Hi, guys
I have a question regarding my GPA and a lone C- I got in a class. Before taking Dual Credit Pre-calculus Semester 2, I was doing well with no worries. I was involved in my clubs, working 20 hrs/w, I had just gotten a 96 (out of 100) on Dual Credit Pre-calculus Semester 1, and my overall unweighted GPA was a 3.96 (out of 4.0).
However, I decided to lag behind in PreCal as I thought that the content was so easy, I could just work on Precal (this was an online, self paced college level class) every once in a while at home and use the class period to nap or do other things. I thought I had things under control until about a month before school was over, my boss pushed my hours up to 40 a week since a coworker had abruptly quit, and I did not have the courage to explain that I could not take that many hours in fear of being a disappointment/unreliable. I was less than halfway done with Precal and the severity of the situation did not hit me until about a week before deadline and I was only about 65% done with the class. I thought the math was going to be a lot easier based on the first few tests, but the content really ramped up in difficulty after the midterm exam and I knew I was screwed. I also ended up having to quickly scramble to do homework for other classes (a total of 4 AP classes + 1 Dual Credit that semester) during my precal period since it was an online class without a teaching lecturing in real time aka no scolding or “pay attention!” remarks. So, I ran out of time, and any exam or test I hadn’t taken (the final exam being one of them, worth 33% of the final grade) became zeroes. My final second semester grade ended up being a 48, averaged with my first semester grade, ended up squeezing me by with a 72, the lone poor grade on my transcript (this grade dropped my GPA to a 3.8, which is now at the moment a 3.84)
So I ask this: On my college app supplement, should I mentioned the stress I was under managing a self paced course, working every weekday after school from 4 to 10, and on weekends from 2 to 10? Or would it seem as if I were making an excuse for my poor grade, which honestly could have been better if I had tried my absolute best to manage my time? Would it help?
P.S: I do have the option to retake the class my senior year, should I do that as well? I wouldn’t be able to have it on my transcript during college application season, but I guess I could explain to colleges that I am retaking the course, if that helps. I did get a 98/100 on AP Calc AB (and a 4 on the test), as well as all other math credits being 95+ besides, of course, my Precal grade so math is not and has never been an issue for me.
This all happened my Sophomore year. I could not retake the class Junior year due to a rule stating that if a semester of dual credit is failed, the failing student cannot take any dual credit classes for a year.
I wouldn’t mention it on the common app supplement. Perhaps if your GC is aware of the situation and believes that it’s relevant, she/he could write a note, but I wouldn’t write it yourself. The explanation, frankly, almost makes it worse. “I thought it was going to be easy enough to slack off, then I couldn’t properly prioritize my tasks because I was afraid of my boss, so I missed my online final and almost failed.” It doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with the stress of working, just the fact that you spent all year goofing off under the assumption it would all be okay in the end, and then it wasn’t. It makes you sound incredibly unprepared for college, where you’ll have classes- some online, some in large lecture halls- where attendance isn’t taken nor do you get “pay attention!” remarks and you’re still expected to not fail, on top of part-time jobs, internships, clubs and organizations, etc.
Honestly, it could make an interesting “failure” common app essay.
Agree with novafan1225. Go with the ‘what I learned from poorly managing my time’ essay if one is called for. Otherwise, high school kids are allowed to make mistakes, so don’t obsess over it. The schools will be able to see the number of hours you are working per week. And yes, you might want to retake the class if you plan to do anything that might involve math later and not just because you’ll be able to tell colleges that you are doing it. If you have a good relationship with your GC, you can tell him/her about this ‘learning experience’ too when you meet to discuss college applications.
Do not retake math when you have already advanced to another level of math and done well. No one is interested in that, it is a waste of a class where you should be showing you can take yet more chalenging classes sr year instead of going backward… Your excuse is lame and you don’t want to highlight time mgmt problems. Just mention that you overextended and were working too much.
And when you get to college, take it as a lesson that classes do start easier but ramp up and when all classes have midterm, project and then finals due at once it is going to get harder to manage so don’t overextend in the begining.
Don’t make this the topic of your main essay. The main essay should be something positive about yourself, not an apology.
Ah, okay I see. Thanks for the comments, I have learned from the experience and kept up with my school work with all As my Junior year. I definitely wont, and have never thought about making it the topic of my main essay, even though I did learn to always be prepared and not slack even if the course work seems easy. Making it the topic of a “failure” essay? Well maybe! Hopefully colleges will see my grades in all other math classes and the first semester of my pre cal class and assume it was 1 slip up instead of thinking of it as an inability to DO math.