Junior year grades

[Anonymous]

I would not waste his actual essay highlighting the one significant weakness in his application.

There is a space at the end of the common app to explain special circumstances. If he has a true and compelling reason that he got a D (and that is not clear to me), then he could write a few sentences explaining. But it should be short. And they will factor those circumstances in or not.

But for right now just help him (and you) put this in perspective. Like you said, lessons learned along the way. He is still a great kid and will have multiple options for attending a strong college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Btw, a D, even in a rigorous class, is not a good thing for anyone. But I agree that retaking course senior year shows perseverance. Student (and counselor) need to come up with a viable explanation for why it happened. It wont stop you from getting into most schools, but it will for the T20-30/elite schools, unless there is a really good reason (family death, major illness, etc).

DCUM wisom on minimum acceptable grades in rigorous classes?

Not sure the question?

No one can really tell "how bad of a grade is too bad". However, most T20-T30/elite schools have admission rates of 5-10%. So they do not need to accept someone who gets a D or C in a rigorous course. There are plenty of students who never get below a B even in rigorous courses to select from; heck there are plenty who never get below an A/A-. And there are plenty of students who manage this while taking 4-7 AP/IB courses in a single year. Unless your student can truly "own the grade" and has a truly valid reason for why it happened (ie. Parent was ill/student was ill/ major family issues etc that were the direct cause), the grade WILL impact them in college admissions. That's just where we are in life. However, I'd argue that it's been that way for a long time. Even 30 years ago, a C/D on your transcript would impact you at elite colleges.
However, there are still plenty of GREAT schools your student will get into. It's not the end of the world as DCUM would make it out to be.

I'd argue that if your kid cannot get at least a B-/B in a "rigorous course in HS", that perhaps they are not cut out for a T20 school and that is OK. Because for example, IB calculus or AP Calculus BC are just the beginning of "rigorous courses", and Calc 3/4/Diff EQ and beyond are much harder courses and you can still get a sucky professor at a Top University (had plenty myself along with really good ones too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Btw, a D, even in a rigorous class, is not a good thing for anyone. But I agree that retaking course senior year shows perseverance. Student (and counselor) need to come up with a viable explanation for why it happened. It wont stop you from getting into most schools, but it will for the T20-30/elite schools, unless there is a really good reason (family death, major illness, etc).

DCUM wisom on minimum acceptable grades in rigorous classes?

Not sure the question?

No one can really tell "how bad of a grade is too bad". However, most T20-T30/elite schools have admission rates of 5-10%. So they do not need to accept someone who gets a D or C in a rigorous course. There are plenty of students who never get below a B even in rigorous courses to select from; heck there are plenty who never get below an A/A-. And there are plenty of students who manage this while taking 4-7 AP/IB courses in a single year. Unless your student can truly "own the grade" and has a truly valid reason for why it happened (ie. Parent was ill/student was ill/ major family issues etc that were the direct cause), the grade WILL impact them in college admissions. That's just where we are in life. However, I'd argue that it's been that way for a long time. Even 30 years ago, a C/D on your transcript would impact you at elite colleges.
However, there are still plenty of GREAT schools your student will get into. It's not the end of the world as DCUM would make it out to be.

I'd argue that if your kid cannot get at least a B-/B in a "rigorous course in HS", that perhaps they are not cut out for a T20 school and that is OK. Because for example, IB calculus or AP Calculus BC are just the beginning of "rigorous courses", and Calc 3/4/Diff EQ and beyond are much harder courses and you can still get a sucky professor at a Top University (had plenty myself along with really good ones too).

I should have been clearer in my question: I meant to ask what DCUM's wisdom was on the question of minimum acceptable grades in rigorous courses for a student to still be competitive at T10/T20 colleges. But this is a very informative response. Thanks! Rising Sophomore DC is not heading in a STEM direction for college and is unsure as to whether to take on the "most rigorous courses" throughout in HS in Math/Science for admissions purposes (standard problem for many parents, I guess).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Btw, a D, even in a rigorous class, is not a good thing for anyone. But I agree that retaking course senior year shows perseverance. Student (and counselor) need to come up with a viable explanation for why it happened. It wont stop you from getting into most schools, but it will for the T20-30/elite schools, unless there is a really good reason (family death, major illness, etc).

DCUM wisom on minimum acceptable grades in rigorous classes?

Not sure the question?

No one can really tell "how bad of a grade is too bad". However, most T20-T30/elite schools have admission rates of 5-10%. So they do not need to accept someone who gets a D or C in a rigorous course. There are plenty of students who never get below a B even in rigorous courses to select from; heck there are plenty who never get below an A/A-. And there are plenty of students who manage this while taking 4-7 AP/IB courses in a single year. Unless your student can truly "own the grade" and has a truly valid reason for why it happened (ie. Parent was ill/student was ill/ major family issues etc that were the direct cause), the grade WILL impact them in college admissions. That's just where we are in life. However, I'd argue that it's been that way for a long time. Even 30 years ago, a C/D on your transcript would impact you at elite colleges.
However, there are still plenty of GREAT schools your student will get into. It's not the end of the world as DCUM would make it out to be.

