Do you care about how semester grades will show up on your kids' transcript? Email the BOE ASAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is that big of a deal in the end -- but why wouldn't they include the 3rd quarter grade in the GPA? What is the logic?

I'm guessing it's because your third-quarter grade might reflect your academic performance, or it might reflect your life getting upended by the pandemic, depending on your individual circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Colleges are just going to have to compare students against others from their own district.
Most are throwing out quarter 4. Some (Alexandria) is giving everyone who completes 60% of the work a 100% for quarter 4. I think this is far worse because it basically renders the year worthless when everyone gets an A or at worse a B.

[Anonymous]

OP you're an asshole.
I do not care how the grades will appear because they will favor the grades already earned in quarters 1,2 and 3 - obviously.

For those kids without parental support, without regular access to computers, this is going to be the only way not to completely bury them.

For the high achievers, my kids amongst them - the will be TOTALLY FINE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get why some people don’t care. But some people do. I have a sophomore who worked really hard to bring up his quarter 3 grades from last semester. And he gets no credit for this. I would like quarter 3 to at least show up on the transcript. I don’t see why that can’t be optional.

Oh well. Not he learns that sometimes you don't get credit for hard work. Did he see any other benefits? Maybe it's a good time to talk about intrinsic vs extrinsic rewards. Lots of learn here.

And no it's not "fair." A global pandemic is manifestly unfair. It's tough. Genuinely.

And it's also appropriate for your kid's "credit" to be a really low priority for anyone -- even them -- in the grand scheme of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of current junior here. Parents of juniors very much do care about this topic. Yes, colleges understand the context of this semester. However, there are many colleges (esp large universities) that make decisions based on cumulative GPAs. And other colleges that especially look at upward trends. There are many juniors who will be hurt in the college admissions process if their third quarter grades are not shared with colleges, either by not being included on the transcript and/or not included in calculating the cumulative GPA.

All (competitive) colleges recalibrate the grades so that they are comparing apples to apples. So MCPS students with a weighted GPA (maybe ingflated a bit ...) are not treated more favorably than students from a school without weighted GPAs. I’m pretty sure they can figure out how to factor for the fourth quarter being pass/fail. They can figure this out so everyone is treated fairly. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

I mean, you all didn’t think our kids were getting a leg up because of weighted gpa did you?

[Anonymous]

Do.Not.Care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do.Not.Care.

And.Yet.You.Commented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of us with high school students applying to college next year definitely care!

+1
4.0 Q3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO decision was made today in the BOE meeting. Options will be presented at the next BOE meeting on 5/12.

Sounded like MCPS is pushing:

MP3 - Letter Grade
MP4 - Pass or Incomplete
Semester - Credit/No Credit or Incomplete

2nd semester would not factor into GPA.

Some of the Board expressed the desire to give the students the option of Credit/No Credit or a letter grade.

Why did they have Q3 letter grades if they are going to be ignored. How many members wanted to give the option of a letter grade? That sounds like a reasonable compromise.

[Anonymous]

I care! (parent of a HS junior) and thanks for the heads up, OP, about the meeting tonight. I hope they make a pass the equivalent of an A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of current junior here. Parents of juniors very much do care about this topic. Yes, colleges understand the context of this semester. However, there are many colleges (esp large universities) that make decisions based on cumulative GPAs. And other colleges that especially look at upward trends. There are many juniors who will be hurt in the college admissions process if their third quarter grades are not shared with colleges, either by not being included on the transcript and/or not included in calculating the cumulative GPA.

All (competitive) colleges recalibrate the grades so that they are comparing apples to apples. So MCPS students with a weighted GPA (maybe ingflated a bit ...) are not treated more favorably than students from a school without weighted GPAs. I’m pretty sure they can figure out how to factor for the fourth quarter being pass/fail. They can figure this out so everyone is treated fairly. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

I mean, you all didn’t think our kids were getting a leg up because of weighted gpa did you?

My junior has had an upward trend. She worked very hard during the first three quarters this year. She would like colleges to see that her upward trend was more than just one semester. What this means is that first semester senior year will be ever more important for current juniors and an ED application will not be a good choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of current junior here. Parents of juniors very much do care about this topic. Yes, colleges understand the context of this semester. However, there are many colleges (esp large universities) that make decisions based on cumulative GPAs. And other colleges that especially look at upward trends. There are many juniors who will be hurt in the college admissions process if their third quarter grades are not shared with colleges, either by not being included on the transcript and/or not included in calculating the cumulative GPA.

All (competitive) colleges recalibrate the grades so that they are comparing apples to apples. So MCPS students with a weighted GPA (maybe ingflated a bit ...) are not treated more favorably than students from a school without weighted GPAs. I’m pretty sure they can figure out how to factor for the fourth quarter being pass/fail. They can figure this out so everyone is treated fairly. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

I mean, you all didn’t think our kids were getting a leg up because of weighted gpa did you?

My junior has had an upward trend. She worked very hard during the first three quarters this year. She would like colleges to see that her upward trend was more than just one semester. What this means is that first semester senior year will be ever more important for current juniors and an ED application will not be a good choice.

I just emailed the BOE. I hadn’t thought about ED applications. Not sure if it will make a difference but you could email about that impact too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I care! (parent of a HS junior) and thanks for the heads up, OP, about the meeting tonight. I hope they make a pass the equivalent of an A.

+1 If MCPS is committed to Pass/Incomplete for 4th quarter than the most equitable policy is Pass= A, and Incomplete/No grade for non-pass. For students with a low GPA it will have minimally move their overall GPA and show upward trajectory and for students with a high GPA it will maintain their average GPA and honor their hard work in comparison to no letter grade and a Credit/Pass for the 2nd semester. This is the best option given MCPS's equity position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do.Not.Care.

And.Yet.You.Commented.

DP - but PP is allowed to have an opinion. Their opinion is it does not matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of current junior here. Parents of juniors very much do care about this topic. Yes, colleges understand the context of this semester. However, there are many colleges (esp large universities) that make decisions based on cumulative GPAs. And other colleges that especially look at upward trends. There are many juniors who will be hurt in the college admissions process if their third quarter grades are not shared with colleges, either by not being included on the transcript and/or not included in calculating the cumulative GPA.

All (competitive) colleges recalibrate the grades so that they are comparing apples to apples. So MCPS students with a weighted GPA (maybe ingflated a bit ...) are not treated more favorably than students from a school without weighted GPAs. I’m pretty sure they can figure out how to factor for the fourth quarter being pass/fail. They can figure this out so everyone is treated fairly. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

I mean, you all didn’t think our kids were getting a leg up because of weighted gpa did you?

My junior has had an upward trend. She worked very hard during the first three quarters this year. She would like colleges to see that her upward trend was more than just one semester. What this means is that first semester senior year will be ever more important for current juniors and an ED application will not be a good choice.

ED will still be a good choice if she has made up her mind and you can pay the tuition without aid. Chances of getting in are so much better.