High School Grades After Acceptance - Parent Worries

<p>WM Admissions - I read a thread on this topic earlier, but I think I need to be reassured again!</p>

<p>My son was accepted at W&M under Early Decision. His high school grades were good at that time - not stellar, but good, and at least half are AP classes or equivalent. Since then, there's been drop off. He's not failing classes, but more "C"s are showing up versus the "A"s and "B"s before acceptance . Some of the drop off may be due to some 'senior-itis' and that he's been accepted already, but I'd say another factor has been his participation in a number of school field trips, extracurricular activities, and non-school youth group trips from which he's benefited, but also taken time away from class and homework.</p>

<p>Anxious parent that I am, I worry about the prospect that his acceptance may be reconsidered if his year-end grades really tank. I really don't think it'll get to that point, and I mentioned above some mitigating factors. While this topic may have been addressed before, I'd appreciate it if you'd address more specifically the circumstances under which W&M may reconsider its acceptance application, how that process works, and what interaction occurs between the Admissions Office and the student before an acceptance is reconsidered.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your response and reassurance.</p>

<p>Hi! I know I’m not WM admissions, but I actually emailed one of the deans after my ED acceptance with the same question. Here is her response: </p>

<p>“Congratulations! As for your question; no, a B or 2 in your AP courses would not warrant a revoked offer. An all C semester would certainly be enough of a reason for a letter to your counselor and possibly a meeting with the admission committee, but I’m certainly not worried that that will be the case with you.”</p>

<p>WM2015Dad, we review all mid-semester transcripts and final transcripts. A significant downturn in grades is considered to be 2 or more Cs, any D or any F. Should these grades appear we will send a letter to the student asking the student to explain the downturn in grades in writing. We will then present the udpated transcript and student explanation to the Committee. The Committee will decide if further action is warranted (such as an on-campus meeting between the student and some deans or a revokation of the admission offer) or if the explanation is sufficient and the downturn minimal enough that no further action is warranted at that time.</p>

<p>We remind all students that their offer of admission is contingent upon continued high standards of academic performance and personal conduct. While revoking an offer of admission is very rare it has occurred.</p>

<p>Any student who has seen a downturn in his/her performance is encouraged to preempt a letter from the dean by sending his/her regional dean an email that alerts the regional dean to the student’s academic downturn. Such forethought and maturity on the part of the student is greatly appreciated. We simply want to see students take responsbility for their action and work to improve their performance come final transcripts.</p>

<p>Thanks, W&M Admission, for your usual prompt and helpful reply. That’s the information I was looking for. Thank you too, Skydancer017.</p>

<p>Anytime WM2015DAD</p>

<p>Dear Dad: I suggest you read the riot act to your son and that he get his grades back up at least to B’s for the final semester. My son was admitted to UVA a few years back and due to senioritis and other distractions managed to get a D in one of his courses and a C in another. We got a very scary letter from the Dean of Admissions asking for an explanation, and pointing out that admission was contingent on a satisfactory answer. Not a place you want to be in as a student or as a parent, as you’ve already accepted your top school, rejected the others including your safe schools, so if you get booted, you basically spend the next year at Community College or working in McDonald’s. Luckily not many are actually thrown out, but a few are every year, at least at UVA. Others may end up having monthly meetings with the dean of their school. My son squeaked by by sending a very contrite letter about how he let things slide and learned an important lesson. It certainly put the fear of God in him for his first year. He’s now doing ok in a very challenging program and looking forward to graduation. But it would have been a disaster if he’d been booted. I went through a whole lot of Xanax for the week between his getting that letter and getting the second letter from the Dean telling him he could still attend.</p>

<p>We cannot emphasize enough that if a student’s grades do slip after being admitted they should a) contact the admission office before the admission office contacts them (they may get some serious Brownie points for owning up to the mistake) and b) if you do get a letter from an admission dean asking for an explanation, make sure it’s thoughtful and complete. When we receive explanations that seem to lack effort or remorse or whatever the appropriate adjective is, it’s very frustrating and demonstrates a lack of maturity and responsibility which aren’t becoming qualities for someone about to enter college.</p>

<p>Most offers of admission will include a caviat that notes that the offer is contingent upon continued standards of academic performance and personal conduct so the student has fair warning. When a student’s grades slip (and we mean slip dramatically) we do want that student to get a wake-up call and to reflect upon what led to the academic downturn and to reflect upon how they can prevent it from happening again in the future. They are not to give anyone an actual panic attack but they are meant to make sure the student understands that there can be consequences for their actions.</p>

