<p>CPU - if it helps, D1’s lowest GPA was her first semester. You had many issues this semester - concussion, roommate problem. I have a feeling you’ll do better next semester. Enjoy your break.</p>
<p>@CPU - back in the dark ages I went to college with a case of mono and almost failed first semester physics (not good for an engineering major). I survived, you will survive your C. I predict you will find next semester much easier given you are cognitively healed, in a better rooming situation and through the initial adjustment issues. Apply for your internships, but don’t sweat it too much. You are still a freshman.</p>
<p>DD is expecting a solid 3.5 in her first Semester (2-A’s, 2-B’s). For a Freshman 1st Semester? I am ecstatic 
. She is waiting on 2 more final grades having received one of each (A & B, so far). Her “B” came in a math CORE requirement, which is NOT her strong suit and she got off to a rocky start with. She wanted to do better and is really driven. I am not concerned about how these early semester’s grades will travel with her. As long as she carries above a 3.0 for her college career? gpa won’t matter after her first job experience.</p>
<p>CPU- I promise you while that “C” seems awful now it is not the end of the world. My D also got her first “C” ever this semester (and had to work hard to get it) At the end of the day your diploma will be what matters.</p>
<p>First semester grades posted last night.<br>
I got to do the [happy</a> dance](<a href=“Charlie Brown Christmas Segment - Snoopy Dancing - YouTube”>Charlie Brown Christmas Segment - Snoopy Dancing - YouTube) I’d been optimistically practicing. :)</p>
<p>Congrats to giterdone and mihcal1’s freshman on such solid starts! </p>
<p>Find those professors with whom you click and sign up for all their courses!</p>
<p>^^^ My D wanted to do that for the next-level math, but unfortunately it conflicts schedule-wise. Scheduling is turning out to be a bear. She is tentatatively signed up for two classes (eng lab and physics lecture) that meet at the exact same time, and hoping to sort it out during the “adjustment period” at the start of term. :eek:</p>
<p>Congrats giterdone and mihcal1! </p>
<p>CPU, considering your health and roommate issues, you need to give yourself a break. You will rebound. And now that you have a focus, better surroundings and your health is improving, you are back on track.</p>
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<p>Love it! We’re in the same boat (esp for pre-med!), but I’ll admit, I don’t dance… I’m just thrilled that my optimistic hopes were realized.</p>
<p>CPU: Chillax. You had a lot to contend with this first semester and you’re going to be FINE. This C won’t matter one little bit in the grand scheme of things.</p>
<p>D home with several job and scholarship deadlines looming that I’m not doing a good job of not nagging her about. She says she has it under control…so hard to loosen one’s grip…</p>
<p>D is still anxiously awaiting final grades. Grades for two of her courses have not been posted yet. She’s been told that there is a January 2nd deadline for professors to have those grades in so hopefully she’ll have her final grades soon. She is very stressed out about one of them. That particular class has been over since Dec. 10th so it’s kind of ridiculous that the grade isn’t posted yet. She actually knows the final percentage, but the professor curves it, making the class average a B+. Some years, that average has been around 71. The other class she is waiting for is totally a mystery to her because there were no grades given prior to the final project. A large portion of the grade is class participation. The rest of it is this final project. She has no idea whatsoever where she stands in this class.</p>
<p>It’s times like these that it’s a relief that S goes to a college where all first semester first year classes are pass/fail!</p>
<p>I’m there with you, rerunagain!</p>
<p>I never embraced the pass/fail concept. It eliminates the stress, sure. But it gives you no baseline for the level of effort made so far. Not knowing whether you are barely functioning as a D student, or a well adjusted (to the work load) A student? could be more unnerving than waiting a few weeks to see how you’re applying yourself.</p>
<p>Squeaky snow this morning! Ugh 
it’s COLD. The older I get, the less I like winter.</p>
<p>Over half way through break, enjoying our time together, but already thinking about him leaving. Great times so far, though! DS ended the semester with a 3.6; not bad, not stellar though. He is upset about it, not me, so as far as I am concerned, it’s a win for me! Having him be more concerned about his grades than I am is a major shift in our house!</p>
<p>Horror story about pass fail. Friend had her son go through pass/fail freshman year with passing, thinking everything is fine. First semester sophomore year the school suggested that he take a break. He wanted to try, so he went back second semester and failed out. $120,000 gone. Yeah, I don’t like pass/fail either. You really should know where you stand before spend that kind of money.</p>
<p>We’ve been traveling and are now home. Nice to just hang around for a while!</p>
<p>At my daughter’s school, pass/no record is just first semester. There are still letters of academic concern issued to students who are having trouble with grades. In general, the kids have an idea of how they’re doing, but don’t have to worry about GPA while adjusting to college. The older kids really encourage the new ones to take advantage of pass/no record and get involved with lots of stuff that first semester.</p>
<p>geogirl1-“DS ended the semester with a 3.6; not bad, not stellar though.”</p>
<p>Really??!! I think that is fantastic! We are in the same boat where my S gets upset about grades that I see him as doing very well in. He puts so much pressure on himself. Don’t get me wrong, I would not want it the other way around. If my son ended the semester with a 3.6 I would be thrilled. He did not, but he did not do bad for a first semester with all of the adjustments to a whole new world. He is definitely ready to go back and do better next semester.</p>
<p>Congratulations on the 3.6!!! :-)</p>
<p>D finished the semester very well. She was disappointed with her grade in one class but wasn’t surprised as she had a rocky start with a C on the first test. Grades wouldn’t take too much importance if she didn’t have plans for law school. She has set the bar high for herself so I don’t need to worry. I do remind her that she needs to find a balance. DH and I have always had to remind her to go out and have fun! Meet new people…four years goes by so quickly.</p>
<p>OTOH, S’14 is very different. He really doesn’t care about going for the high GPA. But he likes to talk about what he’s learned and other experiences in school so I know he is content. He’s very involved in the marching band and has two campus jobs and I have to say he’s doing much better than he ever did in high school. Most importantly, he reports that he’s on track to graduate. The kid is growing up!</p>
<p>Reading recent comments about college grades, I get the sense that our kids have much less feeling for where they stand and how they compare to their peers than they did in HS. Is this merely because they (and we) are new at this? I’m trying to remember back to their first year in HS. I recall being very worried about grades and how my D compared, both within her HS (class rank, although our school doesn’t officially rank) and also how our HS would prepare her compared to other HSs. I’ve got a similar feeling now, like we’re groping forward in the dark. Hopefully in a couple of years we’ll all feel like we’re on more solid footing. </p>
<p>Maybe some second-time-around parents shed light on this?</p>
<p>Unlike HS, our kids are at colleges where there are more kids “like them”. The length of the bell curve has been narrowed substantially. They are is classes where everyone around them was in the top 10% of their HS class too. As for grades, I think how important they are depends so much on what your child plans to do. Med school? Law school? High level grad school in the sciences? Grades are very important. Job? Engineer? Grades are less important. Just like college selection, all of this is highly dependent on who you are and what you want to do with your life! </p>
<p>NerviousNellie - DS plans on grad school and so, for him 3.6 is ok. Also, he knows that classes will become much more difficult, so that GPA will likely go down, not up. However, like I said before, the torch has been passed, it is not ME who is concerned, it is him! Not concerned, like worrying all night about it. Just concerned, like maybe he needs to figure out how to improve some studying habits or what not.</p>