Monitoring College Freshman Assignments/Grades

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as the parent of a kid who still doesn't know if he's going to graduate in a month because he didn't see that a course from last semester was marked incomplete,

YES, have him give you access to his stuff

I thought you can only get incomplete for medical reasons or because you were caught cheating?

[Anonymous]

np here. no, or something hasn't been turned in. Some profs will choose to give an incomplete rather than a fail -- initially. But if the work isn't turned in by a certain date, the incomplete becomes an F.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as the parent of a kid who still doesn't know if he's going to graduate in a month because he didn't see that a course from last semester was marked incomplete,

YES, have him give you access to his stuff

I thought you can only get incomplete for medical reasons or because you were caught cheating?

I imagine it depends on the school. He's told me the incomplete is because he only turned in half of his final project - he was supposed to have both a paper and a powerpoint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12 credits is full time. Don't have him take too many. Especially freshmen year. Especially 1st semester freshmen year.

Or maybe he starts with more credits, more than that, maybe even too many but also has the plan to drop. Drop the class, before the deadline, that's giving him problems or his least favorite.

At least be open to some unique ideas

Careful here, though--full-time status does not always mean on track for 4-year graduation. Make sure to check what a school needs the student to do in order to graduate when you want and need them to (5 years is not uncommon for various reasons, but the family needs to be ok with that). At my institution students need to finish 5 courses per semester (15 cr) in order to graduate with a standard BA in 4 years of full-time enrollment, unless they have credit coming in from other sources.

Many good ideas already on here. I would list and expand as follows:

1. If DC does not have an up-to-date diagnosis of ADHD, but is eligible and the family can swing it (which is an entirely separate concern), I would recommend getting the neuropsych. You can always choose not to invoke full-on disability services in college, but you cannot be eligible for them without the right diagnostic paperwork.

2. Definitely investigate the college's academic support services that are open to the entire general student population. Formal peer tutoring is often available, sometimes in organized groups, sometimes one-on-one. Make sure DC signs up for everything, and does so early on so that there is space and the support kicks in before the problems surface. Academic coaching is also sometimes available (draws together EF issues, goal-setting, bridges to campus services, etc.). DC should sign up for that, again right away.

3. The systems for managing classwork (homework, discussion boards, quizzes) and the systems for managing university business (finances, semester grades, course registration) are two different things, although they are often interlinked in various database ways. You really don't belong in your student's Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or similar learning-management systems: that is where the other students are, and the only honest way in will be for you to register for the course. Otherwise you will have to borrow your DC's login (!).

4. If DC needs help managing planning, schedules, and deadlines, the PP who suggested some serious calendar programming at the start of the semester (their DC programmed his phone) has a great idea. One easy way for you to collaborate together without massive interference in the school's own business would be a shared Google calendar. You and DC can even parcel out the responsibilities of adding things from course syllabi and from the family's schedule, and since it takes attachments, DC can include assignment sheets or other information to help link a project to the time when it needs to be done. You can also use that function to attach things like train tickets for travel home for breaks. And then you can gradually disengage as you use the calendar to watch DC traverse the academic year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as the parent of a kid who still doesn't know if he's going to graduate in a month because he didn't see that a course from last semester was marked incomplete,

YES, have him give you access to his stuff

I thought you can only get incomplete for medical reasons or because you were caught cheating?

I imagine it depends on the school. He's told me the incomplete is because he only turned in half of his final project - he was supposed to have both a paper and a powerpoint.

Shouldn't that be an F? I have INCs on my transcript due having to withdraw when my father died during exams and had to have the registrar send grads schools an explanation because the assumption is an honor code sanction.

[Anonymous]

My DD has ADHD. She is a sophomore and doing great. You have to let go. Grades might drop but this is a growth opportunity for them.

[Anonymous]

This is the kind of thing that makes me livid about college admissions. My kid was completely independent with her work, class choices, ECs all through high school - and college applications . She made some mistakes and despite recovering beautifully (also on her own), she’s shut out of colleges who will take the perfect but micro-managed kids who aren’t ready to do it alone in college.

