Freshman High School Grades

[Anonymous]

Although the entire transcript is reviewed by colleges, just how important are freshman grades in the greater scheme of things?

[Anonymous]

Depends on the trend and the reason. My DD had almost all Cs freshman year but had moved to all As and Bs in 11th and 12th grade after getting accommodations. The college counselor detailed the trend in her report, and calculated a GPA with and without 9th grade. Worked for some colleges she applied to, not all.

[Anonymous]

Great grades are great if you keep them up. Low grades definitely need to be explained away (depending on the selectivity of the college).

[Anonymous]

Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

It tells you something about course selection for next year. You want to maximize where DC is on the bell curve. Maybe he/she can't handle the level they are in in each subject when taken as a whole.

You haven't said if you are public or private. A C semester grade should prompt a change in vigor for that subject for next year. A majority of B's means some tweaking may be necessary.

If this is private, I wouldn't know how to advise. Above is to maximize GPA. Only you know if the love of learning needs to override managing the GPA.

[Anonymous]

They count in the cumulative GPA. They count.

[Anonymous]

DC has decided for the upcoming junior year to only take (and will get) AP math, AP science, and AP language and presently taking honors math and chemistry. Those are DC's mastered subjects. DC will only take regular english and history because DC would rather have an A or B+ than a B- or C in an honors course in english or history.

I'm fine with that and makes sense. DC has almost 25 schools on the interested college list. I'm sure at least one of those schools will overlook that DC didn't take honors english and history

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has decided for the upcoming junior year to only take (and will get) AP math, AP science, and AP language and presently taking honors math and chemistry. Those are DC's mastered subjects. DC will only take regular english and history because DC would rather have an A or B+ than a B- or C in an honors course in english or history.

I'm fine with that and makes sense. DC has almost 25 schools on the interested college list. I'm sure at least one of those schools will overlook that DC didn't take honors english and history

Do you want your DC to get acceptance to college or to finish college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

I'm just curious, how rough is "rough"? Any Cs, or just lots of Bs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has decided for the upcoming junior year to only take (and will get) AP math, AP science, and AP language and presently taking honors math and chemistry. Those are DC's mastered subjects. DC will only take regular english and history because DC would rather have an A or B+ than a B- or C in an honors course in english or history.

I'm fine with that and makes sense. DC has almost 25 schools on the interested college list. I'm sure at least one of those schools will overlook that DC didn't take honors english and history

Do you want your DC to get acceptance to college or to finish college?

Oh, please. What a nonsense comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

I'm just curious, how rough is "rough"? Any Cs, or just lots of Bs?

I'm pretty sure each one had at least one C (trying to remember here as I can't find transcripts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

I'm just curious, how rough is "rough"? Any Cs, or just lots of Bs?

I'm pretty sure each one had at least one C (trying to remember here as I can't find transcripts).

Thanks! Interesting. I'm pretty sure I know the "USNWR top 5" in question because we've had this conversation before about your two kids and my older kid who is there now. I like to think that particular school is more interested in kids' recommendations and accomplishments vs. going strictly by the stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has decided for the upcoming junior year to only take (and will get) AP math, AP science, and AP language and presently taking honors math and chemistry. Those are DC's mastered subjects. DC will only take regular english and history because DC would rather have an A or B+ than a B- or C in an honors course in english or history.

I'm fine with that and makes sense. DC has almost 25 schools on the interested college list. I'm sure at least one of those schools will overlook that DC didn't take honors english and history

Do you want your DC to get acceptance to college or to finish college?

Oh, please. What a nonsense comment.

I agree. Complete nonsense. No point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

I'm just curious, how rough is "rough"? Any Cs, or just lots of Bs?

I'm pretty sure each one had at least one C (trying to remember here as I can't find transcripts).

Thanks! Interesting. I'm pretty sure I know the "USNWR top 5" in question because we've had this conversation before about your two kids and my older kid who is there now. I like to think that particular school is more interested in kids' recommendations and accomplishments vs. going strictly by the stats.

Ah, yes, I think our paths have crossed, and I tend to think that, yes, the school our kids attend takes a wholistic approach to admissions ('tho I think this is true of many highly-ranked schools simply because they get so many well-qualified applicants). So, are you also the OP here? ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both our sons had a rough start in high school, followed by a very strong upward trend (mostly A's in the most challenging courses the school offers). Both are at a very highly-selective university (US News top 5). Great recommendations helped a lot, IMHO.

I'm just curious, how rough is "rough"? Any Cs, or just lots of Bs?

I'm pretty sure each one had at least one C (trying to remember here as I can't find transcripts).

Thanks! Interesting. I'm pretty sure I know the "USNWR top 5" in question because we've had this conversation before about your two kids and my older kid who is there now. I like to think that particular school is more interested in kids' recommendations and accomplishments vs. going strictly by the stats.

Ah, yes, I think our paths have crossed, and I tend to think that, yes, the school our kids attend takes a wholistic approach to admissions ('tho I think this is true of many highly-ranked schools simply because they get so many well-qualified applicants). So, are you also the OP here? ?

No, I'm not OP. My only post has been to ask what "rough" means to you, mainly because I already suspected I knew the school, and because DC#2 is newly interested in this school. Or DC#2 likes the location, or something. DC#2 has been much less focused on academics and has a number of Bs from the start of high school, although no Cs (yet, fingers crossed). Well, presumably the admissions folks will make a decision about whether DC#2 is a good fit.