<p>Classof2015- You know your D better than anyone else, so I am sure that you will do what is best. I agree that paying private school tuition and coming home with an F seems like a waste of money, especially if the reason was do to partying and not necessarily lack of really trying to bring up the grade.</p>
<p>Boy is home watching frosty with his sisters, took dd3 out to paint pottery (my surprise xmas gift). I forgot about the home cooked meal too, but whipped out some pasta for tonight. I’m going to have to stock up and get thinking about food because he does eat.</p>
<p>Classof2015 - hugs to you, in my ds’ classes, there are no posted grades in one and curves in almost all. Maybe that is why struggling wasn’t so clear to failing? Ds has a D exam avg. in one that pulled up to a B+ with the curve. Not sure how he could have been able to discern that he would have a good grade in the end given the raw grades and absolutely no indication of where the curve would put them.</p>
<p>anyone else’s kid living on an entirely different schedule than the rest of the family? Mine has been going to bed at 4am and getting up at 2pm!</p>
<p>mathmomvt - My oldest son is working a third shift job with mandatory overtime - 7pm to 5 am. He gets home around 6 or so and sleeps until late in the afternoon. It’s weird.</p>
<p>Idinct, Have you thought of having your MIL stay at a nearby hotel via Priceline? We put my parents up at a Springhill Suites last year for just $50 a night. They liked it and we didn’t feel quite so squished.</p>
<p>Classof2015, Ugh! Good luck with whatever whip cracking you do!</p>
<p>Everyone is home now. Yay!</p>
<p>Classof2015 - Ugh - hugs to you…good luck.</p>
<p>mathmomvt - Yes! I know what you mean. D has been home for a few days now and is adjusting back to “family” time…the first couple of days - up till 3:00AM, sleep till noon…</p>
<p>Enjoy your time with your kids!</p>
<p>amandakayak…I’m hoping for a curve or something for my S. He has an F avg for his exams in one class, but a 90 for the papers and 80something for HW assignments. Somehow on Moodle (some web based class system) it shows he has a 75. Since she counts participation, hw, attendance, exams, papers all for diff amounts I have no idea if moodle is his real grade or if it is just averaging the 3 categories she posted grades in. Maybe she only uses those 3 sets of grades and not all the categories on her syllabus. I’m hopeful it’s a C since he had a C- at midterm grades and his exam grade is still the same (F avg!) and he has more HW grades I think.He didn’t miss more than one or two classes, but said she didn’t take attendance anyway Not sure if the 3rd paper is blank because he didn’t do it, she didn’t grade it, or it was never assigned. He seems to think he did really bad. I am hopeful he gets a C but something passing will have to do. Luckily he transferred and these grades won’t go with him to the new school. (January transfer!) Also hoping he learned that he does need to study. He did do better in Sociology than he expected, said he must have done good on the exam. And to think a C is better than he thought. Comp 1 should be A or B.</p>
<p>mathmomvt…mine does that, though not so much this break as some of his friends are just getting home (he got home Tues) and some have jobs. Before he left for school he often was in bed till 1 or 2. During fall break he did it, but he was just loving his bed…full size instead of twin!</p>
<p>I sure hope spring grades are better. I hope that being happy at his new school instead of miserable at his old one will help. Old one too small and boring. New one much larger with better food and rec facilities, and also close to home so he can still see old friends. I know he will be happy, but hope not tooo happy. Hoping he realizes that he has to do more work and that “too late” comes too soon. He did say that his attendance was good at his 2 bad classes because he knew he was doing badly and had to go. He dropped Spanish–part of the reason he transferred was language requirement. Only 4 classes because they were 4 credits each.</p>
<p>Sort of wish he was going to live at home so I could helicopter about and have an idea how it’s going and it he’s doing the work…but gotta let him go sometime. I helicoptered the first one too much and he still asks me (junior) to go over his papers and stuff. I guess if he was away he’d ask the other kids…I’m just so happy he got the transfer, he is so much happier, but that might be because classes are over for now!</p>
<p>ShawD is home and is her usual infectiously joyous self. She took her math final yesterday and said it was incredibly hard. Her study partner, who she thinks is a genius, found it very difficult as well, so she thinks (hopes) she did better than most of the kids and that they curve the exam.</p>
<p>mathmomvt, ShawSon was on a very late to bed schedule at college for his first two years, but at exam time will go for days with minimal to no sleep. When he gets home, 2 pm would be an early for him to wake up. I spoke to him this morning and he says that he has 3 finals and a paper (just recently assigned) remaining. He will finish revising the paper after the last exams and I’d guess he’ll go close to three days without sleep. I asked him whether he was driving home the day the paper was due, and he said that he might be so tired it would be dangerous to drive so he might come home the next day.</p>
<p>Shaw, glad your son is smart enough not to drive on such a minimal amount of sleep! </p>
<p>ClassOf2015, ugh! would definitely look at this as a learning opportunity. Will the school put her on academic probation or make her take a study skills class or anything? If not, suggest that you strongly suggest she take a study skills and/or time management class. Hopefully the F will be a wake-up call and spring her into action!</p>
<p>DS doesn’t have all his grades yet, but looks like they will be good (As and Bs). But I still strongly urged him to take a study skills class next semester. I know they offer them all the time. He said he didn’t take any fall semester because he thought they were for people who never learned to study in HS because it wasn’t really challenging for them. “Oh yeah, I guess that’s kind of me” duh. He thought he “studied” in HS but he never had to <em>really</em> study for an exam the way he has to now. I think just about every kid can benefit from such a class, and probably every college offers them.</p>
<p>ldinct: I think the hotel is a great idea. She would surely be more comfortable since you’ve downsized and wouldn’t have a room for her. Plus, it would give you some time without her. 