<p>Can I just say to this thread that the fall of senior year, in particular, is a very, very stressful time for most students. Not only are they supposed to be paying attention to their regular studies, but they are applying to colleges and writing essays which takes a good deal of time to do well, they are perhaps also visiting colleges which usually means missing classes at school, they are nervous and trying to plan their futures, and the pressure to be wonderful at everything is ridiculous! My D had a “D” grade for the first time ever, despite staying for extra help a couple times a week when the teacher was available, completing all assignments, homework, etc, in a subject that she has just always struggled in, and doesn’t plan to pursue for a career. She stuck with it though, and didn’t just take an easy out and drop the class. She paid for it by getting a “D”, which was very devastating for her. Instead of keeping a class in the second semester which would have caused just as much struggle and frustration, I encouraged her to change her schedule and take something she has never tried, which would expose her to something new and maybe even be fun. It’s not “the most rigorous” class colleges want to see, but my D has worked hard, and I think needs to be reminded that learning should also be enjoyable, or really, what is the point? I know lots of high-achieving, but very, very unhappy people. I don’t want my daughter to be that way, whether it means acceptance to W&M or not!</p>

<p>Teachandmom, I wish I could “Like” your post. Fall of senior year was the most stressful time in recent memory; students are loading themselves with AP courses to obtain the most challenging schedules and applying to 10+ colleges in addition to clubs/EC’s. I had 6 AP’s, field hockey, work, I am an officer in 2 honor societies, and I applied to 12 colleges. I hope your daughter does take the other class; now that the insanity of high school is finally winding down, I find that I forget what it is even like to learn something that is not taught soley for a test. I hope everything goes well for you.</p>

<p>Thank you, Skydancer. My daughter is thoroughly enjoying the new class, is challenged in a brand new way, has to work hard on it, but is also developing a new understanding and appreciation for the subject matter – In my mind, THAT is exactly the point educating one’s self!</p>

<p>We are under no false pretenses about the stress students are under during their senior year and certainly do not expect students to be perfect. Our responses to this thread were about what happens to those students who grades falter after being admitted and was not about first-semester grades (which we of course generally see before a student is admitted unless they apply ED).</p>

<p>We would however offer the same advice to your daughter as we did to those who experience the downturn after being admitted. It is best to receive permission than ask forgiveness. If your daughter explains her semester D to us before we see it in a mid-year report we’ll appreciate the explanation and the maturity demonstrated in owning up to it.</p>

<p>That’s just it, W&M, my D has nothing to “own up to”. It’s not like she got a “D” due to slacking or senioritis. She got that “D” despite a lot of hard work in a subject that does not come easily. If adcoms can’t see that from her transcript, in my opinion, that is their weakness, not hers. How can a student “ask forgiveness” for working hard and still having a tough go at a subject? Learning is not about grades - it’s about opening your mind and challenging oneself. Sometimes failure or struggle is part of the learning process.</p>

<p>teachandmom, your daughter could say something exactly to the effect of what you just said. She could write a quick email that notes that a) the grade is an anomoly b) that she got it despite her best efforts including seeking extra help, tutoring, and turning in all assigments on time and c) that while the grade is disappointing she is grateful for the opportunity to have learned from the class both about the subject and about the hard reality of failure in spite of one’s best efforts.</p>

<p>Whether a student is owning up to their own shortcomings such as senioritis or failing to complete certain assignments or the student simply struggled with a particular class or set of circumstances we appreciate it when a student reaches out to us and points out and explains the grade rather than leaving us with no information about why and how the grade occurred.</p>

<p>One thing I’m rather uncertain about: regarding the “two or more Cs, D, or F” limit, is that solely for the semester grades, or does that apply to the grades in between the semesters as well (such as quarters or trimesters)?</p>

<p>do the best that you can…</p>

<p>if your best gets your acceptance rescinded, then there is nothing you could’ve done anyway.</p>

<p>if you try to skate by doing the minimal amount, you are taking a risk.</p>

<p>to answer your question, I would guess it means grades that will show up on whatever documentation your school will send to W&M.</p>

<p>It applies to final grades (either semester of annual depending on how your school reports grades)</p>

<p>W&M, If a student gets a B in a class that is not her strong suit, on an otherwise “A” transcript, does that warrant an email explanation as well? Technically she has an (undisclosed in her app) learning disability which in spite of her efforts (and extra help) led to a 89 for the semester which will read as a “B” on her transcript in AP CALC.</p>

<p>oldUVAgrad…Without waiting for WM Admission, I can assure you that W&M does not require straight A’s on a transcript to remain an accepted student. Breathe easy :)</p>

<p>Thanks, momneedsguidance.</p>

<p>yea, that’s no problem… as long as your final GPA is relatively close to the GPA that you got accepted with, it is fine.</p>

<p>If you were accepted with a 3.8 through fresh/soph/jr year, and your senior year grades come back at 2.8 in June, then there might be an issue.</p>