For context, I’m an upcoming First year, I graduated highschool early in December with a 4.3 gpa, I’m in the top 2% of my class, and have done research and many other extracurriculars. In my last class I received one F from an A-G elective (it was a digital art class) due to some “special” circumstances. My counselor said not to worry about it but I keep reading from other sources that my application will be revoked.
I don’t have many options because: 1. I graduated, meaning I can’t retake the class.
2. I don’t want to take it in community college this semester because that would consider me a transfer student. I already sent my UC application in November.
3. My counselor asked the substitute (yes I didn’t have a real teacher all year) to consider a grade change and they weren’t so happy about the idea. They were my sub for two months, didn’t want to help me sadly.
And now I’m stuck… I have no idea what to do next or how to make up for the grade. Mind you I had a A first semester and then a F second semester. Because I had 3 different Subs none had access to grades so I was in the dark until Report cards came out.
I’m sorry if this thread is long, but I have another thing that’s bothering me. Should I report to all the UC campuses I applied to? About my F? I don’t want to shoot my self in the foot here, but I don’t see what else can do. I’m scared of what might happen after.
That’s the kind of thing that needs to be changed. Can you talk to the administration at your school? Explain what happened and ask for assistance. Tell them that you do not want the fact that you had a sub (and not a real teacher) to affect your future, and you’re sure they don’t want that either. If possible, have your parent(s) with you when you have this conversation. I am so sorry–this has to be really stressful for you.
After you apply | UC Admissions does say to notify the campuses you applied to if you earn lower than a C grade in a course that was not completed when you applied.
your point #2 is incorrect. Taking 1 class at a community college will not make you a transfer.
If this is one of the required a-g courses that fulfills teh a-g requirement, and not an additional a-g course, you had better try to get it fixed pronto. As ucb notes above, you are required to notify UC that you failed a required a-g course. Regardless of the circumstance, you will need to make it up before admission. Otherwise, you are technically ineligible for UC (if this class was the one that fulfilled the requirement).
While your counselor is trying to fix this, start calling around to community colleges (or even Cal States) to see if you can enroll in a similar class.
If you do not get this issue resolved to your satisfaction, you will still need to contact the UC’s before they receive your final transcript since they do not like surprises. Make sure you keep all documentation you have sent and received back in case you need to appeal.
No, I have already completed my A-G requirements without that digital art class. I took it because I needed a 3rd period. And thank you for the correction. So just to be clear, if I do decide retake that class in community college I won’t be a transfer student?
Your parents need to raise hell with the school. No student should be blindsided by a failing grade. If you are at risk of failing a class, then the teacher/school should have let you know. If this is an elective - not required for graduation 1. ask for it to be removed, or 2. ask for an independent study/assignment to bring it up to a passing grade. In the meantime, you should let your AO know what is going on. It would be helpful if the school would provide a letter confirming what happened.
One hundred percent agree it’s past time for parents to jump in and get this resolved. In general I think high school seniors need to advocate for themselves. But it is beyond ridiculous that you were blindsided with an F after receiving an A the first semester. And I am doubly flabbergasted (is that a thing?!) that this would be dropped on a graduating senior AFTER graduation without any intervention from the school. This could mess up your college acceptance (probably/hopefully won’t, but it could) and there is no reason an F should happen by surprise. IMO this situation requires your parents immediate attention and full support. I’m sorry you are going through this. Good luck.
I would appeal to the School Committee if you can not get it settled with the GC and principal. If the grade is anything lower than an A (your grade before all of the subs), it should just be recorded as a P (pass).
This sounds like a time for you and your parents to meet with administration to appeal this. Not having access to grades is not okay, nor is a sub turning down the counselor. The grade can still be changed. They could even allow you to do work (on the down low) and change it even though you graduated.
Edited to add, I had to do this for my student. A teacher was not following the 504 which increased anxiety and lowered performance. Student was allowed to do work to make up missed opportunity and to earn the A they would have had in fair circumstances. (And, this wasn’t even an F.)
Your grade can be changed. I’ve intervened for several students when my students had subs or mix ups and were failed.
The way we fixed it was I had Dad and Mom make an appointment with the Principal to go in. The administration and teachers always dealt with Mom. I had Dad agree to go in. In each case, the Principal investigated each grade.
In one instance, the kid had a pile of homework, that he never turned in, and it turns out it was in the classroom! It was in his box. He just never bothered to have it graded! He received an F! He did get into UCSD but the key was that the grade was changed when both parents brought in digital copies of rough drafts.
Teachers don’t want to be bullies; that’s opposite of why they become teachers. They don’t want to adversely impact the student.
If it’s because you misunderstood the assignments, then it should have been clarified by the teacher. Whatever the syllabus has, is what you follow. Any adverse grade needs to be reported to you before the end of the quarter so that the teacher can get the right help to you. Teachers want you to be successful! They’ll work with you.
I am wondering what caused the F. Did the special circumstances involve cheating? Some kind of criminal activity? It’s hard to believe that a sub, or any teacher, would just hand out an F for no reason.
I’m not accusing you of anything, btw. But if you were to blame for the F, a different approach is needed than just asking for a grade change. You’ve graduated but your high school should still be able to discuss this issue with you. It’s in their interest too to have you go to college.
So who assigned the grade? The last sub you had? Was she using grades given to you by the previous subs? And is that what you mean by “special circumstances”? Have you been given any explanation as to how the grade was calculated and what it was based on? Is it an issue of missing work or low quality work or something else?
Sorry if it’s confusing. My “special” circumstances I was referring was having the 3 subs, I didn’t say this because I thought it wasn’t important but my real teacher quit the second day of school, and of course not having access to grades only for that class. I did have personal things happening in the background but I didn’t let that stop me from getting As and Bs from my other 3 classes. Also how does one cheat in digital art class? I never took a test, code, followed a curriculum or syllabus because there wasn’t any. I just did some assignments given by the last sub. The other two subs had no work prepared for students. And thank you for reminding me, I will talk to my counselor again.
Agree with this. I can’t imagine a world in which a child is failed as a graduating senior in an ART ELECTIVE. Unless there is more to the story (not saying there is) I, as a parent, would be insisting on a meeting with principal and guidance counselor yesterday. I appreciate that you are trying to self-advocate but this is unacceptable. Assuming you did any work that was asked of you, and F is so strange. Please please have an adult teach out to admin asap
She? Who said the sub was a she? Just kidding, no you’re probably right. But that’s not what I’m asking for. I want advice to where I go from here. Honestly I’m thinking to contact a UC counselor and see what they tell me.