Hope you can find something affordable. Kathiep’s suggestion (Priceline) was a good one!</p>
<p>Classof2015: Ugh! At least it’s an early warning and she’ll know what she has to do to remain at her expensive school. I agree with Amandak that it can be hard for the kids to know exactly where they stand in the class when a curve is involved. In any case, her A- shows that she’s capable – maybe this will push her to put forth the effort in all her classes. You know her…follow your instincts in determining how to approach this. Good luck!</p>
<p>Amandak: How sweet that your son is hanging with the sisters! </p>
<p>No college kids home at my house yet. S2 will be home on Monday; S1 on Tuesday. S2 has his last final on Sunday night and said that the campus was feeling pretty empty. His is the last final and he’ll leave for his flight just as the dorms are closing. I think it might be pretty lonely tomorrow night. He said his friends will have all headed home by tomorrow. :(</p>
<p>Idinct: I agree that a hotel sounds sounds like the best solution. Try to enjoy the time with your kids and not let this situation get to you too much.</p>
<p>Classof2015: I don’t know what I’d do in your shoes. Hopefully this was a learning experience that will not be repeated. </p>
<p>NJfootballmom: I’m glad to hear that your son’s transfer worked out. Good luck to him at his new school.</p>
<p>Ohiomom: My D2 has a final the last day also and will fly home Wednesday night. Some of her friends in the dorm are staying until Thursday, but they will be finished with finals a few days earlier. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than being alone. Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>D1 has finished her thesis after a year of research and writing. We pick her up today. It’s wierd to know that this is her last winter break. Next winter she’ll be working and will probably only have a few days off.</p>
<p>Woke up this mornin to S '16 having gotten ill during the night. That will change the plans for the day! He is asleep on the couch now and doesn’t seem to want to do much in terms of Christmas preperations or celebrations.</p>
<p>D took her last final yesterday but doesn’t board her plane until Wednesday. Her last final was intially scheduled for this next Tuesday, then it got changed after the ticket was purchased. It is allowing her to work a few extra shifts at her job, which is OK with me because there is no other job lined up for home during break. </p>
<p>The grades that have come in have been A’s and B’s. The one grade that hasn’t come in yet is the final she took last Tuesday and she is really worried about it. I doubt it will be lower than a C. She had a B- going into the final so there is a chance it is a B.</p>
<p>Well, the 2nd pot of coffee is on, go ahead and grab a cup.</p>
<p>collegeshopping - Thank you for posting the Martina McBride song and link. (P. 363 - post #5438). It is very appropriate and very much appreciated. I have shared it with my wife and of course it brought on the tears for both of us but they were good tears and good hugs. And thanks to everyone who has posted their well wishes, words of encouragement and prayers of support. Your virtual support is wonderful and very much appreciated! I will keep the group posted as to the progress and success of the surgery this week.</p>
<p>S boarded his flight about a half hour ago and is getting picked up by his GF so that saves me a trip to the airport this morning! I am at my office getting caught up from Friday when we were closed a half day for our annual holiday luncheon. I am also trying to work ahead as I will be out most of this week for AvonMom’s surgery and initial recovery.</p>
<p>We don’t know about grades yet but S seemed reasonably confident. My guess is mostly B’s with one or two possible A’s and one possible C (Spanish). We should know in a week or so. We usually grocery shop on Monday but AvonMom made an early run this morning as we know the first thing S will do after he dumps his dirty laundry bag and suitcase is head for the frig looking for lunch! He expressed how happy he is to have this first semester behind him (other than receiving his grades). He is looking forward to his 2nd semester classes and is talking about trying for an Congressional office internship next year. Looks like he is really getting into government and political science and may end up majoring in it as well.</p>
<p>That is very exciting! I could imagine how a kid in DC would naturally be drawn to that city’s particular opportunities. Why not?? My kid near NYC is certainly taking full advantage of what it offers in her area of interest! It’s a special bonus.</p>
