<p>Patient, I don't believe I told my parents my grades either, and they did not ask,as I was always an excellent student in highschool. I did not come home much after I went away to school and the topic did not come up. But I did have a few rough terms where , in retrospect, they probably should have known I was having some problems. Though, I doubt they could have helped and there would not have been anyone that could have convinced me to tell them about my problems. But had they been different people, they may well could have made things a little bit better, had they known I was struggling. The grades were an indicator that all was not well despite the cheery letters home.</p>
<p>My son volunteers his grades, but all we ask is: How's it going?"</p>
<p>but a C could be the kiss of death for someone who wants to be in all the honor societies available..........</p>
<p>In truth, a C or 2 isn't going to kill off your future chances in life one bit.</p>
<p>but a C could be the kiss of death for someone who wants to be in all the honor societies available..........</p>
<p>Honors are all very nice, but it's more important to focus on the joy of working hard and learning all one can than worrying about honor societies.</p>
<p>My college had no honor societies (though they did have graduation honors and I wound up, somewhat to my surprise, as one of 8 summa cum laude graduates despite my C in freshman English), but the honors are not what I treasure most about my college experience. </p>
<p>What I treasure most are the knowledge, new perspectives, and skills I gained; the joy of the learning experiences I had; the growing I did; the friendships I made; the challenges I overcame, and the confidence I gained. Those are the things are what I want for my children to get out of college.</p>
<p>And I would hate for them to think of getting into an honor society as a life or "death" matter, so even the use of the rhetorical expression "kiss of death" saddens me.</p>
<p>I think most parents just need to know that you are doing your part, while they are paying $40,000 a year for your "college experience". If they feel that you are doing your best, and taking your classes seriously, they will be fine with it, even if you don't get stellar grades. However, I can understand parents that do not want to pay that kind of money for the drinking and partying that their kids can do at their state school for a fraction of that price (and, unfortunately, for some kids that's what their "college experience" amounts to).</p>
<p>I think expecting 3.0+ is reasonable. In GA, if you keep a 3.0, tuition is free. That's understandable for my parents to expect well from my sis. And now they are willing to pay for some expensive and awesome grad. schools.</p>
<p>I was actually surpprised to see that the parents were mailed a copy of the mid-term grades. I believe that this is only done for the Freshmen class. I assume that they will mail us a copy of the final grades, but I am not sure.</p>
<p>I assume your student signed a release and request that you be mailed the grades sokkermom, but that is unusual that you were mailed midterm grades.</p>
<p>Emerald:</p>
<p>I just checked the publication for "First Year Parents". It states that "Instructors submit midterm grades for each of their first year students and for sophomores who are doing failing or near failing work in their courses. While the University treats its undergraduates as responsible young adults, we do send copies of midterm grades home in the first year because we believe that parents of freshmen should be kept informed of their student's progress in this crucial transitional year..."</p>
<p>I guess we should not have been surprised had we completely read the First Year Parent document. I guess we got caught shirking our first year parental obligations. Oh well, at least the midterm report was consistent with what we were told directly by S prior to receipt of the report anyway.</p>
<p>oh dear, well I know in high school anyway, midterm grades were often lower than final reports. I don't know if they graded more harshly midterms or D actually needed it as motivation.
I think it is a violation of FERPA however to notify parents of grades unless the student has signed a release. even though parents are footing the bill oftentimes, they are considered a third party when the student is an adult.</p>
<p>EK4: Yes, you're right (as you so often are). </p>
<p>'FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students." '</p>
<p>from the FERPA web site: <a href="http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html</a></p>
<p>Incidentally, notice that "transfers to student ... school beyond high school." That means that even my then-16-year-old MIT freshman (now 18, thank heavens) didn't have to show me his grades. I <em>did</em>, however, have to sign releases for sports and so on.</p>
<p>It is possible that the students do sign a release form. I just don't know. I'll ask my son the next time I speak with him. In any case, he didn't mind us seeing his grades at all. (So far, so good). Maybe he figures we deserve to see some "official" information from the school because we are paying the tuition and he's our "investment". ha.ha.</p>
<p>I happily tell my parents my grades. And I'm on full financial aid!</p>
<p>Hmmm....Bobby100, you are beginning to sound a little bit like someone we have met before on these boards (now that I've perused some of your other posts....</p>