Agonizing over 1st quarter grades! HELP!

JustaMom5465 · November 2007

DD has applied ED to a top-tier school...not HYPS, but pretty selective. She's applying to School of Engineering. She's got great stats, top 15%, almost straight A's Jr year, SAT 800CR/660MA/730W, good EC's, stellar recommendations, etc, etc. Very difficult Sr year schedule including AP Eng & Comp, AP Calc, AP Biology, and Honors Physics.

1st quarter grades came, she's got Eng B+, AP Calc A, Physics B-, AP Bio B-, Band A. She panicked right away. I called GC to see if school required 1st quarter grades. They do NOT. So I figured we were all set - just don't send them, work hard in 2nd qtr, everythings good. Now GC is asking DD if she's sure that she doesn't want to fax them to the school. GC can't really give me a good reason WHY they should be sent, except "We usually send them". She is right in that AP English and AP Calc will strengthen her cause, but DD is worried about Bio & Physics. GC has written a very nice letter pointing out the strength of schedule and good work habits that would accompany the report card. Even offered to follow up with a phone call to admissions rep. I've spoken to GC about this and can't really figure out if it's the right thing to do, or not. I told GC I would speak to DD and let her know today. DD stopped in her office today to tell her not to send them and got more pressure to send.

Any opinions on this? What would you all do? Help!

qswerier43 · November 2007

hmm..usually, official transcript should just show As or Bs (instead of A+s and such). you should contact the speicific college, and ask abt what's their preference. just try to make up a question or just straightforwardly ask an admission officer abt how would they look at the fact abt having couple of Bs in senior year!
will the transcript show what courses the student is signed up for all through the senior year? It's important that you contact the particular college.

1ofeach · November 2007

Don't send them- especially for school of engineering.

bethievt · November 2007

I don't see why you should send them now. There will be plenty of time for admissions to see the semester grades and there's a chance they'll improve.

uml1958 · November 2007

In our school, they don't send the first quarter grades to ED colleges unless you sign a form.

chocoholic · November 2007

Don't send the first quarter grades. Wait until midterm grades are out, that is what most schools ask for anyway, and she will have a chance to pull her grades up.

I actually would think that ED schools would want 1st quarter grades, since their decisions are out before midterm grades. But since they don't ask, don't tell.

scutler · November 2007

i wouldn't send them either... but would an ad officer be suspicious that the grades are worse than they actually are if they aren't sent?

bethievt · November 2007

Our HS didn't send quarter grades. I can't think why a college would want them. Only semester grades go on the transcript.

JustaMom5465 · November 2007

I was sort of afraid of sending bad messages by not sending them, either - and asked GC about it directly. She indicated that no, it wouldn't be sending a message by not sending them....which is why I'm so confused! I can't for the life of me think of why she would want to send them, unless the school asked directly. In fact, she even phoned the Office of Adm last week, when I first asked about it, and they orally said No, they didn't need them! But who am I but a lowly parent. She is the **all-knowing** GC. Good thing for CC.

sybbie719 · November 2007

I think this is going to be an interesting year for ED because sone of the top schools know that there are students who are holding out for RD (Harvard/princeton) and to see how SCEA (stanford/Yale) are going to shake out.

If the school is on the fence about accepting your D early they will contact the school and ask for the transcript. Some schools may end up asking for first quarter/marking period grades because they will help to get a fuller picture of the student or to "thin" out the pool.

JustaMom5465 · November 2007

Sybbie - ABSOLUTELY! If the school asked I would of course want the GC to send, and politely ask that she attach the nice letter that she wrote. I'm just trying to figure out if it would help or hurt to voluntarily send 1Q grades. GC can't really give a good reason to send; just keeps saying "We usually do...." and "The more information, the better...." etc.

qswerier43 · November 2007

Personally, I feel it may possibly hurt if u send it now. Send the Semester Grade (if of course, things improve…and usually it should). Anyway, if ur D had all As junior year…..it’d look bad to see around 50% B. So, don’t.

momrath · November 2007

This is clearly a situation for "don't ask, don't tell." If the ED college asked for the grades, you have to choice but to send them. If they didn't ask, then tell your counselor to hang fire here.

In two weeks your daughter will know whether she's in or not. Some ED schools ask for 1st semester grades; some ask for the final senior year transcript. If she's accepted ED, they won't rescind for a few B's. If she's deferred or denied, then her 1st term senior grades will be a factor; hopefully she'll recoup over the next few weeks after this early warning.

Someone I'm very close to

also had a miserable Fall semester senior year, coming on the heels of a splendid junior year. He was accepted ED so never had to reveal those 1st term senior grades.

He seems to have forgotten to send his final transcript to his ED school. It must not have mattered as he now has a college diploma!

Good luck and let us know how she does.

woody · November 2007

Heed Momrath's advice!!

cookiemom · November 2007

I but a lowly parent. She is the **all-knowing** GC.

If you hung around cc more you'd know that many GC's are morons. Watch "Orange County" if you want to see a great portrayal of a guidance counselor played by Lily Tomlin.

JustaMom5465 · November 2007

I knew I could count on you all! In my heart of hearts I was not comfortable with having them sent. 1st quarter was fraught with absences due to final college visits, etc - and so far 2Q is much better! It's not like the 1Q marks are bad enough to have a decision rescinded....but at this point in time, you want to the cast the BEST light possible.

She is not even DD's real GC - the real one is out on maternity leave....

Wneckid99 · November 2007

why dont you just tell us where shes applied its not a big deal?

JustaMom5465 · November 2007

She's applied to Bucknell Univ. - and is on pins and needles waiting for the ED letter to come!!!!!!!!!

bethievt · November 2007

Having a few B's is not miserable; it is fine, but no reason to send in now unless they ask. If the grades go higher, great. If they don't you are going to have to send them in anyway. They are fine.

And I know how hard it is to wait.

cookiemom · November 2007

Actually my D has a very good guidance counselor. She spoke privately with each of the seniors that had applied early somewhere and asked if they wanted their first quarter grades sent.

cptofthehouse · November 2007

Given your info, I would not want my child's scores sent. I'd leave it at that. If she gets into Bucknell ED that would end the issue right there. If she does not get into Bucknell ED, you D can prepare a case with additional info,including the semester grades, which hopefully will go up, to get in RD. I would also visit the school and let them know they are still first choice at that time, and ask what could be done to enhance her chances. Also would get GC to ask where the weaknesses are in her package and suggestions of what the school would like to see her do.

My opinion,only, but I don't think her math scores are going to wow the engineering department. If she does not get in but loves the school, a change in major in her case just might work. As a female, she may get a boost but engineers typically do get higher scores than that in math. Also is the calc AB or BC? That would make a difference.

Agonizing over 1st quarter grades! HELP!

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