<p>Ha ha! So’s my kid, Emmybet! She finished her finals on Wednesday, saw a show on Thursday, saw a concert on Friday, went to the Yule Ball in Brooklyn (Harry Potter wizard rock event) on Saturday with a friend from high school who slept over until today. She’s coming home tomorrow. </p>
<p>She very upset that her final grade is a c+ in multivariable calc, and she has to take the next level calc next sememster with the same professor. She got an A in calc and a 5 on the AP exam in high school, but just doesn’t like they way this prof teaches, he doesn’t explain things well and he smells is what she told me when I told her to go to him and look over her final and ask for help. She knew she totally bombed on the final as soon as she took it. No curving in her classes. </p>
<p>We are waiting to hear about her other classes. Under pressure to keep a 3.0 to maintain her scholarship…straight A student in high school, finding college much more challanging.</p>
<p>Sorry about the stress, Lefty. I hope next semester is better. My D had some wrangles with a prof and also worries about her GPA. We’ll just see what happens. At least she was able to transfer out of his section. </p>
<p>She’s not done until Weds and is mixing “me” time in the City on and off with studying for finals. I hope her system is effective! But it’s all a learning experience, and exploring NY, going to the theatre, etc. is definitely part of her education right now. And she’s frugal - like your D gets student tickets, various discounts - yesterday she even packed a lunch for her day in Manhattan, so she wouldn’t have to buy even a $4 street vendor falafel.</p>
<p>All the best to AvonMom for a successful surgery and quick recovery.</p>
<p>Am curious as to how so many know their kids’ grades. Are your kids volunteering the info? Mine is tight lipped - has alluded to “doing fine” but that’s it. Doesn’t know his final grades yet but doesn’t seem concerned - and he is at a school known for brutal grading. hmmm…</p>
<p>siemom, I don’t have online access to my D’s grades, though she has been telling me her final grades as they come in. They haven’t all come in yet.</p>
<p>I think that for the first year or two I will expect her to tell me the semester grades, not necessarily individual project/paper/or exam grades. I am paying for her education and expect a certain amount of value from that. I may stop asking her what her semester grades are as long as she keeps her merit scholarship and I will know that as it will show up on the bill.</p>
<p>I don’t really care what exactly her grades are, as long as she keeps her scholarship and is making adequate progress towards her degree.</p>
<p>siemom, my S has been telling me his grades as they come in. As bajamm, I sort of expect this since we are paying so much toward his education. We haven’t had to have an explicit discussion on this point as we figured (correctly) that he would volunteer the information (whether good or not so good). Throughout the term, he only shared good grades as they came in, and didn’t mention the others. He made some mention of “not doing as well as he would like” in some of his classes, but we didn’t push for details. But so far he has shared all the final grades that have come in, and I believe he will share the others without my prompting.</p>
<p>My D told me her grades as well. I think (but am not 100% positive), that a grade report will be mailed to the house.</p>
<p>Before her finals, she said “I need to get a 51 to get a B and a 91 to get an A”. I asked how is that possible? Apparently, the final has such a large weighting, that the point spread was huge. I asked if they curved, and she said that last term, the ‘curve’ for Calculus was 1 point. The only grades that the school gives out are A,B, C and NR (no record aka 'fail). If you get an NR, you have to either take it again, but you do not get a zero in your GPA. She did said that lots of kids do “NR”- including her roomie.</p>
<p>siemom, ShawD has called me after each final to tell me how she thinks she did and usually after she gets back quiz results. I think I have online access to her grades, but I’m not sure how or when they post. I have online access to ShawSon’s grades as well. I haven’t looked in either case (in ShawSons’ case, the only question is A, A- or A+?). With ShawD, we’ll see as Canadian schools have a tougher grading system and she is not as adept as her brother at figuring out what a professor wants and working intensely to deliver that. She is getting a lot of useful advice from a peer mentor (who has also given her past tests to study from, which she’s found very helpful).</p>