<p>This year my grade in AP Japanese was fluctuating between a C and a D, and I panicked because I've always been an A student with the occasional B in AP classes. I desperately searched for related posts on College Confidential and Yahoo Answers for guidance and for hope. There were no specifics, and I didn't know what happened to the students who got D's since there were no follow-up. Because of that, I want to create this post to help those who are in the same situation. </p>
<p>I talked to my high school counselor and she advised me to email UC Berkeley weeks in advance before my grades were finalized. After talking to her, I emailed the undergraduate admissions office. I got a reply a week later, and I was asked for a letter of explanation. This is your chance to be honest with them. You don't need to make up family problems or learning disabilities as your an excuse. If you struggled with the course, then own up to it. And that is exactly what I did. I stated the factors that affected my academics in this course and the corrective actions I was taking to improve my grade. I suggest you keep your letter short and concise. I kept mine to a minimum of 300 words. </p>
<p>I ended my letter of explanation with: </p>
<p>"I want to reassure UC Berkeley that I take full responsibility for my grade, and I am taking corrective actions to improve it. I continue to dedicate a lot of time to AP Japanese outside of class by coming before and after school to seek additional help from my teacher. I also take full advantage of the tutoring sessions my teacher offers to me." </p>
<p>Your grade is the product of your work and effort. I understand that that your teacher may be the problem, but avoid blaming your teacher at all costs. I cannot stress that enough!!! It is not what colleges want to hear in your explanation, and they will be under the impression that you're irresponsible.</p>
<p>I received a response weeks later after I sent my letter of explanation to them via email. It read: </p>
<p>"Thank you for the information provided. The D in your AP Japanese class will not affect your admissions status as long as the rest of your courses are completed with at least a B grade." </p>
<p>I saw a lot of posts on College Confidential that stated how UC Berkeley and other top-tier UC's have no tolerance for D's, but that is not entirely true. Yes, a D does put your admissions status in jeopardy, but you still have a shot. A single D is not grounds for rescission. You just need to take the initiative to inform them about your grade and not let them come to you once transcripts are in. They will find out eventually, so don't try to hide it from them. </p>
<p>My grades were finalized last week. I ended AP Japanese with a C, and I will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall of 2014. GO BEARS!!!</p>
<p>I hope you find this helpful and informative. If you still have any questions or concerns, then please leave a comment below or send me a private message.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>