Son dismissed from Guilford College after first semester for low GPA

Parents Forum
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<p>Thanks so much for reviving this post! This brings up some interesting issues. At my son's Big State U, we parents were given the info that we would not have access to their records due to privacy issues. Fortunately, my son is happy to share his grades with us (so far!). I do not think that he has the option of waving his privacy rights, as a previous poster mentioned. Is this common? Can they usually request to have info sent to their home addresses? </p>

<p>The school did generously inform us that they would be contacting us if our children are arrested!</p>

<p>On another note, does it make sense that lbr6's son was taking 7 courses in his first semester? Is this typical? Even if they are only one credit, I find it disturbing that a school would allow so many classes because it would mean getting to know so many profs.</p>

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<p>
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getting to know so many profs.?????

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<p>I have never heard of one's grade being dependent on getting to know a prof. I find that kinda funny.</p>

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<p>OK OK</p>

<p>What I mean is that teachers have different styles and expectations. Having 7 profs may be similar to many high school kids experience but it would have been hard for me, freshman year of college, to have so many to keep up with.</p>

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<p>Wbow, I think if you started your own thread, you might get more response (if you want it). Because this thread is originally from last year, many of the old-time posters and lurkers are probably just skimming. That's what I was doing until this thread started growing again.</p>

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<p>very appropriate suggestion..........it is old and I hardly could tell that it was revived.</p>

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<p>
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Is there a way to e-mail the OP to encourage her to come back? I thought there was an e-mail the poster feature somewhere.

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If you click on the OP's screenname, "send an e-mail" is one of the options you can click on. S/he seems to still have it enabled. </p>

<p>I, too, never saw this thread first time around; find it fascinating and useful; and - like so many others - would love to hear an update. So, go for it bluealien.</p>

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<p>Guilford's 4 year graduation rate is a profoundly disappointing 50%. There are lots of colleges with similar academic selectivity and much higher graduation rates. I don't know about how kindly students are handled, but departing without a degree seems quite common from GC.>></p>

<p>In defense of Guilford, their graduation rate includes non-traditional (i.e., adult) students enrolled in their part-time evening and weekend program. Guilford actually has more students in this program than in their traditional full-time program, which is quite unusual for an LAC. </p>

<p>Nationally, graduation rates for part-time working students are significantly lower than for traditional full-time students, and this likely makes Guilford's overall rate appear lower than it actually would be if only traditional students were included. This is important to keep in mind when comparing Guilford to other LACs who do not have the non-traditional part-time component.</p>

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<p>Oh. Ok. Thanks jmmom. I will try that.</p>

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<p>Carolyn I would be happy to defer to your vastly greater knowledge of college admissions, but if what you say is correct, the Guilford is ignoring the reporting rules. </p>

<p>According to College Results Online</p>

<p>"GRS graduation rates are based on the percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen who earn a bachelor’s degree from the institution where they originally enrolled. Undergraduates who begin as part-time or non degree-seeking students, or who transfer into the institution from elsewhere in higher education, are not included in the GRS cohort. Their success or failure to earn a degree does not influence the GRS graduation rates in College Results Online in any way."</p>

<p>In its CDS's, Guilford does state that its reported rates are for full time first time students. </p>

<p>So the figures for Guilford SHOULD NOT include part time students.</p>

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<p>Ok. I used the e-mail thing under her profile. I wonder how you get a response this way. Does the response go to your e-mail? Or what?</p>

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<p>Hmmm...well, I am probably wrong then Afan. My apologies.</p>

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<p>Here's the info from Guilford's Common Data Set, looks like you are right afan:</p>

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Report for the cohort of full-time first-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in fall 1996. Include in the cohort those who entered your institution during the summer term preceding fall 1996.</p>

<p>B4. Initial 1996 cohort of first-time, full-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students; total all students: 276</p>

<p>B5. Of the initial 1996 cohort, how many did not persist and did not graduate for the following reasons: deceased, permanently disabled, armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government, or official church missions; total allowable exclusions: 0</p>

<p>B6. Final 1996 cohort, after adjusting for allowable exclusions: 276
(Subtract question B5 from question B4)</p>

<p>B7. Of the initial 1996 cohort, how many completed the program in four years or less (by August 31, 2000): 142</p>

<p>B8. Of the initial 1996 cohort, how many completed the program in more than four years but in five years or less (after August 31, 2000 and by August 31, 2001): 37</p>

<p>B9. Of the initial 1996 cohort, how many completed the program in more than five years but in six years or less (after August 31, 2001 and by August 31, 2002): 8</p>

<p>B10. Total graduating within six years (sum of questions B7, B8, and B9): 187</p>

<p>B11. Six-year graduation rate for 1996 cohort (question B10 divided by question B6): 68%

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<p>Still,. I don't think the Guilford grad rate is a huge negative mark when compared to other schools that accept students with similar profiles (Lynchburg, Roanoke).</p>

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<p>I would speculate that, in addition to traditional students, they take risks in accepting some kids for whom graduating is a stretch. This might be because of prior academic short comings, personal problems, health limitations, or whatever. They manage to help some of these kids make it through and get college degrees. The cost of taking risks is that quite of few of these risky students do not make it. Places that report astronomical graduation rates do so by only accepting sure things. Of course they have excellent support services, but relatively few of their students need them.</p>

<p>I guess my point is to keep this in mind when looking for "colleges that change lives". Just as if one is admitted to a far reach school, and should ask whether they can keep up academically, if you need a "change life" college, look at the safety net before you leap. If you end up with an 0.9 GPA first semester, then something is very wrong, and perhaps this is not the right college for you. That is not the fault of the student or the college, just not a fit.</p>

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<p>I live in an area with a strong Quaker presence and Guilford has become pretty popular with an element here. Borderline "hippie" types, homeschoolers, and slacker prep school grads. I suspect that part of the reason the grad rate is so low and situations like this happen is that many applicants are not committed academically, have the money to do other things and are eventually worn down by the travel. And on the other hand anyone who is serious about career prep probably leaves Guilfrod pretty quickly.</p>

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<p>I haven't heard from the OP. So, I guess they are not coming back to the board</p>

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<p>Too bad, Blue, but thanks for trying.</p>

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<p>Here's hoping that the OP just decided to move on and things are going better for the OP's son.</p>

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<p>I think some of those 1 credit courses may have been pre-writing or pre-math courses due to low scores on placement tests or SATs (saw something about that on their site). So, perhaps this student wasn't totally prepared for college level work - that combined with socializing, etc could have been a real problem. A good advisor should have watched closely for signs of trouble...According to the website, Guilford is big on writing and I believe the mother said her son had trouble with writing as well. And he missed classes so attendance may have counted as part of the grade. Also sounded like he didn't do assignments. Could have resulted in a 0 grade for the paper/test, which may have counted as 50% of the grade so even if he was doing ok (C) at mid-term, it would be very easy to fail...</p>

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<p>Hi there,</p>

<p>First time poster. Just realized that Op posted last year! I am dying to know how her son made out, aren't you?</p>

<p>DS is presently a freshman at a small private college in central Illinois. Presently on academic probation. Not a big partier, but has ADD and L
D issues. This school has strong support services, but DS reluctant to seek help until it was too late. By the way, he also got a bad grade in Freshman Experience.</p>

<p>All freshman and parents at his school are required to sign a waiver so that parents can recieve grades, talk to advisors, etc. So we were not blindsided when we got the academic probation notice.</p>

<p>This semester he's taking an easier math course, he knows his way around campus, and he also has a Palm Pilot to remind him about papers and tests, so we're hoping he'll do better.</p>

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<p>patsimae, good luck to you and your son.</p>