Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this situation is not at all uncommon, especially with calc. Life happens, senioritis happens, less-talented calc teachers also sometimes happen.

Rescinding depends on the college, but most privates will be fine with a C. My oldest kid was admitted to a T30 private and got a D second semester calc (personal issues took over life at that point) and never even heard a peep from the college. One of my other kids got a D in second semester calc for failing to turn in any homework and got a letter from his T80 school about on campus help/resources; got a 5 on the exam and started in multivariable in college.

Once a college has admitted and enrolled a student, they really don't want to rescind. It's interesting, because had the same poor grade come prior to admission, it may have been much more significant.

Just try to get it up to a C and then there will be less to worry about. Highly selective schools may want an explanation for a D.

I thought colleges only see the overall grades on the transcript? Your kid likely got a grade better than D on the transcript? My understanding is that a D is considered not passing the class!

PP. You are correct that colleges only see grades on the transcript. I was referring to the final transcript that the college where the kid has enrolled receives in summer, usually by July.

In my area, D is passing. You still get the high school credit. This may be different in different areas, for example D does not provide A-G credit in California. However, for calculus, that's typically a fifth year of high school math and therefore even an F (no credit) would not impact meeting high school graduation requirements.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for your responses. Her narrative/intended major is not STEM necessarily; she's really undecided but has considered Econ or Biology.

I feel like a C is attainable, but there's likely no way she's able to get a B-. If admissions does inquire, there's no excuse othere than "it's hard!". Maybe they'll appreciate her honesty lol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just always keep up with the materials. Whenever she has questions, ask the teacher right away. It’s pretty difficult to get a C in high school, unless she doesn’t bother at all.

not at our high school. plenty of kids get Cs in Calc, and this is a test-in school where avg SAT is around 1500

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This may be an unpopular opinion, but if your child is currently getting an F I don’t think she’s trying her hardest.

Of course not. That’s not the point here.

The point is whether a C would be something that would require an explanation to the school
That already accepted her and whether a D might risk a recission of the offer.

The fact that OP’s kid is not “trying her hardest” is (a) not unusual for an otherwise high-achieving high school senior who has already been accepted to their first-choice college; and (b) a good fact, to the extent it means that with a little more effort she can get her final calc grade up to a C and move in with their life.

No judgment her re her less-than-perfect effort. These kids have worked so hard to get to this point. It’s natural for many to take their foot off the gas at the end of good luck, OP. Just get her to the finish line and she’ll be just fine.

Anonymous wrote:Just always keep up with the materials. Whenever she has questions, ask the teacher right away. It’s pretty difficult to get a C in high school, unless she doesn’t bother at all.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for your responses. Her narrative/intended major is not STEM necessarily; she's really undecided but has considered Econ or Biology.

I feel like a C is attainable, but there's likely no way she's able to get a B-. If admissions does inquire, there's no excuse othere than "it's hard!". Maybe they'll appreciate her honesty lol.

Anonymous wrote: Know someone who had to write an essay over the summer to their college to explain a C. The college asked for it. Was not rescinded but the college wanted an explanation/plan for future improvement.

Anonymous wrote:DD was accepted ED into a top SLAC. She’s thrilled but she’s also currently failing calculus. First quarter she pulled an A-, second quarter a C-,and she currently has an F. I don’t think there will be a fourth quarter grade since she’s doing a senior project.

Does anyone know any good on-line tutors that would be available to help land the plane? We don’t know of anyone local and unfortunately the teacher is not much help.

The main worry, of course, is being rescinded. Her other grades are good. What is the line for these top schools? Is a final grade of a C okay if everything else is up to par? She’s not recruited athlete or otherwise hooked. There is certainly some senioritis at play but she is trying, calculus is just not her cup of tea.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This may be an unpopular opinion, but if your child is currently getting an F I don’t think she’s trying her hardest.

Of course not. That’s not the point here.

The point is whether a C would be something that would require an explanation to the school
That already accepted her and whether a D might risk a recission of the offer.

The fact that OP’s kid is not “trying her hardest” is (a) not unusual for an otherwise high-achieving high school senior who has already been accepted to their first-choice college; and (b) a good fact, to the extent it means that with a little more effort she can get her final calc grade up to a C and move in with their life.

No judgment her re her less-than-perfect effort. These kids have worked so hard to get to this point. It’s natural for many to take their foot off the gas at the end of good luck, OP. Just get her to the finish line and she’ll be just fine.

Anonymous wrote:This may be an unpopular opinion, but if your child is currently getting an F I don’t think she’s trying her hardest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not let difficulty with AP calc impact deciding on an econ major. Yes, calc is important for econometrics, but truly, (1) experiences with calc in high school do not necessarily spell doom for calc in college and (2) one can take econometrics in college even with weak calc foundation and go on to do something else with their econ degree. Just because quant stuff and phD candidates need calc doesn't mean every econ major everywhere is doomed without loving, and excelling at, calc.

She should continue to work at learning calc with a tutor. She'll get her major figured out in college. There is no reason to decide that right now.

PP. I think it's wise to take multivariable before econometrics. I suspect it would help firm up that knowledge nicely. Even if she hates calc (as many people do), it's just an extra semester. Worth it.

One step at a time.

Get her grade up to a C in high school
Calc.

Then, if she’s still considering an Econ major in college, take a semester or two of it during first year of college to see what she thinks.

And maybe at the same time, retake first semester Calc at college and see how it goes.

After that, if she’s still considering Econ, take second semester Calc, and again, see how it goes.

That should take her to a year from now, at the earliest - which is the time to start considering sophomore year classes. If Econ is still a potential major, that’s the time for her to dig deeper the curriculum at her particular school and get advice from professors and older students about econometrics and MV calc etc.

Truly NO NEED for OP or their kid to be worried about any of this now. Just focus on the rest of this quarter of HS and get that calc grade up to a C.

One step at a time … no borrowing problems from the future ….

And who is going to PAY for this - semester after semester of see what she thinks, see how it goes, and again see how it goes approach?