<p>“The issues that lead to the 0.9 GPA can’t be adequately addressed in the course of a semester break, no matter what they are.”</p>
<p>This is good advice. I would add that even if the family is so well off that the cost of the spring semester would be a drop in the bucket, it’s not good for the student to be allowed to waste his parents’ money. That’s a bad habit to get into even if your dad is Bill Gates.</p>
<p>Having such a low GPA may be a sign the student in question is either burned out or is not mature enough to prioritize what’s important in the context of attending college. In those cases, that student may be better off taking a LOA for a year or few to work in service jobs, volunteer, join the military, or other fulfilling worthwhile non-academic activities. </p>
<p>One former colleague lost his full ride and ended up being placed on academic suspension because he wasn’t mature enough to keep his true priorities in mind (Party & alcohol major). </p>
<p>Parents ended up telling him he had to work or find some other worthwhile activity for a year or few to “mature” before they’d consider sending him back to college. He chose the army and after serving his enlistment…including 2 tours in Iraq and a stint as a Drill Sergeant in basic training, ended up excelling and graduating on his second stint in college.</p>
<p>First, hugs to the OP. This thread tweaks so many strings with me, I hesitate to jump in. Super student child one is a college junior and Mr.BigFun starts college in the fall and I am already worrying about telling the same story a year from now.</p>
<p>I am with most of the others about having him not go back, but I don’t like the military option (army wife here so no bashing please). I am also not sure about having the youngster back at home. This is a real dilemma and I wish the OP the very best.</p>
<p>Whatever the OP decides it is very important to set this young person up for something he can succeed at. This is paramount. He has failed for whatever reason and and feels badly about it, no doubt. He needs a ‘win’, no matter how small. It doesn’t matter if this is community college, going back to university, working, or volunteering. By May when all his friends are finishing the second semester he needs something as a personal victory. You risk a major blow to self esteem, and possible depression, if he fails again a second semester. That could be very difficult to recover from.</p>
<p>What happens at the school level really depends on the school. When our son had a terrible first semester (a 2.3, as I recall), we realized that it wasn’t quite terrible enough. A 2.0 would have bought him academic probation BUT ALSO a twice a week appointment with the Academic Success center and lots of accountablity to the institution, extra help and attention. Many private schools really want and need that tuition money and will give lots of extra chances. A student had to pretty much have three consecutive horrific semesters to be dismissed. Public schools and selective private schools are probably not as forgiving. </p>
<p>We need quite a few more facts to be able to offer the best advice, but if you don’t send him back, try to get a medical/psychological leave of absense rather than withdrawing.</p>
<p>This 0.9 GPA means that he failed most of his courses and did poorly in the one or two he didn’t fail. It is very possible that he has barely any earned credits for his fall term. </p>
<p>I agree…you need to figure out what the issue was AND figure out a way to put him in a place where he will be successful. This is not impossible…perhaps a semester or two taking just a couple of courses where he can meet with some success (at a local college) would be a start. </p>
<p>Another thing you need to consider…if your son is getting any federally funded need based aid, it is highly unlikely he is satisfying his schools Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines and he could very well lose that aid.</p>
<p>We discussed GPA requirements with our kids before they left for college. Both had merit awards that required a 3.0 minimum GPA. We were very clear that if they lost their merit awards, they were coming home and going someplace less costly. </p>
<p>But really the most important thing is to find out what went wrong. There is no way to fix this without knowing.</p>
<p>So is he struggling with the subject matter? My son did not have a 0.9, and was above 2.0 but barely after his first and second quarters. He was taking calculus (even though he had it before) and chemistry for physical science majors and felt like he was in way over his head and absolutely miserable. Some of the classes just had a midterm and a final. He actually got an F in his chemistry class second quarter. He was not partying, but he had never had to try before and the rigor of college was a huge adjustment. He decided that math and chemistry were not his thing, he took a variety of classes third quarter and ended up with a 3.5 in 19 units, changed his major to History and got a 3.9 this last quarter. His GPA is not just below a 3.0. So maybe he is just taking the wrong classes?</p>
<p>Whatever OP decides, my suggestion is to clearly, completely spell out all future terms and conditions beforehand for student. Whether it’s sames school, cc, no school, work, 1 semester break, anything- spell out conditions.
imo one of worst things parents can do is withdraw support($, housing, emotional, etc) without making such consequences known in advance. For example- if this student goes back he must get 2.5 or better next term, or he starts paying for college himself. If he cannot afford that, give him 6 months at home to find a self supporting job, and go.
