<p>I have a feeling that this is handled on a case-by-case basis, but I would not let my grades slip by more than one letter grade. Going from straight As to Bs and a D could certainly be a source of concern. (Also, if that D accidentally turned into an F, would you still graduate?) One thing to keep in mind is that there are unpleasant options between an unconditional acceptance and a complete rejection. I don’t know if Haverford does this, but I have heard of cases elsewhere where students were asked to redeem themselves in summer courses or placed on academic probation in their first semester in college.</p>
<p><em>This is coming from an ignorant college student, not a college representative.</em></p>