<p>Here is the thing: Nothing is official until it is written down. My advice is to learn whether or not your HS marks down attendance on your transcript, your educational record, or neither. Attendance for public schools is just to prove to the government how many students they taught so the teachers can get paid accordingly. This is why they are marked for every absence that is unexcused. Private schools like yours, however, don’t normally have that. If your school “marks” you absence, but doesn’t mark it on your official transcript or educational report, then there is no harm IMMEDIATELY. S’all good, right?</p>
<p>The reason for the caps-lock on immediately is for one of two reasons.
- If the school doesn’t mark every absence on the school report but marks “milestone” absences (i.e 10 absences, 100 absences, 200, 300 etc), then you need to clarify with your school what is the EXACT number of absences you can have before receiving punishment. If those absences translate into something like an in-school suspension or multiple detentions and notes on your transcript/educational record, then those marks are what the college will see and then its game over. The most important thing is to know exactly which documents go to the colleges and how many absences can you have without changing the status of those documents. As for attendance, I think you’re fine because of the state of your current app.</p>
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<li>Teachers notice things. HS isn’t like college in terms of attendance. In HS, teachers expect you to attend regardless of the grade in their class. You should make it a point to attend all classes because they have a power over your college application in the form of the teacher recommendation. If you don’t show up to your biology class or chemistry class, then those teachers won’t write you a letter of recommendation (crucial letters of recommendation to have for an aspiring oncologist). In addition, if you have an excuse for every single time you’re absent, then they will probably be even less sympathetic towards you when you need that letter for a college. Not to be harsh, but no one gives a **** if you have a migraine or not, you’re expected to attend school unless you have medical proof or parent consent to not attend. Just get up and deal with it. Take some aspirin or ibuprofen, just whatever it takes to get to class on time. </li>
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