<p>My very smart (IQ was tested to be in the 99.9%) and very underachieving daughter with a lot of AP and honors but variable grades, has gotten an F in gym this semester due to unexcused absences (was behind in an academic class, skipped gym to study).
Does anyone know if this is the kiss of death at the mid-range colleges, such as Gettysburg, Lafayette? Or even less selective? Yes, this will show up on her transcript. I'm fairly convinced that she will have to forget about most or all of the colleges on her list.
SATs are 1890 total (didn't prepare will, will take them again).
Any opinions welcome, even ones bearing bad news.
Thanks,
applemom</p>
<p>Your daughter will probably want to address this in an extra essay, but I doubt it will be the kiss of death. She needs to be contrite and recognize she made a bad decision and of course she should get decent grades in gym in the fall.</p>
<p>Well, I know someone who had a C on their final transcript in phys ed. Her mother was very upset. The reason for the C was that her D had mono and was not allowed to do gym. She complied with the phys ed teacher's assignment about writing a report for each day of gym missed. This meant writing papers about various sports, and the student found it silly and basically busy work. She did the assignments while watching TV, and did the minimum amount of work that she felt she could get away with doing. </p>
<p>Mom went to the GC. Her D had a doctor's note. The GC told her mother not worry, and that the colleges recalculate gpas anyway, and that the grade might be thrown out by the college admissions office. Her D got a very large scholarship to a solid school. Her C in phys ed did not seem to have any impact on admissions or merit aid. This is only the experience of one student.</p>
<p>I'm sure it won't be the kiss of death but I hope you talked to her about her "not so smart" decision to blow off what most kids consider an "easy A" and at least in our school district is part of their GPA</p>
<p>Is this an F on the final transcript, or just for one marking period? Does she need to pass phys ed to graduate? Just editing, sorry I just noticed that you said for the semester. Does she need to make up a semester of gym class? </p>
<p>In our district, if a student fails a class they may go to summer school (for a fee). The 2 grades are averaged, so an A and F averages to a C on the hs transcript. I don't know if phys ed is offered in the summer, so I don't know how phys ed would work.</p>
<p>I would contact some admission offices and not give a name. I would just ask how a phys ed grade is used, if at all. I would tell them that your D failed one semester of PE, and see what they tell you.</p>
<p>I know that I will get posts about "accepting responsibility", so please don't bother to post them to me. I do wonder if the phys ed teacher notified anyone that your D was not going to class (ie: the nurse and/or guidance office), or phoned you. In my opinion, a caring teacher who is on top of things in his/her class will make some inquiries about the student after a number of absences.</p>
<p>Thank you, thank you to everyone who responded. More responses are very welcome.
At our school, gym grade is not part of GPA, but obviously it looks pretty ridiculous on a high school transcript (where it will stay, even when she makes up gym in summer school). EVERYONE knows that all you have to do is show up to get a good grade in gym, so the F is really really bad.
Also, the only possible medical excuse is a psychiatric one, but she used this one in the past for other classes, and I think the school has given her her share of excuses.
And, by the way, I realize that this behavior so late in her junion year calls into question whether she even should be considering residential colleges anyway. BUT, the question remains as above.
Thanks again. I am feeling pretty desperate.</p>
<p>I don't know if it will affect any admission chances ( which I doubt),but it could prevent your daughter from graduating! You REALLY need to address this issue and find out about the possible graduation implications.</p>
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SATs are 1890 total
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</p>
<p>That sounds much more troubling.</p>
<p>And yes, I agree that 1890 is more troubling.<br>
The SATs she can pull up significantly, according to her tutor. She seems motivated to do this. And yes, she understands the gravity of the F, but is having a hard time dealing with the consequences, as am I.
Yes, she can graduate, either by doubling up and taking two gym classes one semester or by taking summer school.
Can you imagine anything more ludicrous than taking summer school in GYM???</p>
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EVERYONE knows that all you have to do is show up to get a good grade in gym,
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</p>
<p>This is the saddest part of all..</p>
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Can you imagine anything more ludicrous than taking summer school in GYM???
