High School Freshman Son - Smart, but low GPA thus far. Will he get into a good college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help. My 9th grader is brillant, but refuses to do homework. I think he has a 2.0. To be fair, his school grades as follows: 100 - 95% A, 94 -90% B, 89 - 85% C, 84 - 80% D. Please don't ask why we signed up for this! It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Anyway, did you experience this with your son and did he eventually get it together and go to a good college? How was the college process?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I will give you some honest advice, if your dream is for him to attend an Ivy or similarly good top-25 school, then it will be difficult with those 9th grade grades on his transcript. UNLESS, he can turn it around and get nothing but As/B+s for the next three years, AND earn excellent scores on the SAT/ACT, the AP exams, and the SAT Subject Tests; OR he can demonstrate an incredible talent or ability in some other area (is he a talented artist, a very accomplished musician, a recruited athlete).

If he is currently in a private school, I would pull him out for 10th grade and go public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help. My 9th grader is brillant, but refuses to do homework. I think he has a 2.0. To be fair, his school grades as follows: 100 - 95% A, 94 -90% B, 89 - 85% C, 84 - 80% D. Please don't ask why we signed up for this! It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Anyway, did you experience this with your son and did he eventually get it together and go to a good college? How was the college process?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I will give you some honest advice, if your dream is for him to attend an Ivy or similarly good top-25 school, then it will be difficult with those 9th grade grades on his transcript. UNLESS, he can turn it around and get nothing but As/B+s for the next three years, AND earn excellent scores on the SAT/ACT, the AP exams, and the SAT Subject Tests; OR he can demonstrate an incredible talent or ability in some other area (is he a talented artist, a very accomplished musician, a recruited athlete).

If he is currently in a private school, I would pull him out for 10th grade and go public.

Not OP, but why would you suggest this?

[Anonymous]

PP, because grade matter in high school. Having your child in a school where they have a C average is tough. I also would recommend considering a different high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, because grade matter in high school. Having your child in a school where they have a C average is tough. I also would recommend considering a different high school.

But what makes you think he'll do any better at a public school? Most kids go private so they can get the attention they need to bring up their grades -- that's half of what parents are paying for. At public school not only isn't it easier if your'e taking college prep courses, but the schools are so big the chances for help are few and far between -- particularly for a kid who isn't that focused on school work to begin with.

[Anonymous]

OP, it sounds like he's in private school.

Ask them how colleges view 89% equalling a C
And learn where your son falls on the bell curve of his freshman class.

The grading may be some sick & twisted mind game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help. My 9th grader is brillant, but refuses to do homework. I think he has a 2.0. To be fair, his school grades as follows: 100 - 95% A, 94 -90% B, 89 - 85% C, 84 - 80% D. Please don't ask why we signed up for this! It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Anyway, did you experience this with your son and did he eventually get it together and go to a good college? How was the college process?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I will give you some honest advice, if your dream is for him to attend an Ivy or similarly good top-25 school, then it will be difficult with those 9th grade grades on his transcript. UNLESS, he can turn it around and get nothing but As/B+s for the next three years, AND earn excellent scores on the SAT/ACT, the AP exams, and the SAT Subject Tests; OR he can demonstrate an incredible talent or ability in some other area (is he a talented artist, a very accomplished musician, a recruited athlete).

If he is currently in a private school, I would pull him out for 10th grade and go public.

Well, the kid is now going to be in his Junior year ....the OP posted back in 2013.