Looking at you W & M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the kind of thing that makes me livid about college admissions. My kid was completely independent with her work, class choices, ECs all through high school - and college applications . She made some mistakes and despite recovering beautifully (also on her own), she’s shut out of colleges who will take the perfect but micro-managed kids who aren’t ready to do it alone in college.

Looking at you W & M.

Agreed, but it will come out in the wash by Christmas of freshman year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why my child will likely start at community college. If they can’t manage their own assignments by freshman year in college, I don’t think they are ready to be on their own

You’re far more sensible than the OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the kind of thing that makes me livid about college admissions. My kid was completely independent with her work, class choices, ECs all through high school - and college applications . She made some mistakes and despite recovering beautifully (also on her own), she’s shut out of colleges who will take the perfect but micro-managed kids who aren’t ready to do it alone in college.

Looking at you W & M.

You seriously expect W&M to figure out which kids were “micromanaged” and to weed them out in favor of your daughter? How do they know your kid wasn’t micromanaged too, but just less successfully?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the kind of thing that makes me livid about college admissions. My kid was completely independent with her work, class choices, ECs all through high school - and college applications . She made some mistakes and despite recovering beautifully (also on her own), she’s shut out of colleges who will take the perfect but micro-managed kids who aren’t ready to do it alone in college.

Looking at you W & M.

You seriously expect W&M to figure out which kids were “micromanaged” and to weed them out in favor of your daughter? How do they know your kid wasn’t micromanaged too, but just less successfully?

I expect all schools to recognize that they’re contributing to the problem of anxiety, depression, suicide, helicoptering parenting, cheating, lying, and high school resume padding if they’re not going to take into consideration anyone with less than a 4.5, yes.

WhY aRe KiDs So sReSSeD and pArEntS oVeRY inVoLveD? Because they’re chasing a lie. Very few teenagers are so naturally mature that they can take 13 APs, play three sports, an instrument, volunteer, be captain of a team, president of a big club, and hold down a 4.6 GPA without serious parental involvement (and money.) But when schools see this, they’re impressed. The fact that this resume is now the norm should make them suspicious.

Educators want you to read The Gift of Failure but AOs don’t look for signs of independence, perseverance, or triumph unless it ends with a 4.5. No mistakes for you, kid. We’ve got US News rankings to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an academic coach at a college, and I have quite a few students with ADHD who meet with me weekly for support. I agree with the other posters about either getting him connected with student support on campus or hiring an independent coach who specializes in working with college students with ADHD.

^^^this. My DC’s college has already sent info on a center that sounds like it was designed for kids like OP’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as the parent of a kid who still doesn't know if he's going to graduate in a month because he didn't see that a course from last semester was marked incomplete,

YES, have him give you access to his stuff

I thought you can only get incomplete for medical reasons or because you were caught cheating?

I imagine it depends on the school. He's told me the incomplete is because he only turned in half of his final project - he was supposed to have both a paper and a powerpoint.

Shouldn't that be an F? I have INCs on my transcript due having to withdraw when my father died during exams and had to have the registrar send grads schools an explanation because the assumption is an honor code sanction.

Yeah pp’s kid isn’t telling them something. At some schools honor code hearings are backlogged right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as the parent of a kid who still doesn't know if he's going to graduate in a month because he didn't see that a course from last semester was marked incomplete,

YES, have him give you access to his stuff

I thought you can only get incomplete for medical reasons or because you were caught cheating?

I imagine it depends on the school. He's told me the incomplete is because he only turned in half of his final project - he was supposed to have both a paper and a powerpoint.

Shouldn't that be an F? I have INCs on my transcript due having to withdraw when my father died during exams and had to have the registrar send grads schools an explanation because the assumption is an honor code sanction.

Yeah pp’s kid isn’t telling them something. At some schools honor code hearings are backlogged right now.

Incompletes are temporary and you have one year to either finish the work or take the class again and sub that grade.

[Anonymous]

"Careful here" re: 12 credits, of course they wouldn't graduate on time with only 12 credits every semester HOWEVER, it can be a strategy, especially 1st semsester freshmen year.