Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 10:40     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:Some schools have ‘forgiveness’ and some allow ‘withdraws’ very very late in the semester, too.

I found that to be the case in the elite schools. They don't want to hurt the overall GPA of their student body and the prestige.

In the large public schools, you have to take the F, though you can retake the class. There's no hand holding.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:29     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:Thanks all for your advice. He wasn’t functioning and failed to turn in assignments, and he wasn’t aware of his mental health issue until he had a breakdown and was admitted in hospital. He is taking time off from school now, getting treatment and volunteering in animal shelters, both have been going very well, but I know he worries about his GPA as he is aiming for vet school. Normally he would approach his dean and discuss his options, but mentally he’s not ready yet. Hence I am asking here to get some info before I talk to the dean on his behalf. I’ll support him for any career decisions but honestly I’d hate to see him give up on his dream.


Pp at 9:23 here.

My F’s were related to mental health issues. I put that into my explanation in my personal statement. You can come back from it if you can show at least a year of As after recovery. Like I said before—all is not lost. He can still realize his dream of becoming a vet.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:28     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:Thanks all for your advice. He wasn’t functioning and failed to turn in assignments, and he wasn’t aware of his mental health issue until he had a breakdown and was admitted in hospital. He is taking time off from school now, getting treatment and volunteering in animal shelters, both have been going very well, but I know he worries about his GPA as he is aiming for vet school. Normally he would approach his dean and discuss his options, but mentally he’s not ready yet. Hence I am asking here to get some info before I talk to the dean on his behalf. I’ll support him for any career decisions but honestly I’d hate to see him give up on his dream.


Sounds like you and he are doing all the right things! One F which he will retake will not mean he can’t go to vet school. He will just need to eventually and comment on it in his application.

The most important thing is to take the time he needs to recover and when he starts back do so cautiously, with a manageable workload and hooked up with the help he needs. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:23     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:DC failed an elective course at a prestigious college. What are his options to recover his GPA?

He wants to be a vet. With an F on his transcript, is that still possible?


I had more than one F at a not-prestigious undergrad and attended a tier 1 law school.

I actually dropped out, then went back a few years later. I made sure that every single grade going forward was an A, and I got 95th percentile on the lsat (which you can’t really prepare your way into — I just happen to be super analytical). And I addressed the low grades and how I brought them up in my essay.

Good luck. All is not lost.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:19     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
You empathize with your kid and assure them that it literally is not the end of the world. Life works out. Just keep moving forward. Tell them you love them and are not worried. It will be alright.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:18     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Thanks all for your advice. He wasn’t functioning and failed to turn in assignments, and he wasn’t aware of his mental health issue until he had a breakdown and was admitted in hospital. He is taking time off from school now, getting treatment and volunteering in animal shelters, both have been going very well, but I know he worries about his GPA as he is aiming for vet school. Normally he would approach his dean and discuss his options, but mentally he’s not ready yet. Hence I am asking here to get some info before I talk to the dean on his behalf. I’ll support him for any career decisions but honestly I’d hate to see him give up on his dream.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:18     Subject: !
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:“Prestigious” college just don’t give out F’s. Gotta try real hard not to pass.


Not true. OP: My kid failed a class at a "prestigious" school as well. It was far more stressful than I anticipated, as it this school, it means automatic probation, so he had to get better than a 2.0 the next semester. Of course, that had never been a problem, but when that stress is on top of you now, it just feels awful. At his school, the only option is to retake, then they average the two grades together into the GPA. Though the F always shows on the transcript. I hate to say it, but it's following him into his job search as he approaches graduation. I have no advice for you, only commiseration. Sorry!



This is true at most colleges, not just "prestigious" ones.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:14     Subject: !
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:“Prestigious” college just don’t give out F’s. Gotta try real hard not to pass.


Not true. OP: My kid failed a class at a "prestigious" school as well. It was far more stressful than I anticipated, as it this school, it means automatic probation, so he had to get better than a 2.0 the next semester. Of course, that had never been a problem, but when that stress is on top of you now, it just feels awful. At his school, the only option is to retake, then they average the two grades together into the GPA. Though the F always shows on the transcript. I hate to say it, but it's following him into his job search as he approaches graduation. I have no advice for you, only commiseration. Sorry!



Wow… now that’s really hard to do.

Np
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 09:10     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:Use of AI or online resources is a common way to get a zero in programming classes today. Did your child get honor coded? I’m sorry he got beaten up and hope he bounces back.

My kid’s at UMich and some of the math, med weed out, and CS classes give out very low grades.

Where did OP say it was a programming class?
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:28     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Anonymous wrote:“Prestigious” college just don’t give out F’s. Gotta try real hard not to pass.


Tell me you didn’t go to Cornell without telling me you didn’t go to Cornell.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:25     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
My child failed a math class during his freshman year. What to do? Well, nothing.

They are adults and in charge of whether they complete college. We decided that he would pay us back for the credits since he is on merit scholarship which was at risk because of the grade. He retook the class and his transcript reflected the new grade.
At some point, whether he graduates with a 4.0 or a 2.0, it’s on him.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:22     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
My worry would be it was actually depression not just poor study skills or whatever because generally the date to with draw is quite late.

The times I’m familiar with a kid getting an actual F (rather than a W) on a transcript are when they essentially not functioning/reading emails and didn’t even have the wherewithal to fill out the withdraw form online. (Not meaning to criticize kids in that state, it’s a terrible way to feel!)

Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:18     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Use of AI or online resources is a common way to get a zero in programming classes today. Did your child get honor coded? I’m sorry he got beaten up and hope he bounces back.

My kid’s at UMich and some of the math, med weed out, and CS classes give out very low grades.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:12     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
What to do? Clearly, the only answer is to cut him out of your will for bringing such shame to your family name.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 08:08     Subject: DS failed a college class, what to do?
Have a heart-to-heart with your kid and try to figure out where the problem may lie. I truly hope it’s not an issue involving mental illness. It could just be a study skills/time management issue or a less-optimal judgment about course selection. Main thing is to address the issue when it’s still manageable and not let what’s hopefully a small issue spiral out of control. Good luck!