My point was that if P/F was normative for your school as a response to COVID, well yeah, how could that be called out? But that’s different than having a less demanding course load than other applicants from the same school looking to gain admission to the same list of colleges that all prize rigor. But again, everything needs context. Will your student pursue engineering or English? Will she try to gain admission to the most selective universities in the country or will she be happy with a range of options she targets for fit and chances for admission and affordability? What will her recommendation letters say about the choices and impact she’s made as a student? The usual “holistic” drill, in other words.
Thanks for input. The pass/fail option is not for covid reasons and they can choose it class by class. We’re looking at just the one grade to go with a pass. Maybe. In the grand scheme of a 4-year transcript it probably really won’t matter all that much. It is an AP class and we have not yet decided if the testing will happen or not. I can’t really see this kid applying anywhere very selective, but it’s still a couple years away, so who knows.
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Is it normal for colleges to follow up if a student withdraws their application before or after acceptance?
I think the point holds, though. P/F only happened at my daughter’s school due to COVID, but I know it’s an active option elsewhere. Your student’s approach to the development of their transcript should be taken in context to what happened in the relevant high school environment. I reacted in the second instance to @Evie800’s response to my initial comment, but I see now that there’s a very compelling explanation for her student’s circumstance.
D22 withdrew all her applications after her ED1 acceptance (4 pending and one admission). One school did contact her to affirm that they were correct in halting the process, but others made no individualized contact. However, she and I both continue to receive blast emails from admissions and the financial aid office of two schools.
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Oh, what a challenging situation for your son. But this is exactly what that additional section of the common app was built for. I would expect colleges to view your situation (and your son’s grades) differently from other kids at your high school.
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I hope it all works out for your son. I would think colleges would be understanding.
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Thank you
Yes and if you decline an acceptance many will ask where you are planning on going and why. They often ask questions regarding how you felt about their application/admissions process as well.
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Thank you
Thanks! S22 was torn about how to explain our situation without making it sound like an excuse for poor grades so he just listed the facts. Hoping the colleges will take it into consideration. 
But I know a lot of kids had all kinds of hardships in the past two years so we’ll just have to see what happens.
I hope they read his common app carefully. You really did have a unique hardship.
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Yes, 2020-2021 was unfair to many students. Our teachers union refused to return to classrooms and the kids were fully remote for 18 months with much less instructional time than normal. That was not accurately reflected in the “School Profile” that the high school sent to colleges. Parents lobbied for change and got it, but after the ED/EA applications went out.
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As DD is shotgunning apps, I’m thinking of her sending our GC the email addresses of each school’s admissions office. GC can Bcc them all the mid-year report in one message.
Any issues? Even if they didn’t ask for it? It’ll be all A’s.
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Your GC should know how each university wants mid year reports to be sent. Some want it uploaded into their portal and not emailed to them.
I would avoid telling the GC how to do his/her job. If you feel the need to contact your daughter’s GC, you might just reiterate which schools your daughter applied to and confirm that mid year reports will be sent to all of them. Better yet would be for your daughter to email or talk to the GC herself.
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??
I think GCs have their own system for sending updated transcripts. Likely your D just gives her GC a list or it’s already on Naviance if they use that.
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Isn’t this done through Common App?
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We don’t have Naviance. I was trying to help the GC. Every year our HS has 1-5 students that apply to anywhere other than state schools. Almost never does anyone apply to 20 schools.
I just don’t know how they are shared: Common App, Portal, email. If email, this is a way she can have the full list. Im not telling her how to do her job, just trying to help.
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That’s what I’m trying to understand. And if by email, does the GC have to find them all?
How did your child’s schools get the earlier counselor and school report? For us, it was downloaded into the Common App. I believe the mid-year is done the same way. Schools that want them can download. I wouldn’t send it over yourself unless your GC doesn’t do this and they indicate on their website that they want them. Extra emails and unwanted documents aren’t going to help your chances.
https://appsupport.commonapp.org/s/article/mid-year-report-tkrbwvuh
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