Disastrous Freshman Year

[Anonymous]

Can you find a study skills class for him to take? I know Landon has one, but I'm not sure that it goes beyond the middle school crowd. (My DS did it last year after a rocky transition to middle school and it really helped. He'd seen many of the techniques before, but it helped to see them again AND to learn that he can adjust them based on how he learns best.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the replies. They are really helpful. I also really appreciate your help putting this in perspective -- seeing these kinds of grades was just kind of jarring. Also, DC really likes school (it is magnet) and classes -- and seemed in control (a lot of "I got this"). DC wants to continue and we'll definitely take your advice this summer (just got the book recommended above). Thank you for the feedback.

OP, my kid also got poorer than expected grades at a magnet. He says he is happy at the school but I think we need to get to the bottom of why he got
These grades (several factors are at play) and we are trying to figure out if we should encourage him to switch schools even though he is happy.

Not everybody can be a top student. Why is your kid doing the magnet program? If it because they are passionate about the curriculum, then don't worry about the grades. If you think a magnet is going to get them into a "top" college, it may be time to rethink you plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the replies. They are really helpful. I also really appreciate your help putting this in perspective -- seeing these kinds of grades was just kind of jarring. Also, DC really likes school (it is magnet) and classes -- and seemed in control (a lot of "I got this"). DC wants to continue and we'll definitely take your advice this summer (just got the book recommended above). Thank you for the feedback.

OP, my kid also got poorer than expected grades at a magnet. He says he is happy at the school but I think we need to get to the bottom of why he got
These grades (several factors are at play) and we are trying to figure out if we should encourage him to switch schools even though he is happy.

This is us exactly. Our thinking is for DC to stay at the school and try to figure out what is going on. DC very much wants to stay and a new school is an unknown and the problems may still exist. May be a big mistake not to move, but it is so hard to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you find a study skills class for him to take? I know Landon has one, but I'm not sure that it goes beyond the middle school crowd. (My DS did it last year after a rocky transition to middle school and it really helped. He'd seen many of the techniques before, but it helped to see them again AND to learn that he can adjust them based on how he learns best.)

Landon offers HS classes that you can take for credit/not credit over the summer.

[Anonymous]

My DC is in Blair magnet program and did not get as good grades as we thought he would either. He is a STEM student and coming from TPMS, however he signed up for the most advanced math and CS class. We think it was tough for him to handle the workload and ended up getting B's and C's this year. Did not help that the advanced CS course teacher was very strict with grades.
Next year DC will take a lower math level since he does not have a choice to drop CS level. He is also taking a study hall to give him extra time for school work.
I would suggest that you look at your DC's courses and you can make it work out. Kids go from middle school ( I can say this about my kids) thinking it is easy to get straight A's and then realize it is not that easy especially in magnet program.

[Anonymous]

There were 4 grading periods. Did your DS start out strong and gradually grades got worse? Was he handing in ALL homework on time? Did you look at his grades online each week? Some kids don't magically have good study/organizational skills. And, obviously "I got this" isn't working.

[Anonymous]

I'm an outlier in the DMV, buy I'd rather my kid take challenging classes and get Bs and C's than chase As in easy classes. I think learning to be challenged in life, learning to overcome adversity is a better lesson than "my parents made me take gut level courses so I could get into Tufts."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There were 4 grading periods. Did your DS start out strong and gradually grades got worse? Was he handing in ALL homework on time? Did you look at his grades online each week? Some kids don't magically have good study/organizational skills. And, obviously "I got this" isn't working.

Magnet parent here. I look at my daughter's grades at least twice a week. Sometimes I've found poor grades are lack of focus interest, other times the class is just too hard and my DD did the best she could. I do think monitoring the grades frequently does help a lot though.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP. FWIW Mine had a 3.78 unweighted GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the replies. They are really helpful. I also really appreciate your help putting this in perspective -- seeing these kinds of grades was just kind of jarring. Also, DC really likes school (it is magnet) and classes -- and seemed in control (a lot of "I got this"). DC wants to continue and we'll definitely take your advice this summer (just got the book recommended above). Thank you for the feedback.

