When and why do universities call up schools to ask about quarter grades?

Worried about quarter grades. I got a basically perfect GPA last year, but it is going to drop for Quarter 1. I still have hope for Semester 1 though. Quarter grades do not get reported in my transcript, but I am afraid my school might send them anyways.

You are asking two different questions. Universities generally do not ask about first quarter grades because high schools send mid-year reports or applicants. The only instance I am aware of where they need first quarter grades is if a student applies ED or EA and the decisions come out before mid-year grades. Look at the schools you are considering and see what they ask for.

As to whether or not your sends them anyway, that is a question for your school. Most application deadlines are in January so your school may not even know where students have applied until then.

You should to talk to your GC about your school procedures about this. Like @helpingmom40 , my experience has been that only EA and ED applications require a first quarter report. Possibly some rolling admissions, but those that my kids had did not. However, it is possible that some High schools auto send the first quarters for everyone to all of the schools due to internal programming. That’s why you have to ask your GC since the transcripts will come from your high school.

Definitely check with your GC.

When my D was applying, she choose to self report 1st quarter grades but because it wasn’t an official part of her transcript, her high school wouldn’t send it.

As you were told on your similar question regarding EA/ED applications http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/2197946-do-early-colleges-see-first-quarter-grades.html#latest it will depend on the school. Early applications may require Q1 info, RD apps will not because they will use semester data.