AP Calc BC is a disaster: how to spin for college app?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she applying now? Get those apps in! The transcript won't have her current class grades on there. Those are only sent as a final transcript after admission.

She seems like a great student and will be fine!

I have a question about the. DD is in the same boat but has a B. She already applied to one school and her teacher uploaded her transcripts to the portal a week ago. Does the transcript update automatically? Or is she fine because it’s already loaded? She will have her remaining apps in by 11/1 but the quarter ends this week (so grades will be finalized next week).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a tutor.
Calc builds on previous content and moves fast so you need to address immediately to figure out where the gap is and fill it in.

What kind of gap would there be?
By her GPA, OP's DD seems to have done well on her previous math classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a tutor.
Calc builds on previous content and moves fast so you need to address immediately to figure out where the gap is and fill it in.

What kind of gap would there be?
By her GPA, OP's DD seems to have done well on her previous math classes.

Gap from earlier in the year. If she missed a key concept from week 2 - it carries forward to week 3 etc.
A tutor will help her step away from the class and go through the core content one piece at a time and make sure there is a depth of understanding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she applying now? Get those apps in! The transcript won't have her current class grades on there. Those are only sent as a final transcript after admission.

She seems like a great student and will be fine!

I have a question about the. DD is in the same boat but has a B. She already applied to one school and her teacher uploaded her transcripts to the portal a week ago. Does the transcript update automatically? Or is she fine because it’s already loaded? She will have her remaining apps in by 11/1 but the quarter ends this week (so grades will be finalized next week).

No there is no automatic update. Schools only see the semester grade if there is a Jan deadline -- and that isn't even universal. Many schools have transcript request deadlines way before any grades are in so colleges don't see any senior year grades until final transcripts are sent or kids are waitlisted.

OP this really isn't an issue for her apps.

[Anonymous]

OP this is not a big deal.

Start tutoring to get her caught up.
'
She's not applying to engineer or any other math major she's totally fine.

[Anonymous]

Have her talk to her teacher and counselor and ask the teacher for help, see if she can do re-dos or retakes. Get a tutor. Submit applications now before semester grades, if she improves her grade will rise.

[Anonymous]

My DD was applying to engineering programs and got a C first semester senior year in AP Physics. So stressful! She worked hard and reached out to schools she had applied to. Ended up at WashU, did very well, and is now aerospace engineer (and did well in college physics). Try not to freak out and realize this will help your daughter learn resilience in the long run.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Wow, did not expect so many kind responses. Thank you everyone!

DD was at a different school last year, where she had straight As in AP Calc AB (but did not take the exam). We suspect that last year's teacher was quite lenient, and this year's teacher is much more demanding. The first part of Calc BC is supposed to be the same as Calc AB, but DD noticed the work is noticeably harder this time!

I think she's stuck with this class, but we'll get her a good tutor and try to adjust her dose of ADHD meds, which had been decreased at the beginning of the year: she's been distracted lately, so perhaps this is a sign she needs to go back to her old dosage. Math is always the first subject to suffer when her meds need tweaking.

She was already planning on applying Early Action to some colleges, but I believe her favorite college requires a mid-year transcript, after the EA results date of Dec 15. Do you think they could rescind an offer because of a low BC grade? And if she thinks she can pull her grade up by January, is it worth addressing in an essay due Nov 1st?

[Anonymous]

They won’t likely rescind if the rest of her grades are good - and if she can get up to at least a ‘c’
I wouldn’t address it in essay for early action - as they won’t know about it.

[Anonymous]

I think the above advice of getting apps in ASAP only works for rolling deadlines and some ED schools. For regular admission deadlines, even if you submit today, they ask for first semester transcripts. Also, for ED schools, the ED offer is contingent on performance in spring of senior year being "similar" to what is represented on the application. You can get away with Bs, maybe some Cs. But I would worry seriously about anything lower than that if not acknowledged in application.

Ask about moving to AB for second quarter. Not exactly sure how that would work in terms of grade but either the low BC grade from first quarter would be combined with higher AB grade from second quarter and overall grade would be okay. Or the low BC grade and high AB grade will both be on the transcript, but the BC grade won't be in GPA. I'm certain, though, that a 'w' will show on transcript. (But I don't think the 'w' is a big deal-- I'm not sure whether colleges hold it against you if you tried BC and failed versus not trying it at all...)

Assuming low BC grade shows up, then acknowledge it somewhere in the application... explanation for why DC was unprepared for the course, and steps being taken to shore up math skills prior to college.

[Anonymous]

I agree that she should try to get applications in early. Try to met College Park’s Nov 1 deadline at least.

Also, can she drop back to AB?

And she should just work hard, get a tutor, try to get extra credit if possible. It’s only October. She could pull out of this.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Get the transcripts in. In now. But when colleges do receive semester grades, a "C" will not sink her, imo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP this is not a big deal.

Start tutoring to get her caught up.
'
She's not applying to engineer or any other math major she's totally fine.

Even is she plans to be an engineer it is fine. My own kid had a B- first semester of calc BC (had 1 A- in HS, only nonA ever until that point) and really it was a C+ but she was really close and teacher likes her and knows she was trying. Kid got a B+ 2nd semester. But what really matters is that my kid easily got a 5 on the BC AP test and is getting an A in Calc 3 at college. First time my kid has had to work for any grade. Calc is hard. But my kid learned the material and is doing great in Calc 3, so as long as her DD gets a tutor and keeps working hard, she is fine

[Anonymous]

OP, I have a senior who also moved—started at a new school senior year.
DC took precalc last year at old school and it became clear in week 1 of AP Calc AB that the starting point and rigor are much higher at new school.
We had a tutor lined up by week 2. For the first month, she had tutoring 2x/wk. Better to get that support as early as you can so you have a foundation to build on.
It’s financially painful as I’m the sole parent on a non-profit salary. But worth it, especially when you consider potential impact on college app and aid.
Dropping would be last resort—in addition to having to scramble for a math credit, what does it say to Admissions if, when the going gets tough, your kid walks away?

[Anonymous]

Hi OP,

Re: Rescinding. My DC got three (3!) Cs on his final transcript senior year. I was panicked. Virginia Tech, though, did not rescind. I think a child has to really stumble (Ds or Fs) for that to happen.