<p>Hello guys, I have a question for you. I hope that someone will answer.
I am an international student who applied to several colleges. I have great scores on the SAT and on the SAT Subject Tests, excellent ECs, great essays and recommendations. Overall I am pretty satisfied with my application. However, today in school (my first day this semester) I found out that my teacher actually give me a D in my mother language for the 1st semester. This was quite shocking for me because even though I knew that she dislikes me I never thought that she will do this to me. I thought I would have a B or a C in worst case scenario. I have excellent grades (out of 10 subjects, seven are A's and two are B's), with this kind of grades in my country I have a pretty high GPA. With the D in my mother language I have a lower GPA. </p>
<p>Tomorrow my mother will try to talk to her. However, I am pretty skeptical about it. So my question is: does my D in my mother language significantly change my chances for acceptance to a particular college?
Thank you. :) </p>
<p>Note: My international school does not offer AP classes. However, it is ranked as number 1 high school in the whole country by the ministry of education.</p>
<p>It sounds like your class is like our English classes here. In the US, really no one with a D in English gets into Harvard. A D or even a C senior year in a core course will probably knock you off the list at top colleges. Even getting more Bs than usual can be a problem. Senior year fall grades are really important because colleges want to see that you can do well with a tough load of courses. I think competition for internationals is tougher than for everyone else, so I hope your mom is really persuasive.</p>
<p>It’s kind of sad, because I always had high GPA and I was always a great student, one of the best in my generation. My chances are almost down to zero only because a teacher does not like me. I did not participate this.
Thank you for your feedback. :)</p>
<p>So the grade wasn’t based on any of your work, but simply because the teacher “dislikes” you. You have no responsibility in this? I’m not buying…</p>
<p>It’s kind of interesting. 80% of the students have C’s. She gives us this grades based on what she thinks of us. We don’t do any tests. Parents have always argued against her and through the years I always kept my distance from it. In fact, I had an A in freshmen year and B in the following two years, however, I disagreed with her on a particular topic and well… you can see how it turned up. I know it’s difficult to comprehend and I understand, I would ask the same questions if I were in your place. It’s simply how public high schools function in my country. A lot of people have criticized this way of working, but nothing has changed.
We (students) just have to deal with it, one way or another.</p>
<p>If that language is not in anyway related to what you will be majoring in and if you have decent grades in that subject, all throughout high school - then I don’t think it should be as big a problem as it is made to be ^^.</p>
<p>And all those stuff – essays,EC’s, etc. can make up for this. Don’t worry - it is a minor blip. That said - with highly selective admissions - one D is all it takes!! </p>
<p>Though I don’t understand how you are graded without a test?? And how your teacher gets away by giving marks on impression. I know that if a teacher dislikes you, then he/she might be a bit harsh in correcting your paper - but not to this extent!! :)</p>
<p>Oh, it can definitely happen. In the public school system of my country, students get low grades because of a teacher disliking them all the time. It’s a known fact of life. </p>
<p>On the midyear report, if it hasn’t been sent already, can you get a guidance counselor type figure to make a note explaining the grade? </p>
<p>Depending on how your school system works, can you make a guess as to what your final grade in the class will be?</p>