OP, my kid also got poorer than expected grades at a magnet. He says he is happy at the school but I think we need to get to the bottom of why he got
These grades (several factors are at play) and we are trying to figure out if we should encourage him to switch schools even though he is happy.

Not everybody can be a top student. Why is your kid doing the magnet program? If it because they are passionate about the curriculum, then don't worry about the grades. If you think a magnet is going to get them into a "top" college, it may be time to rethink you plan.

I'm a PP, not OP. My kid isn't doing the magnet because he or we think he will get into a top college. We can't afford those anyway. He's doing it because he loves the subjects and loves learning and being challenged. Unfortunately, what I realize is that Bs or lower could prevent him from getting into state colleges, too. I have an older child and things have gotten so ridiculous with college admissions. I don't think Bs are bad but apparently nowadays they can really limit college choices and I'm not sure that's a good risk to take. I hate that I'm thinking college for a 9th grader but my eyes were opened this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the replies. They are really helpful. I also really appreciate your help putting this in perspective -- seeing these kinds of grades was just kind of jarring. Also, DC really likes school (it is magnet) and classes -- and seemed in control (a lot of "I got this"). DC wants to continue and we'll definitely take your advice this summer (just got the book recommended above). Thank you for the feedback.

OP, my kid also got poorer than expected grades at a magnet. He says he is happy at the school but I think we need to get to the bottom of why he got
These grades (several factors are at play) and we are trying to figure out if we should encourage him to switch schools even though he is happy.

Not everybody can be a top student. Why is your kid doing the magnet program? If it because they are passionate about the curriculum, then don't worry about the grades. If you think a magnet is going to get them into a "top" college, it may be time to rethink you plan.

I'm a PP, not OP. My kid isn't doing the magnet because he or we think he will get into a top college. We can't afford those anyway. He's doing it because he loves the subjects and loves learning and being challenged. Unfortunately, what I realize is that Bs or lower could prevent him from getting into state colleges, too. I have an older child and things have gotten so ridiculous with college admissions. I don't think Bs are bad but apparently nowadays they can really limit college choices and I'm not sure that's a good risk to take. I hate that I'm thinking college for a 9th grader but my eyes were opened this year.

That's depressing but not surprising.

However... When you look at the state of higher ed, when you look at who's teaching the classes at those competitive colleges, when you look at how admissions weigh heavily to legacies... Iook at the SLACs. There are tons of very very good schools that don't require perfection. In fact, with the demographic shifts, aren't a lot of those schools begging for students?

[Anonymous]

I don’t think we will be able to afford SLACs. Doughnut hole family with three kids.

[Anonymous]

OP when I think Freshman disaster my mind goes other places than grades. Be thankful none of that happened

[Anonymous]

Oops I thought you meant college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the replies. They are really helpful. I also really appreciate your help putting this in perspective -- seeing these kinds of grades was just kind of jarring. Also, DC really likes school (it is magnet) and classes -- and seemed in control (a lot of "I got this"). DC wants to continue and we'll definitely take your advice this summer (just got the book recommended above). Thank you for the feedback.

OP, my kid also got poorer than expected grades at a magnet. He says he is happy at the school but I think we need to get to the bottom of why he got
These grades (several factors are at play) and we are trying to figure out if we should encourage him to switch schools even though he is happy.

Not everybody can be a top student. Why is your kid doing the magnet program? If it because they are passionate about the curriculum, then don't worry about the grades. If you think a magnet is going to get them into a "top" college, it may be time to rethink you plan.

I'm a PP, not OP. My kid isn't doing the magnet because he or we think he will get into a top college. We can't afford those anyway. He's doing it because he loves the subjects and loves learning and being challenged. Unfortunately, what I realize is that Bs or lower could prevent him from getting into state colleges, too. I have an older child and things have gotten so ridiculous with college admissions. I don't think Bs are bad but apparently nowadays they can really limit college choices and I'm not sure that's a good risk to take. I hate that I'm thinking college for a 9th grader but my eyes were opened this year.

I am OP. Same concerns. In the magnet because DC loves the subject matter and also targeting state schools. I am worried as well. It's risky, but rather than taking action in anticipation of college, which may or may not pan out, we are thinking of taking it year by year because DC is happy and enjoying the program.