I'd argue that if your kid cannot get at least a B-/B in a "rigorous course in HS", that perhaps they are not cut out for a T20 school and that is OK. Because for example, IB calculus or AP Calculus BC are just the beginning of "rigorous courses", and Calc 3/4/Diff EQ and beyond are much harder courses and you can still get a sucky professor at a Top University (had plenty myself along with really good ones too).

Cool observation. Plenty of awful profs teaching tough subjects at major universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not waste his actual essay highlighting the one significant weakness in his application.

There is a space at the end of the common app to explain special circumstances. If he has a true and compelling reason that he got a D (and that is not clear to me), then he could write a few sentences explaining. But it should be short. And they will factor those circumstances in or not.

But for right now just help him (and you) put this in perspective. Like you said, lessons learned along the way. He is still a great kid and will have multiple options for attending a strong college.

Agree. The counselor could also address it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to model for your son how to regroup/cope after a disappointment. They are inevitable in life.

This will impact his GPA somewhat, so it could make the difference in theory for schools that put a lot of weight on that. But you and he both know that.

I would not blame yourself or the teacher or the fact that your son is a teen. Move on.

Your son's list should always have been informed by his GPA, when that changes, the list may change. It really is not a big tragedy.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but how you handle this could make a difference if your son goes into the process with low self esteem and depression or is able to keep on keeping on.

What matters in the grand scheme of things are his happiness and health, not the ranking of the school that he gets into.

I’m the poster above whose kid got 2 Ca. I totally agree. Accept it. It’s done. Find some schools he likes where he is likely to get in and stop talking about it. It’s done and he can’t change it. Hopefully, he learned an important lesson about asking for help. Honestly, it’s better in high school when you are there to support him. The kids who have perfect grades in high school can be really thrown by a C or D in college, which definitely can happen to a straight A kid, depending on the college. It’s good for him to learn to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

2 c’s not 2 ca. weird autocorrect

[Anonymous]

Yes, OP it does eliminate him. And you’re reaction (defensive, anti-teacher, etc) doesn’t help. You talk about what YOU did, but DS should have been advocating for himself along. You should have been the last resort.

[Anonymous]

Yes, a D and a meh SAT score will eliminate the top colleges. However, your DC will have plenty of choices, even your state school(s) within reason ( not UMich / UVA/ UNC, etc.).

At least you can temper the expectations and get a good college list together.

Best wishes.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why you’d want to try and explain this on the application. Unless someone died or they had an illness. The rest of the world gets bad grades occasionally and doesn’t make up excuses. You base college applications on where you fit in, which is not a top school.

[Anonymous]

We have a friend who was in this situation. Got into Reed and Oberlin with 1 maybe 2 bad grades (the rest were all As, I think).

Hopefully the AOs will see this as an anomaly.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a friend who was in this situation. Got into Reed and Oberlin with 1 maybe 2 bad grades (the rest were all As, I think).

Hopefully the AOs will see this as an anomaly.

Good luck!

You don't need the best record for Reed and Oberlin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a friend who was in this situation. Got into Reed and Oberlin with 1 maybe 2 bad grades (the rest were all As, I think).

Hopefully the AOs will see this as an anomaly.

Good luck!

You don't need the best record for Reed and Oberlin.

OP didn't ask about best record schools. You need a good record to get into these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Btw, a D, even in a rigorous class, is not a good thing for anyone. But I agree that retaking course senior year shows perseverance. Student (and counselor) need to come up with a viable explanation for why it happened. It wont stop you from getting into most schools, but it will for the T20-30/elite schools, unless there is a really good reason (family death, major illness, etc).

DCUM wisom on minimum acceptable grades in rigorous classes?

If you are aiming for an Ivy of T15-20, none. Or 1-2 A-/B+ max. These are the schools with too many perfect candidates.

Let’s look at a “good”, solid sDMV admission. My unhooked DD got in WM ED with:

3 Bs/4As freshman (4honors),

5As, a B+ and 2 B-s in 10th (B-s had to do ADHD with having trouble getting work in at the beginning of COVID and we’re explained by counselor; she took a summer class, so 8 grades) 2 honors and and 1 AP (dropped to standard Algebra 2)

6As, 1B (AP Lang) in 11th. 3 APs.

12th didn’t matter, because ED, but 6As, 1B

10 APs total, 4s and 5s on the 5 she had taken and submitted scores. 34 ACT (36 verbal, 32 STEM)

So, 8Bs, no Cs. 3.99 W when she applied, 4.09 at graduation.

She demonstrated interested in WM, which they love, interviewed, went to IR fall focus day, wrote the supplemental essay and took AP Latin plus every humanities AP her school offers except psych.

She did have some interesting/ outside the box class selections and ECs.

She would not have been admitted RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a friend who was in this situation. Got into Reed and Oberlin with 1 maybe 2 bad grades (the rest were all As, I think).

Hopefully the AOs will see this as an anomaly.

Good luck!

You don't need the best record for Reed and Oberlin.

Oberlin has had a 34% increase in applications, and this year it’s admission rate was less than 10%. Not a safety.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g40218780/best-alternative-ivy-league-colleges-2022/?fbclid=IwAR3kqLDPPWiR6PFxcZz4QjWJFm_bJ4Yz9yBGIvg2hCpPjjGGTDD8_3myfzo&fs=e&s=cl#