My simple answer is that if a college asks for the report before decisions are due then one should assume that admissions will look at it. That said, one B for one semester is unlikely to be the reason admission to a college is declined. Continue to encourage your son to take a deep breath and relax.
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OP- this is a great opportunity to help your son gain some balance and perspective.
Some schools ask for, and will see first quarter grades. Some will not. He’s getting a B (maybe) which is SO not the end of the world. There is only one thing he can control- himself. And staying up all night worrying about a B is beyond counter-productive (and really unhealthy).
Maybe take the foot off the gas for a bit? It’s ok to get B’s (he will probably get a few in college no matter how hard he works.) The promotion will likely go to someone else at work- at some point- no matter how hard he works. This is life. Learning to deal with a B is one of the last lessons (and gifts) you can give your kid before he moves out and lives on his own…
The probability that it’s “One B” that keeps him out of his EA college is close to zero. If he’s applying to the “highly rejective” colleges- he can do the math- if they are rejecting 94% of applicants, it takes a LOT more than “perfect” grades to get accepted!!!
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Yes, I totally agree and I have tried to convey all this to him. He certainly isn’t staying up all night… just having trouble going to sleep because of worrying, “what if I get a B?” Usually he is not a kid to let grades worry him.
Agree that it’s school specific. Duke ED required it, and as our school doesn’t have quarter grades, the counselor had to work with teachers to make sure the in progress semester grades were accurate before sending. I can recall which other EA schools wanted them. It’s a stressful time - best of luck to your son to navigating it all!
Simply put… One B isn’t going to be the reason he doesn’t get into a certain college.
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No…mid year report is the one at the end of the first semester.
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That is very different than sending because it is required. Plus…our colleges required the schools to send these, and students or parents could not. They needed to be transcripts sent directly from the high school. Our school did NOT send these unless requested by the college.
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Yes, that is what I tell him, but you know how kids can worry sometimes.
Thanks everyone for clarifying how the process works!
If your student is borderline they might defer and ask.
As to panicking over a B, wow
These kids put waaaaay too much pressure on themselves. He’ll be fine.
I think for us some privates like Emory asked. We applied RD tho but by their scholarship deadline in November.
Nothing to panic about. Schools will accept it not accept but one B or even more would be unlikely to cause impact.
And if he’s admitted in December, they won’t even ask til year end and they’ll be looking only for D and F.
Yes, and he doesn’t even have a B… it’s just worrying about if he might get one! College application season can be rough on a kid in a school environment where a lot of kids around him are going for big name schools.
Your son should know that it’s very competitive and even with perfect scores he might get rejected when he thought he wouldn’t. Work on the application and essay. At this point that is where the focus should be.
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He knows all that, and he is expecting to get some rejections. He simply wants to put his best foot forward, like any kid would.
Thanks to everyone who answered my questions!
Yes…and like others have already said…his best foot could easily include a B…or two.
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I meant that we requested the counselor to send, and she said she was going to send anyway, and sent it.
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