The importance of midterm grades

Parents Forum
1

<p>My question is, how important are midterm grades in your junior year? Here’s my problem: Because of a teacher strike which lenghtened the first semester, spring break and other other holidays, the first term of the second semester was only a month and a couple weeks. In all of my classes, we have done very few assignments which will make up our midterm marks. </p>

<p>I am a full IB diploma student and I have always been a straight A student with a high average. This first term however, my midterm marks are not very good, with one A (95%) and three B’s in the 80’s. (By the way, my school’s grades are A:86-100, B:72-85, etc. A wide range I know, but in most classes very few people get high 90’s, in some no one gets over 90, and in others, no one gets an A at all) My teachers have said that everyone’s low marks will go up once we do more significant work, and one teacher actually apologized to me and said she had never had anything like this happen to her before, for I am one of her best students and I messed up one minor test which ended up being worth 35% of our mark. I have a predicted 7 on the IB exam in that class, yet I ended up with 81%.</p>

<p>I know that by the end of the year I will have all A’s again, low to mid 90’s; however, I am very worried that these low midterm marks grades will hurt me while applying to colleges next year. I will be applying to selective schools already, where I know everyone has good marks, so I really hope I did not screw myself over in the most important year. So, is only the final grades important, or do midterm grades count too?</p>

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<p>I think if you get your marks backup and demonstrate that you are the same student you used to be that there will be no problems. Your guidance conselor can help explain why the marks went down temporarily if the question comes up. What I think would be a problem is if you continue to perform at the same level and all of the sudden it looks like you are under performing where you were before on a sustained basis. Admissions people pay attention as they are looking for that late Junior year/Senior Year slack off and you don’t want to raise that red flag.</p>

3

<p>Our transcripts only show our final grades. Some schools systems may show midterm grades as well. As long as you show an upward trend I think your final grade should be more important, especially considering that’s all they’ll be seeing from some schools. </p>

<p>Junior year of IB diploma is a big transition. It doesn’t get easier next year (sorry :frowning: ) but it does get easier in the sense that you’ll be more prepared. There is a large jump from what is expected in “pre IB” and then being thrown into the IB classes in many programs IMO and from what I’ve gathered from other people. Since you can’t take any in 10th grade and then you’re thrown into 6+…math was a problem for most people last year. </p>

<p>I’m guessing it’s an SL class if you already have a predicted grade in it. Third and fourth quarter will be important. Try to find out what will be shown on your transcript, although even if the midterms are, like I said I think the final grades should be more important, so don’t give up or anything.</p>