<p>Many of you may have read or participated in my other thread regarding my list. Well, if you recall, I had a D in one class.</p>
<p>I spoke with my counselor and found out I can retake that class online. Both grades will appear on the transcript and for GPA purposes, the grades will be averaged. For GPA purposes, the D will probably go up to a C MAYYYYYYYYYYBE a B depending on how high my D was.</p>
<p>Would colleges like to see that I retook the class and got an A (i WILL get an A) or is it basically a waste of time?</p>
<p>It depends on what sort of class it is.
But if it is the foundation for subsequent classes, I think it would be important to fully understand the material.
However, this also depends on how well the class is taught, and if decent curriculum is used. I also think, for many people, online classes can be more difficult- depends on subject though.</p>
<p>Well, I’ve already taken the class in class and got a poor grade. I never did the homework. I got A’s on the tests but never did homework = a D in the class. I understood the material.</p>
<p>My goal now is to retake the class to SHOW the admissions officers that I understand the material. It was a math course.</p>
<p>Getting a D on a core math course is a red flag in any transcript, even if your career goals are in a non-technical field.</p>
<p>I would strongly encourage you to retake the class. Your school’s policy of averaging the grades is more than what many schools would do in a similar situation.</p>
<p>On the additional information section of the CommonApp, I was considering mentioning how I did Ace many of the tests but just failed to do homework. I will take full responsibility for that. I just want Admissions to know that I understand the material.</p>
<p>And the D will still appear on the transcript, the other grade will just appear next to it.</p>
<p>You might also put some thought into explaining why you didn’t do the homework, and why if you didn’t need it, you weren’t placed in a more appropriate level class.</p>
<p>I would either retake the class OR take the next class(es) in the sequence (but this time do the homework!) to show that you understand the material, include an explanation somewhere in your application (if unsure you can discuss this with your guidance counselor, )and leave it at that. I think at least some colleges would understand, although large state schools do seem to go strictly by the numbers in the admissions and scholarship processes.</p>
<p>At a college level students can and do retake classes, especially in technical subjects, and often the higher grade is what appears on the transcript if the grades are not averaged.</p>
<p>Well it dates back to middle school. In middle school, I was placed in prealgebra in 8th grade, despite having taken it in 7th (my mom just assumed this was normal because we switched schools. She was wrong).</p>
<p>From there, I was (for some reason) placed in full year Algebra I (we go on a block system, most classes are semester) where I achieved over a 100.</p>
<p>I asked my counselor if I could go into honors Geometry but she said no, I needed to do semester-long before I could do honors. So I did semester long, got bored, and the result was a D.</p>
<p>Wow, are you a candidate for a flexible teacher. My two S’s have had a great high school math teacher who has three paths to an A: 1) combo of homework and tests or 2) homework only or 3) tests only. She cares that the kid conquers the material. </p>
<p>Too bad mom didn’t go to bat for you to get you into honors Geometry. </p>
<p>Lessons here: there is more than one path to what you want – but you have to be shrewd and sometimes crafty to navigate the system. </p>
<p>Ask around to the teachers and see who is sympathetic to your situation. The online class sounds fine too. Get the A. Include a note with your college application and move on. I am glad to hear that you are cleaning up your mess – such a hassle but the right thing to do.</p>
<p>A word of caution! My S had a somewhat similar situation, and retook a class online over the summer. It was all signed off by the guidance department and the department head. The online class was “the” approved class according to the school district. Son did very well online. Then it was time to take the final. We had been told he would take the final given by the online instructor. But at the last minute, S was told he had to take the final given by the high school. He was very well prepared, and expectations were that he would ace the exam. WELL!!! Turns out that the online instructor never taught certain chapters, which did appear on the final my S took. It was a nightmare! Final outcome was that the school would NOT accept my S taking the online final, and so his <em>actual</em> final grade was lower than an A, and in the long run a real blow to my S. He was trying to clean up a mess that he’d made, and I was very proud of him for taking responsibility. The school let him down. We fought this all the way to the district superintendent, but still did not prevail. </p>
<p>Long story short…if you do take the online course, get it IN WRITING <em>exactly</em> what you have to do, including what test(s) count for what. (We did actually have it in writing, but the rules just said “the final exam”, and we never thought to ask “which” final exam.)</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, axw, but this course is conducted *entirely * online. I won’t even be in the state while I’m taking this class online and I made this clear to my counselor. I will ask some more questions just to be safe though.</p>
<p>Olymom, how exactly do I phrase the note on my applications without sounding, well, arrogant. I accept responsibility for my actions but I feel like if I say anything, I’m making excuses for myself. How do I explain the situation without coming across as pompous?</p>
<p>Just bumping to try and get a response to my last question:</p>
<p>“Olymom, how exactly do I phrase the note on my applications without sounding, well, arrogant. I accept responsibility for my actions but I feel like if I say anything, I’m making excuses for myself. How do I explain the situation without coming across as pompous?”</p>
<p>I’d try something like “I stumbled with algebra in 8th grade but I conquered the material by retaking the course on line in 9th grade. My transcript shows my grades in upper level math courses and I feel very secure in my math abilities now.”</p>
<p>Nice strong words like “secure” and “conquer” and no whining. Brief. Even better when paired with some A’s in Trig or Calc. Good luck!</p>
<p>CIA, I’m glad that you got the wakeup call when you did, and that you’re - well, awake now. Olymom’s advice above is awesome: Keep it short, sweet, and upbeat. You don’t have to dwell on what went wrong the first time if you can point to how you kicked butt the second time and beyond.</p>
<p>I would absolutely refrain from making any statements to the effect of, “I was smart enough but the class was boring, and I only got a bad grade because I didn’t do the homework.” Many bright high school kids (and parents of BHSKs and/or parents who were BHSKs) can relate very well to that sentiment, but on an application it rightly translates to “Danger, Danger, Will Robinson!” Because you will have to do boring work in college, too, and you will need the work ethic to see it through – and there are plenty of other students out there among your competition who have the smarts and the consistent work ethic.</p>
<p>The good news, of course, is that in college you’ll be able to choose courses that are a better match to your ability… provided you last through the prerequisites. ;)</p>
<p>I think it’s okay to say that you were bored and immature, but have grown up now and realize that sometimes you need to do the work even if it’s boring. Just make it clear that you’ve grown up.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I agree with mathmom too – that’d be reasonable. As long as it’s clear that you don’t consider your boredom to be a valid reason not to work and/or a mitigating factor that excuses the poor grade. You messed up then and you’re making good now. Focus more on the making good than on justifying the messing up.</p>
<p>I’m hitting this point hard because of CIA’s posts #5 and #8, which emphasize (to my way of thinking) exactly the wrong attitude. The poor grade wasn’t the result of boredom; it was the result of choosing not to meet the requirements of the course. IMHO “I knew it, I just didn’t do the work” speaks poorly of an applicant – it’s like telling a creditor, “I had the money, I just didn’t bother paying the bills.”</p>
<p>I sent you a PM Olymom, geekmom and mathmom. It is a rough draft of the attached note. Perhaps it is too long, but if you would be willing to give me a response, that would be great!</p>
Olymom’s advice above is awesome: Keep it short, sweet, and upbeat. You don’t have to dwell on what went wrong the first time if you can point to how you kicked butt the second time and beyond.</p>