Better to leave a fail for a pass/fail class on transcript, or get letter from therapist about how mental health issues

[Anonymous]

This is an important to learn for everyone. Keep fail on transcript. It’s time for your kid to learn consequences and how to navigate the real world - start empowering them now to be independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couch it as a good lesson to learn. Re-take the class.

So don't tell them about the mental health stuff? Just leave the fail on the transcript?

This is not a mental health issue, it is a "your son didn't double check" issue. Nope, nope, nope. Really tired of people blaming this sort of thing on mental health/executive functioning/blah blah blah. In the real world, your son won't be able to say "oh I had a mental health episode" and not get fired from his job for screwing up. Call it what it is OP, HE MESSED UP. He deserves to fail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UPDATE! Prof emailed back and said he'd take the day late essay with a 10pt penalty!

I told ds if he ever meets this prof on campus, he has to do something really nice for him.

And I'm praying that this finally smacked some time sense into ds. He's setting up a google calendar now.

Might be the best way this whole intro to college could have played out, honestly.

Thank you so much to everybody for the thoughtful suggestions, the advice was very much appreciated.

I’m glad for the happy outcome! Your son doesn’t need to do something really nice if he ever meets him - he should look up his office and pop in to say thank you at some point during the first semester. As well as replying with a thank you to the email now, of course. A simple in-person, “I just wanted to thank you again for accepting the late paper this summer. I really appreciate it” is nice to do. The professor will appreciate your son making the effort to find him and taking the time to come by (which might take a couple attempts - hopefully the prof posts his office hours on his door, or your son should ask). Doing some gesture might be overkill and awkward.

I'll share this with him, thanks. I guess I'm wondering if he'll be able to find him because it's such a huge campus, ha, but I'm going to tell him to look for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UPDATE! Prof emailed back and said he'd take the day late essay with a 10pt penalty!

I told ds if he ever meets this prof on campus, he has to do something really nice for him.

And I'm praying that this finally smacked some time sense into ds. He's setting up a google calendar now.

Might be the best way this whole intro to college could have played out, honestly.

Thank you so much to everybody for the thoughtful suggestions, the advice was very much appreciated.

Prof here - your son should send a thank you immediately for the professor's kindness and understanding. However, there is zero need for any type of gift - that would be really awkward.

What I do recommend is to have your son fill out the class evaluation at the end of the term (which usually only 5% of students bother to do) and say something good. Don't say the prof bent the rules, but if the prof is clear, organized, understanding, whatever, write that down. Those evaluations go to the department chair. They can also go to ratemyprof and give honest feedback - again, do not say the prof bent the rules, but say they are kind and helpful.

[Anonymous]

Good news, OP! Agreed there is no need for a gift - just a 'thank you' and a positive course evaluation.

Also, realize this is an exception that the professor did not have to make, and your son should not count on something similar ever happening again (again, always possible to ask, but no guarantees).

Glad your son is taking this to heart and setting up a calendar - sounds like this was a best-case scenario wake-up call for him!

[Anonymous]

The only nice thing your kid should do for the prof is to send a a thank you note next semester, the day before a major project is due, announcing that he already submitted the complete assignment early, because the professor's faith inspired him to take charge of his education.