Don’t just let student make rules for parent, don’t just accept a broad promise that he’ll do better. After a thorough investigation of the problem, and once you have a potential solution- get specifics, give specifics.</p>
<p>I knew a student yrs ago, getting about a B-C average, passing all, but not excelling in any. Parents stopped paying after a term, disappointed in results, without warning. Student wasn’t giving best effort, but it seemed unfair to cut-off without warning.</p>
<p>Last year, Happykid’s HS pal finished up her first semester of college with a GPA just about like that. Her parents pulled the financial plug, and had her enroll at the local community college where she is thriving. Her GPA is good enough to get her into Phi Theta Kappa and the honors sections of courses in her major field. She’s currently filing transfer applications for this coming fall.</p>
<p>Sometimes, there are happy endings.</p>
<p>I feel so sorry for you OP having to make that decision. I instinctively agree with the posters that you need to understand what your student thinks the problem was. I think it would depend on whether you knew this was happening or whether the student just let the “chips” fall when the grades were given out. I’ve had several friends who had failing sons…who went back at age 23-25 and successfully completed a degree. I’ve had several friends daughters who found other occupations. Kids have to WANT to go to college to be successful…missing that they can very easily fail out because their priorities are the other aspects of college like being away from parents, meeting tons of new kids, getting involved in ECs unrelated to academics. It takes inner strength to learn the balance and how much time you can devote to each of the activities. Kids also need to understand the cost equation and what it means to flush thousands of dollars down the toilet. I have to agree that .9 is really abismal</p>
<p>I would suggest that parent and child sit down and open up the gpa calculator for college in question and calculate just how many semesters of really good grades are needed to bring gpa up to a respectable level (wherever the two of you, the school and the world in general agree that is). Then proceed to a very honest discussion about what it will take to get from here to there and how best to do that.</p>
<p>The “why” is very important, but most kids don’t have a very good grasp of how much harder it is to climb the hill as opposed to avoiding the fall from the cliff in the first place - and there’s no getting around that a .9 gpa is a steep, steep cliff - there are supposed to be digits in front of that decimal point.</p>
<p>I’m going to amend my initial response. Mominva makes good points. The OP needs to also consider what will work for their family and this student. The school will most definitely have a threshold for grades to be in good standing. I would suggest that the student have a serious talk with his advisor and perhaps the dean of students to chart a future course if he returns to this school. This could be a the “wake up call” that turns this student around.</p>
<p>Same thing happened with S2 three years ago. Due to circumstances, we decided to let him go back to his college for spring sem. We didn’t think staying in our town going to CC would be the best thing for him.</p>
<p>He got in touch w/ his adviser while still at home on Christmas vacation. She told him he needed to do grade replacements. At his sch. students can retake up to three classes (at the 100 or 200 level) in which they had made a D or F. When the class is successfully completed, the grade on the retake is averaged into the gpa rather than the failing grades. The F grades still appear on the transcript but are no longer averaged into the GPA. This could not be done at the CC. It had to be done at the univ. in order to raise GPA to an acceptable level and get off Academic Probation. </p>
<p>S2 retook the three F classes and two others (15 hr.s total) in the Spring sem.
