One Major Problem + A Question - Need Advice

<p>I posted the information below in a different board, but since I'm applying to Princeton, I'll post it here anyway:</p>

<p>So, I got my report card today......Got A's/A-'s on all subjects, including the 3 AP's im taking this year.</p>

<p>However, I got a 61 in PE, vs. my 98 for PE last quarter. Next to the grade, the comment listed states for "excessive abscences". I remembered that I had to leave school early about 6 times this year b/c of doctor's appointments. However, my school has already sent out the mid-year reports.....</p>

<p>Should I write to the colleges explaining about the 61 I had in gym for this quarter? What should I do?</p>

<p>Surely, this should not look too bad for adcoms, right? It is only PE after all.......</p>

<hr>

<p>On to my question:</p>

<p>I have a teacher of mine who wrote me an excellent recommendation, but I have already sent in the required teacher and counselor rec's. Would it hurt me to send this additional one?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>I would have your GC send along a quick note saying that your low PE grade was because you were excused from school early for doctor's appointments and missed PE class several times. Six appointments in a semester usually denotes a serious problem, and if one exists you may want to consider notifying the school. Is there any way you can talk to the PE teacher and have the grade changed if you do some kind of extra credit and/or explain the situation? Legitimate doctor's appointments shouldn't, in my opinion, make you get marked off. In my school, you wouldn't be able to graduate with a 61 in gym, not to mention the drop in your GPA. I think you should see if you can take care of this at the source, as well as informing the school. </p>

<p>If the additional rec adds significantly to your file and presents a part of you not otherwise shown on the application, then you should send it. If this is not the case, I think it would just be something else for them to read. Unless the school tells you not to send any additional materials (which some schools do), I do not think that this will hurt you at all.</p>

<p>Thanks for your input corranged</p>

<p>agree with corranged. explain. you have the right.</p>

<p>Thanks again,</p>

<p>I just remembered that our PE teacher allows students to "sit out" of gym if they acquire a written consent from the school nurse. No points are deducted from the grade if this is provided.</p>

<p>In fact, some kids have deliberately avoided participating in gym by taking advantage of this. If other kids can evade point deductions with this loophole, while I get my points deducted for legitimate reasons, then it is arguable.</p>

<p>But if all else fails, how would bizarre would this look to the adcoms: That same PE teacher awarded me the "Physical Education" award for two years in a row. Coupled with these awards, how flagrant would a 61(in the second quarter) in the mid-year report look?</p>

<p>wait, u guys actually go to PE class?</p>

<p>Yes, seniors still have PE (was that the answer to your question)</p>

<p>yea, nobody takes PE at our school cause our sports faciliates are...nonexistant...we have like 2 monkeybars</p>

<p>Senior year, you learn how to do the monkey bars with your feet.</p>

<p>wouldn't you have realized your grade was that low? Or if the PE teacher loves you so much than wouldn't you have been notified prior to report card time? It's a bummer, dude, but it seems entirely avoidable. Have you tried talking with your PE teacher? I mean a 61 in PE!? That's almost as difficult as being accepted into Harvard!! J/K. Good Luck!</p>

<p>Tonyb, in my experience, most gym teachers don't care about your grades and don't maintain any contact with you. I've gotten seemingly random gym grades. Fortunately, gym grades don't factor into our GPA.</p>

<p>Well if he goes to a smaller school like mine... plus he got the "Gym Award" so his teacher must have thought something was odd. Unless the "gym award" was like given to 10 people. Wait a sec- OP has taken PE a lot.</p>

<p>It is true that it's "just PE" but it still looks bad on your part to not have made up the classes you missed.</p>

<p>Wait... they actually expect you to make up PE?</p>

<p>Technically, a "61" is conspicuous to the adcoms, but I have a legitimate excuse (none BS one) to be compensated for my absences.</p>

<p>I still can't believe you got a 61 for missing six classes. That's like one week out of twelve. You miss under 10% of your classes and he takes away 40% of your grade.</p>