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<p>Oops.. guess I was wrong...</p>
<p>I am north of 50 years old, and I still wake up with nightmares that I've flunked a gym and can't graduate college.</p>
<p>The more I read CC, and consider our own family's experiences, the more I think that no single grade or variable is ever an absolute dealmaker or dealbreaker.</p>
<p>I think you should hit her over the head with a 2x4 metaphorically and tell her that if she doesn't kick into high gear now to prepare for better SAT's, she'll look very flakey in general. Use this "F" in gym as leverage to demonstrate the need to work on what IS very important to colleges, as tokenadult ably pointed out.</p>
<p>So far, nobody will know about her 99.9%ness. Has she looked at the median admission scores for her match and reach colleges yet? She needs a wake-up call. </p>
<p>The time-management judgment to study during gym also is worthy of thought.
If she doesn't grow into herself better on that score, you might consider planning a gap year to give her some age maturity before college.</p>
<p>More advice than you asked for, I know.</p>
<p>Do the two gym classes in one semester. I did it both semesters senior year, it's fun.</p>
<p>Even though my experience is several years old, most of the colleges we visited said they only looked at the academic classes when considering the transcript. If she's creative I think this could work into a good essay. I would only worry about the graduation implications.</p>
<p>Oh my gosh I hated gym with those ridiculous little bloomer outfits that had our names huge on the back like prison uniforms! (And I'm no athletic slug) At least these days the kids get to wear their own clothes and any "gym tricks" are considered hazing....But really all you have to do is show up to pass. I think if the OPs daughter has to "re-take" gym and in the summer that is true punishment that fits the crime, sounds like there's more going on though than just skipping gym "to study".</p>
<p>"I am north of 50 years old, and I still wake up with nightmares that I've flunked a gym and can't graduate college."</p>
<p>That's interesting--I'm south of 20 and can barely recall a time in which I had to participate in school-mandated physical activity (high school). </p>
<p>Apple--I have no idea how colleges will look at phys. ed., but an 1890 will not keep your daughter out of mid-range colleges. Hopefully, your daughter finds the motivation to de-vary her variable grades and can eventually transfer into an academic institution more suitable for her naturally imbued intelligence.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be too upset. Our state (NJ) requires 4 years of gym. The kids hate it so much - a surprising number do get Fs. Your d is not alone. She probably just miscalculated - most kids are pretty savvy at knowing exactly how many times they can miss class (for science lab, studying, practicing music) or not change and still get a passing grade. I don't know if it helps, but my d got a D on a midterm academic grade in Senior yr that was sent out to the schools and she still got good college results.</p>
<p>
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SATs are 1890 total
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That sounds much more troubling.
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<p>tokenadult - you can't be serious. A lot of kid get into good colleges with SAT's in the 600's. There seems to be a continued message on this forum being if your SAT's are below a 2100 then you are worthless (don't take this personally, tokenadult) but I digress, this should be a subject of another thread.</p>
<p>Applemom - you are right to be concerned about your daughter deliberately blowing off gym class. It shows disrespect to the teacher for a required course (of which there could be several in college) and overall lack of maturity. If one would not skip math to study English then one should not be skipping Gym to study English.</p>
<p>Our high school required 4 years of Gym class and yes kids do fail. Mostly for not changing to participate. Many kids have to double up gym classes. This wrecks the schedule and the consequences are often not being able to schedule a desired course.</p>
<p>She screwed up and she must deal with the consequences - for her not to will just reinforce her idea that rules are made for other people.</p>
<p>As far as college applications - it probably won't matter. You should tell her, however that admissions is a competition. She is competing against kids who are both smart and who attend and get good grades in Gym.</p>
<p>I was thinking Tokenadult was being weird, but if the IQ really is 160+ (that would be the 99.9%ile), then an 1890 SAT score is well under the expected mark. Does she not read for pleasure? Is math exceptionally poorly taught? Does she have attention issues?</p>
<p>I am thinking that D was warned, advised, cajoled, etc. to stop cutting gym.</p>
<p>Is that right?</p>