How to Explain Covid Year Grades

[Anonymous]

I think you should be honest. Was there job loss, deaths, sickness, depression that affected him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should be honest. Was there job loss, deaths, sickness, depression that affected him?

He would have to be prepared to speak about this in interviews too. It can't just come from mom and dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is applying to privates. He was all A's through 6th grade and all A's in 8th grade, but he had mostly B's and even a C during the remote year. Privates only want 7th & 8th grade transcripts, so we'll have 4 lousy terms and 1 normal (good) term reported. Has anyone received guidance from the schools on how to address this? I'm thinking about asking if we can submit transcripts for additional years and trying to explain. I plan to call the schools to discuss, but welcome any feedback/experience others have had with this

Well since everybody went through Covid, you can’t really use it as a distinguishing factor.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of miserable people on this thread. Some of the more artistic and creative kids found it hard to sit in front of a computer all day. I cant speak to public, but our private was a GRIND. Big 3 and it was WORK. All day on zoom and then more online school for homework. I thought my kids would have a mental collapse. Give the OP a break, every child reacted differently in Covid, I have multiple kids and saw that myself. My kids are back to getting great grades, but there were some bumps during Covid for sure. It does not mean they were lazy.
OP, just explain it the best you can and try to get good scores on the entrance exams. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the cruelty in response to this post is shocking even for DCUM. Many students understandably struggled with online learning, including at the schools you are applying your child to. Talk to the schools, explain the circumstances, ask if you can share an additional year of grades. I guarantee admissions officers will have more compassion and understanding than the clearly miserable, very bored, exceptionally judgmental posters on this forum.

OP here - thank you for this response. The other people responding with such nastiness, snobbery and all around awfulness is disgusting. My child struggled, and you are awful humans. I'd rather have a kid with B's than one who grows up to be like any of you. Thanks for nothing beasts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woah. I think the parents with B students/Covid slackers are out in force.

I had a kid who came out of public last year and it was ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE not to get As last year. There were limitless retakes and the lowest possible grade in DCPS (for example) was a B. Teachers gave As for turning in ANYTHING.

Kids who got Bs literally did not do anything.

Why should a selective private school take a kid who elected to do nothing last year over a kid who played by the rules and turned in assignments?
When there are 10 kids for one spot at these schools, why should it go to a kid who didn't do anything when the other 9 did?
There is zero chance an admissions committee would select this kid over the others unless he/she has some crazy talent.
It's a major liability for the school the next time this kid hits a bump in in the road.

This is simply not true for DCPS. My Deal kid had a C- and a D+ in two classes he struggled with and after missing a week for a COVID and a week for a death in family. Yes, you can’t have gotten any zeros (50s instead) and anything turned it can’t be below a D but it was not a given B. Thankfully, he did manage to get both classes back to a B but only after making up and addressing missing assignments, but he could have ended the year with the C and D. Any many kids with parents that weren’t on top ended up with Ds and Fs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Woah. I think the parents with B students/Covid slackers are out in force.

I had a kid who came out of public last year and it was ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE not to get As last year. There were limitless retakes and the lowest possible grade in DCPS (for example) was a B. Teachers gave As for turning in ANYTHING.

Kids who got Bs literally did not do anything.

Why should a selective private school take a kid who elected to do nothing last year over a kid who played by the rules and turned in assignments?
When there are 10 kids for one spot at these schools, why should it go to a kid who didn't do anything when the other 9 did?
There is zero chance an admissions committee would select this kid over the others unless he/she has some crazy talent.
It's a major liability for the school the next time this kid hits a bump in in the road.

This is simply not true for DCPS. My Deal kid had a C- and a D+ in two classes he struggled with and after missing a week for a COVID and a week for a death in family. Yes, you can’t have gotten any zeros (50s instead) and anything turned it can’t be below a D but it was not a given B. Thankfully, he did manage to get both classes back to a B but only after making up and addressing missing assignments, but he could have ended the year with the C and D. Any many kids with parents that weren’t on top ended up with Ds and Fs.

No, this isn't true. DCPS only gave As and Bs as final grades last year (20-21). Alls Cs and Ds were turned into "P".

