What does an F do to college prospects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is flunking honors Algebra 2/Trig. Refuses to switch to an easier class, saying she really wants the challenge, even though she's failing it. Really freaked out when we suggested taking the question to her counselor.

We've hired her an excellent tutor, but it's early days and no difference is apparent yet.

If she flunks this class, what does that do to her college prospects? Does it mean, e.g., CC only?

Thanks.

My son got a C minus in a math class and a C in AP physics.

1420 SATs. 3.8 unweighted GPA. He’s a great, organic person.

He applied as a history major and was rejected by Cornell and Northwestern but got in with merit everywhere else. The only places where the bad grades might have mattered were probably out of reach anyway.

[Anonymous]

She either retakes the class in summer school or next year. Many of her friends are probably in Pre-Cal or Cal so doesn't want to drop down.

[Anonymous]

I had 2(!) Fs in college.
A bad semester, spiraled out.

I was able to re-take both classes. After it happened, this was the good advice I got, to re-take.

At that university, the F stays on the transcript. However, the overall gpa can be updated when the new grade is given. The new As completely replaced the Fs.

So it doesn’t get erased but it didn’t effect my passing classes for major, or my gpa.

Your student would need to go to the academic office to find out their policies. I was never put on probation, but I did go to the academic counseling office a couple of times with these questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had 2(!) Fs in college.
A bad semester, spiraled out.

I was able to re-take both classes. After it happened, this was the good advice I got, to re-take.

At that university, the F stays on the transcript. However, the overall gpa can be updated when the new grade is given. The new As completely replaced the Fs.

So it doesn’t get erased but it didn’t effect my passing classes for major, or my gpa.

Your student would need to go to the academic office to find out their policies. I was never put on probation, but I did go to the academic counseling office a couple of times with these questions.

Me again. For one class, the 2nd time around I chose a different professor, and a section with a greatly smaller # of students. What a different way of learning.

For both classes, I had a leg up that i knew the first 1/3 of material well. At that point in prior semesters, I couldn’t keep up due to my overall course load, and how difficult one class was made.

[Anonymous]

Oh shoot, I realize this is a high school discussion re: getting into college. Nvm my comments.

[Anonymous]

College prof here. This isn't actually about college at all. This is about a HS student who is currently lodged somewhere between unrealistic and self-punishing.

No student who is actively failing something "likes the challenge": she's insisting on staying in for some reason that maybe she doesn't even know.

It might be a sense of identity based on previous academic performance ("I'm not the kind of kid who fails," or "I'm not the kind of kid who quits"). It might be inflexible or entrenched old ideas about her future ("I've always wanted to be an engineer / a physicist / a computer scientist") and not knowing who she is if those ideas are changing, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. It might be embarrassment, even on the very simple level of not wanting to leave or disappoint a kind teacher. It might be sheer denial. It might be a sense of being overwhelmed or trapped because of not understanding what the alternatives would be or how they would work. It might be a consuming secret belief that she has already essentially failed and now needs to repay the cosmos by facing the proverbial music.

Whatever it is, the motivation needs to be addressed first. Then the alternatives to failing the course. Then the successes that her future will doubtless hold when she is back on track. Then the college applications. A bad grade, a bad semester, a bad year, a bad stretch - there are so, so many schools that are willing and able to look past that and welcome kids who are in the process of building a better record. Don't stress about the schools. Figure out the kid.

[Anonymous]

If the school lets you and she doesn’t want to drop the class, ask about auditing and then repeating next year. I suggest this to students who don’t have a good foundation, know they will likely repeat but don’t want to change classes. It takes a lot of maturity to still pay attention and try in a class they aren’t earning credit but it prevents tanking the GPA and the next year is much better. IF they paid attention and still tried the year they audited the class. -math teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is flunking honors Algebra 2/Trig. Refuses to switch to an easier class, saying she really wants the challenge, even though she's failing it. Really freaked out when we suggested taking the question to her counselor.

We've hired her an excellent tutor, but it's early days and no difference is apparent yet.

If she flunks this class, what does that do to her college prospects? Does it mean, e.g., CC only?

Thanks.

My son got a C minus in a math class and a C in AP physics.

1420 SATs. 3.8 unweighted GPA. He’s a great, organic person.

He applied as a history major and was rejected by Cornell and Northwestern but got in with merit everywhere else. The only places where the bad grades might have mattered were probably out of reach anyway.

I meant “organized” person. Much better proofreader than me.

[Anonymous]

Make her drop it or move down a level if possible. This should not be her decision. Tutor, tutor tutor over the summer to get her skills up and retake the class. An F on the transcript is bad- but as has been pointed out, if she is trying hard and meeting with the teacher she will probably end up with a C. She also needs to understand and learn this stuff moving forward so if you can afford it meet with a math specialist to see if she has some sort of math dyslexia (it exists.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make her drop it or move down a level if possible. This should not be her decision. Tutor, tutor tutor over the summer to get her skills up and retake the class. An F on the transcript is bad- but as has been pointed out, if she is trying hard and meeting with the teacher she will probably end up with a C. She also needs to understand and learn this stuff moving forward so if you can afford it meet with a math specialist to see if she has some sort of math dyslexia (it exists.)

Its commonly referred to as "dyscalculia"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College prof here. This isn't actually about college at all. This is about a HS student who is currently lodged somewhere between unrealistic and self-punishing.

No student who is actively failing something "likes the challenge": she's insisting on staying in for some reason that maybe she doesn't even know.

It might be a sense of identity based on previous academic performance ("I'm not the kind of kid who fails," or "I'm not the kind of kid who quits"). It might be inflexible or entrenched old ideas about her future ("I've always wanted to be an engineer / a physicist / a computer scientist") and not knowing who she is if those ideas are changing, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. It might be embarrassment, even on the very simple level of not wanting to leave or disappoint a kind teacher. It might be sheer denial. It might be a sense of being overwhelmed or trapped because of not understanding what the alternatives would be or how they would work. It might be a consuming secret belief that she has already essentially failed and now needs to repay the cosmos by facing the proverbial music.

Whatever it is, the motivation needs to be addressed first. Then the alternatives to failing the course. Then the successes that her future will doubtless hold when she is back on track. Then the college applications. A bad grade, a bad semester, a bad year, a bad stretch - there are so, so many schools that are willing and able to look past that and welcome kids who are in the process of building a better record. Don't stress about the schools. Figure out the kid.

This is such a thoughtful and encouraging response. I know you want to stay anonymous but I wish I knew where and what you teach. You have such rare insight and your compassion shines through. My son who earned a D in math freshman year needs to hear this. You are exactly the kind of professor that can bring out the best in students. Thank you for being you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make her drop it or move down a level if possible. This should not be her decision. Tutor, tutor tutor over the summer to get her skills up and retake the class. An F on the transcript is bad- but as has been pointed out, if she is trying hard and meeting with the teacher she will probably end up with a C. She also needs to understand and learn this stuff moving forward so if you can afford it meet with a math specialist to see if she has some sort of math dyslexia (it exists.)

Its commonly referred to as "dyscalculia"

My child is a high school sophomore and was only recently diagnosed with dyscalculia. There’s a lot we still don’t know about it because it’s not researched enough, but it explains so much about her learning profile and it helps to have a diagnosis (even if clear interventions are lacking). I too would encourage testing for any kids that really struggle with math. Dyscalculia rates are about the same as dyslexia (5-8%) but it is under-diagnosed and many math teachers haven’t even heard of it.

We are likely facing some very low math grades on the high school transcript so I appreciate this post as it is the reality some students face. She is otherwise very bright, artistic, and gifted in reading, writing, and languages.