I received an F in Geometry during the first semester of my sophomore year. My grades improved after that semester, and I have only gotten As and Bs since then. My living situation was complicated at the time, and it contributed to the F. Should I explain this in the additional information or special circumstances section of my application? I didn’t explain it on one of my applications (Washington State University), and I still got in, but that school isn’t selective as the other schools where I plan to apply. I plan to apply to University of Minnesota, University of Utah, and University of Cincinnati. I have a 3.37 GPA and 29 ACT. I would prefer to not explain the situation, but I will if it is necessary to my admission. If it needs to be explained, how in depth should I go? I don’t want to sound whiney or needy, but I want the admissions people to know that the situation negatively impacted my grades.
I also have a chance me thread regarding this, if you would like to check that out.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1863459-chance-me.html#latest
Ask your guidance counselor to explain it on their rec letter
Talk to your guidance counselor and see what grade shows up on the transcript sent to colleges. At our HS it is only the year end grade.
@XCjunior2016
My guidance counselor won’t have to write a letter of recommendation, and she doesn’t really know about the situation.
@happy1 My school uses a semester system, so the F is the grade that shows up on my transcript.
I am pretty surprised that the individual semester grades show up. Even schools with the semester system generally send only the individual final course grades. Also, Guidence Counselors from all high schools have to fill out a recommendation even if they don’t even know the student. I’ve never heard of that not required. They usually also send the high school’s school Profile and explain any unusual features of the high school or student.
@lostaccount - It isn’t uncommon at all for semester grades to appear on the transcript. In fact, at my kids’ HS, all four quarter grades are reported, and there aren’t any “final” grades, just the four quarter grades.
On my children’s transcripts, all grades showed, the quarter grades, semester, and exam. Also their vaccinations, days absent, tardies, ACT/SAT scores…It’s all there.
Explain if you want. I don’t think it will make that big a difference unless you didn’t get credit for the class.
In my experience, most schools send semester grades.
If the school uses the Common App, isn’t a GC form part of that application?
I thought semester grades were the norm. Like colleges, there are finals at the end of a semester and while most classes are year long there are some semester only classes. (We don’t include quarter grades on transcripts thankfully)
OP I would keep any explanation brief to avoid whining.
Schools I’m familiar with include semester grades only when the class is a semester in length. Otherwise, for year long classes they include state exam scores, Final averages and credits. Report cards and progress reports had each semester’s and quarter grades but they were not sent to colleges.
Do the UCs require/allow a GC recommendation?