Is a C on a high school transcript the death knell for college admissions at reputable schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The final grade for the year is the only one that's used to compute the GPA.

Not for HS level classes. Each semester is a grade. But if he has a C in only the first semester it counts for 1/2 a C.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

And ridiculous.

Actually it's more helpful than it is ridiculous.

I agree. Math has helped more people's lives than any lib arts. Revolutions cannot succeed when people are starving due to bad logistics. or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The final grade for the year is the only one that's used to compute the GPA.

Not for HS level classes. Each semester is a grade. But if he has a C in only the first semester it counts for 1/2 a C.

This is not the case for our kids' HS where the final exam counts for 16-20% of the final grade. Only the "final" grade, the one you see on the report card in June goes into computation of the final GPA. (Unless the course is only one semester long).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The final grade for the year is the only one that's used to compute the GPA.

Not for HS level classes. Each semester is a grade. But if he has a C in only the first semester it counts for 1/2 a C.

This is not the case for our kids' HS where the final exam counts for 16-20% of the final grade. Only the "final" grade, the one you see on the report card in June goes into computation of the final GPA. (Unless the course is only one semester long).

Interesting. I thought MCPS was standard across the county especially since the finals are actually MCPS wide exams. Ours count for 25% of the semester grade. But ours is a regular school rather than a magnet so maybe the magnets are different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

And ridiculous.

Actually it's more helpful than it is ridiculous.

How is it helpful? At all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

And ridiculous.

Actually it's more helpful than it is ridiculous.

How is it helpful? At all?

"Math is important please make sure you assist him."
Based upon my own experiences, I find this statement to be true, and therefor helpful. You won't change my mind about this. It's okay if we disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

And ridiculous.

Actually it's more helpful than it is ridiculous.

How is it helpful? At all?

"Math is important please make sure you assist him."
Based upon my own experiences, I find this statement to be true, and therefor helpful. You won't change my mind about this. It's okay if we disagree.

OP here. Whether or not it is true, it is not responsive to my question.

Given that DC is in a math magnet, and given that my original post stated that we hired a tutor (after interviewing four), it seems obvious that (1) we recognize math is important; (2) he is competent at math, and (3) we are assisting him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

And ridiculous.

Actually it's more helpful than it is ridiculous.

How is it helpful? At all?

"Math is important please make sure you assist him."
Based upon my own experiences, I find this statement to be true, and therefor helpful. You won't change my mind about this. It's okay if we disagree.

OP here. Whether or not it is true, it is not responsive to my question.

Given that DC is in a math magnet, and given that my original post stated that we hired a tutor (after interviewing four), it seems obvious that (1) we recognize math is important; (2) he is competent at math, and (3) we are assisting him.

If you are the OP and you didn't find the information useful or helpful or responsive, then I encourage you to use the report button.

[Anonymous]

I work with college admissions. If a class is taken when a student is in MS, the quarter or semester grade, even on a high school transcript, would not be a single factor that causes a student to be rejected from a reputable college, whatever the OP means by that. Even in a case of hair-splitting, the committee is more likely to look for something other than an early grade to make the decision. Most admissions people will admit that while grades count and are very important, more emphasis is placed on the final three years of HS than the first year, and yes, they (we) are looking for transcripts that show strengths, trend up, and seek out academic challenges (evidenced by course choices) as well as other factors of the application.

Of course, OP, if I were you, I probably wouldn't tell this to your DC, because he really does need to develop good habits now so he can excel and sustain when it really counts. But for you, I don't think you have to worry very much about this one C. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Ah OP -- Middle School grades won't kill your son. So, you've got time to maybe improve his study habits beyond just having a tutor. Maybe find someone at school who can help him with his organization. My DD almost flunked out of her elite private middle school but ended up at an Ivy. We found someone who outlined study tips, organization and writing. Sounds like maybe your son could use something like that or maybe it's an attention issue. Don't sweat too much -- he has time to improve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah OP -- Middle School grades won't kill your son. So, you've got time to maybe improve his study habits beyond just having a tutor. Maybe find someone at school who can help him with his organization. My DD almost flunked out of her elite private middle school but ended up at an Ivy. We found someone who outlined study tips, organization and writing. Sounds like maybe your son could use something like that or maybe it's an attention issue. Don't sweat too much -- he has time to improve.

You are missing out a bit on the point since in MCPS middle school grades in HS level classes are in fact on one's HS transcript.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ah OP -- Middle School grades won't kill your son. So, you've got time to maybe improve his study habits beyond just having a tutor. Maybe find someone at school who can help him with his organization. My DD almost flunked out of her elite private middle school but ended up at an Ivy. We found someone who outlined study tips, organization and writing. Sounds like maybe your son could use something like that or maybe it's an attention issue. Don't sweat too much -- he has time to improve.

You are missing out a bit on the point since in MCPS middle school grades in HS level classes are in fact on one's HS transcript.

The grades only transfer to HS if you allow them to transfer to HS. If he's getting C in 8th grade Algebra or Geometry or whatever, sometimes it's best to repeat the course in HS. That way you're not starting off your HS GPA with a 2.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

It's also true....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

It's also true....

Yes, but OP struck it from the record as being non-responsive. See the whole story at 12:23 (if it's still there).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Math is important please make sure you assist him so he doesn't become an unemployable lib arts occupy wall street freeloader

This is helpful.

It's also true....

Characterizing OWS folks as freeloaders is the opposite of true. They are out in the street being beaten and tear gassed to protest our incredibly broken economic order (with apologies to the 1%ers at DCUM). As a small business owner and actual Job Creator (as opposed to the very rich folks that the GOP calls job creators just because they have income from s-corps), I wish I had the guts to do what the OWS kids are doing.