From their Covid grading policy:

A Students who earn an A or B will have the benefit of this grade published on their
B transcript and the associated GPA weight.

C Students who earn a C or a D will not be penalized for this lower grade being published.
D Instead they’ll be assigned a “P” (for passing) and it will be GPA neutral.

F I Students who are earn a failing final grade will be assigned an “I” for incomplete.

[Anonymous]

DCPS grading policy last year:
No grades below Bs were given to any student in DCPS.

https://45biv636w8lm1agg3ozqtqg1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WEB_SY20-21_DCPS-Grading-Gudiance.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers were practically handing out A and B to kids in consideration of covid. Would have had to be pretty lazy not to get an easy A. We’re their other explanations for thiis?

Not everywhere

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the cruelty in response to this post is shocking even for DCUM. Many students understandably struggled with online learning, including at the schools you are applying your child to. Talk to the schools, explain the circumstances, ask if you can share an additional year of grades. I guarantee admissions officers will have more compassion and understanding than the clearly miserable, very bored, exceptionally judgmental posters on this forum.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is applying to privates. He was all A's through 6th grade and all A's in 8th grade, but he had mostly B's and even a C during the remote year. Privates only want 7th & 8th grade transcripts, so we'll have 4 lousy terms and 1 normal (good) term reported. Has anyone received guidance from the schools on how to address this? I'm thinking about asking if we can submit transcripts for additional years and trying to explain. I plan to call the schools to discuss, but welcome any feedback/experience others have had with this

Well since everybody went through Covid, you can’t really use it as a distinguishing factor.

Do you think everyone had the same covid experience? I can tell you we lost family and we know people who lost their livelihoods. We know kids who didn’t go to school for 18 months, kids who worked virtually from their parents workplace - or car - when their parent couldn’t wfh. I am sure you had a hard time, too. Right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is applying to privates. He was all A's through 6th grade and all A's in 8th grade, but he had mostly B's and even a C during the remote year. Privates only want 7th & 8th grade transcripts, so we'll have 4 lousy terms and 1 normal (good) term reported. Has anyone received guidance from the schools on how to address this? I'm thinking about asking if we can submit transcripts for additional years and trying to explain. I plan to call the schools to discuss, but welcome any feedback/experience others have had with this

Well since everybody went through Covid, you can’t really use it as a distinguishing factor.

Do you think everyone had the same covid experience? I can tell you we lost family and we know people who lost their livelihoods. We know kids who didn’t go to school for 18 months, kids who worked virtually from their parents workplace - or car - when their parent couldn’t wfh. I am sure you had a hard time, too. Right?

So true & sorry for your loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I participate in interviews for my alma mater. I know your situation is different in that you're talking about a younger kid, but as a general rule, we've not been impressed with any sort of "explanations" (i.e. excuses) for "Covid year grades." All our other applicants maintained their 'A' records throughout the year, so I really don't care that you're such a social person you just couldn't deal with remote learning.

Ouch, heartless (not to mention the many impacted by mental health challenges during covid, not merely "social.")
Name your school. Maybe you should step back for a year or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some true haters on this thread. Those of you gloating about your private admissions membership. Guess what? I am in charge of reviewing applications at my university, and you better believe if I see a kid with all As during the COVID year I will assume you were over-privileged and will want to have a vested interest in understanding those kids who did not do "as well".

You just sound dumb. Lol, probably reviewing applicants for a university you could never attend. 🥱

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well since everybody went through Covid, you can’t really use it as a distinguishing factor.

Do you think everyone had the same covid experience? I can tell you we lost family and we know people who lost their livelihoods. We know kids who didn’t go to school for 18 months, kids who worked virtually from their parents workplace - or car - when their parent couldn’t wfh. I am sure you had a hard time, too. Right?

So true & sorry for your loss.

+1

But also, the human brain is strange. In some cases, those who didn't suffer half as much loss as you describe just couldn't rise to the particular demands of virtual learning. Others thrived academically, but became (and still are) a basket case socially and emotionally. I can't believe we would need to spell out the fact that everyone has different experiences, and also that different people react to different life experiences differently from each other, but it bears saying.