarter grades for ED1, but there aren't many that do. What college was it?

University of Penn

[Anonymous]

I would think that this early on, your kid can probably improve their overall grade in Physics, despite this one grade that likely pulled them down. If any college sees first quarter or first semester grades, it is not going to register significantly enough to cause a problem, especially as you say, your kid is not applying to be a STEM major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think that this early on, your kid can probably improve their overall grade in Physics, despite this one grade that likely pulled them down. If any college sees first quarter or first semester grades, it is not going to register significantly enough to cause a problem, especially as you say, your kid is not applying to be a STEM major.

we hope so! But the quarter end soon and there was only 1 test. They feel confident about getting the semester grade up but that won't be releases until January...and Ed decisions are made in December. Thus the feeling of 'despair'- just a touch time for seniors with tough courses and so many applications and essays to write.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some schools request first quarter grades for ED1, but there aren't many that do. What college was it?

University of Penn

UPenn does not require first quarter grades for ED.

[Anonymous]

Just commiserating. Senior dd stressed about bubble grades that she usually pulls up by end of year on top of very busy soccer season and applications. Wish teachers would be a touch sympathetic for 1st quarter seniors.

[Anonymous]

My kid has two B+ grades at a rigorous private. These are capstone type courses---the hardest class in the subject at the school. In one class there are 2 out of 7 kids with As, in the second 3 out of 16 with As.

Why these private schools do this, I don't know. They hurt their own students. (Take the smartest 16 kids you have in this subject and give 13 of them Bs?)

The kids are all stressed out of their minds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has two B+ grades at a rigorous private. These are capstone type courses---the hardest class in the subject at the school. In one class there are 2 out of 7 kids with As, in the second 3 out of 16 with As.

Why these private schools do this, I don't know. They hurt their own students. (Take the smartest 16 kids you have in this subject and give 13 of them Bs?)

The kids are all stressed out of their minds.

+1 My senior is on the bubble between B+ and A- in multivariable. All fall I’ve been encouraging her by saying ‘I’m sure they realize they need to chill right before Nov 1” but sure enough, paper due 10/30, paper due 10/31, MV test 11/1, physics C test 11/1. I don’t know how they aren’t exploding from stress.

[Anonymous]

Penn definitely requested first quarter grades last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Penn definitely requested first quarter grades last year.

Apparently Penn requests first quarter grades specifically from some students. But not all.

[Anonymous]

My kid’s ED1 school did not request them, iirc. But DC had consistent grades with history of high rigor. I’d guess they’re more likely to request the grades from kids with uneven grades or ones are taking far more rigorous classes senior year than before so they want to see how that’s going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn definitely requested first quarter grades last year.

Apparently Penn requests first quarter grades specifically from some students. But not all.

Penn didn't for the 2023 class for ED. Stanford doesn't request them either for REA. They all request if you are deferred to RD.

All of these schools do indicate they may request your first quarter grades on a one-off basis during ED, which I would think is a good thing in that your application didn't go directly into the rejection pile.

[Anonymous]

My kid's ED did request them. Our counselor told us it was unusual, but they did. It really stressed us out because DS's 1Q grades were not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid's ED did request them. Our counselor told us it was unusual, but they did. It really stressed us out because DS's 1Q grades were not great.

Did they get in?