He made a 2.5 that sem. which when averaged using the grade replacements brought him up to a 2.1. So in one sem. he was able to go from a .08 to a 2.1 and get off academic probation. </p>
<p>S2 had to learn how to be a college student. I will admit that I kept a close eye on what he was doing that Spring. He gave me his password for Blackboard. I would check regularly to see how things were going. He knew his back was to the wall so he did what he had to do. Not perfect but a big improvement and proof to us and himself that he could do it.</p>
<p>Now, he’s a senior with one sem. to go. He has made 3.0 or better every sem. but one since that rough freshman year. He’s on schedule to graduate in May. </p>
<p>Definitely have your S get in touch w/his advisor. Ask if his school offers grade replacements.</p>
<p>Many people said they wouldn’t send S2 back if they were in our shoes, but nobody knows your kid like you do. There is no perfect answer. Have some long talks with your S. Do what your family feels is right. Good luck to you and your son duffmom.</p>
<p>Again, OP, my heart goes out to you. It is so painful to watch our kids stumble & try to help them find the best path to take–supporting but NOT leading.</p>
<p>Our D was asked to leave a private HS after JR year because she couldn’t keep her grades up, due to chronic medical conditions beyond her control (resulting in frequent and prolonged absences and poor grades–partly due to penalties imposed for absences). Together, we calmly explored and considered ALL the options readily available to her–an on-line school, public HS in district, or getting GED & starting CC. We let her go to an orientation & paid a deposit for the on-line school. She hated it & we got a refund. She opted to take the GED & start CC. It worked great for her because at CC, she had MUCH more control over her schedule while she was still able to keep in touch with her HS friends. She got a LOT of support at her CC & we were able to also support her with transportation, preparing meals, laundry, etc. so she could focus on her academics. After her 1st semester at CC, she did so well, she applied to her dream school (competitive OOS private U). To everyone’s surprise, she was accepted to enroll after she had completed 3 semesters of CC. She is now on track to graduate this spring with all her HS friends in her dream (very competitive) major from her dream U–one of the best places in the world for her field of study.</p>
<p>Once the problems are carefully considered and evaluated, they can be addressed to increase our kids’ successes.</p>
<p>Her chronic health problems unfortunately are still there, but managed better as she continues to have some control over scheduling in college. She does know she has limited stamina and needs to pace but has learned how to pace as well as she can while striking a balance that works for her.</p>
<p>Bookmarked</p>
<p>Just one thing about getting the password for online grades. At my son’s 4 year school, over two semesters, every single teacher only entered the final…no other grades, attendance, etc. At his community college, the online system could be fabulous…if any teacher would use it. There are places for the syllabus, each assignment, attendance, every grade, etc. Over three semesters, no teacher has used every feature. One stopped posting grades and attendance in mid-October. The day before the final, he dumped in info for the rest of the semester…my son had last been in class in mid-October.</p>
<p>Have you called the school? Even though school is not in session, they are working. We drove to the school for an “all hands on deck” meeting a few days before classes started, but even before that, I was able to get a lot of info regarding how long he had to get his GPA up, etc.</p>
<p>Maybe S2’s school ( a big state u.) is an exception but most, not all, of his teachers seemed to post at least the syllabus and test dates/ test grades. Some would also post on Blackboard if class was being cancelled or the time and place for test reviews, test reminders,etc. </p>
<p>One of S2’s problems was that he didn’t bother to even look at Blackboard and figure out how it worked that first semester. He was actually surprised at how awful he did because he hadn’t been on Blackboard to check his grades. </p>
<p>Agree w/ Missypie on calling the school. S2 was able to email and call his advisor while still at home on Christmas break. If it were not for her timely advice,S2 would have never known that retaking the three F classes immediately was the only thing that would save him. He changed his schedule while still at home and was able to get all 3 classes. </p>
<p>Another tip the adviser gave him was that students who don’t get their tuition payment in by the deadline have their schedules dropped immediately. So the last day to pay tuition is the day to look for open spaces in previously closed classes.</p>
<p>OK the DECISION has been made and it follows Packmom’s plan almost exactly…We too decided that staying at home and attending school was not the way to go for numerous reasons and actually the school he is returning to will require much more from him which is what we want; we don’t want the easy way out we want the hard way back in!</p>
<p>He will “re-take” the one F grade right away and then continue on with his schedule that he chose before the break. He has to earn at least all B’s to get his GPA back up to a 2.0 and we all agree this is very attainable.</p>
<p>He will sign a contract with us with stipulations a mile long, he will not be initiated into the fraternity he pledged until further notice, he will be on a strict $ budget, he will be under the eye of his counselor and he accepts that we will be turning into helicopter parents until he can get his act together. He knows he basically has no rights, privacy or say in anything until he can prove to us and himself that he can handle college. </p>
<p>There is much more we have discussed and will require from him and I don’t want to bore anyone with all the details…but I do want to thank everyone for their insightful comments and suggestions it’s been very hepful.</p>
<p>Good luck–hope it works out & that the underlying root issues have been adequately ID’d & addressed so he can succeed. Please keep us updated!</p>
<p>^ ^</p>
<p>This plan is not only fair, but far more generous than what most parents I’ve known would provide in the same situation barring a severe undocumented illness.</p>