@suburbancat-If your daughter has ALREADY been admitted to a college (or colleges), then a SEMESTER grade of D will have no impact on those verdicts. If she were to also get a FINAL grade of D, some admission officials would claim that her acceptance is in jeopardy. But, frankly, if a student is proactive about explaining struggles in a class and notes the efforts that were made to improve, few colleges will rescind in those situations. (UC campuses, however, MIGHT since they have a more inflexible “Nothing below C” policy, but–even at the UC’s–I’ve observed some wiggle room and have seen case-by-case evaluations.)
If your daughter has NOT been admitted to college/s yet, and she gets a D in her AP Stats class for the semester, she should send a note to the admission offices in January that briefly discusses her ongoing math struggles, pointing out that she challenged herself anyway with a class that she expected to be tough, and also listing whatever measures she’s taken to stay afloat.
So even if your daughter does end the class with a D in the spring, she should be okay at her chosen college as long as she explains the grade to the admission folks as soon as she’s sure what it will be.
Hi - I got admitted into two colleges. My GPA is 3.33 (unweighted), I am captain of a varsity team and have many extra curriculars. In my fall semester, I got a D in an AP Science course (i am already done with minimum requirements). I do have an option to withdraw from the course. I had a B+ at the end of 1st quarter, but struggled really badly after that as I did really poorly on two big exams (got Fs) and missed a project. I chose to focus on my otehr subjects (bad move I know). I have always had trouble with Science. I wanted to drop the course earlier but when I managed a B+ (with group projects and homework assignments), I stuck it out. I have 2 As and 2 B+s in the other courses. What should I do? Drop the course and take a W and take a different course in Spring Semester? Or stick out out and work to improve my grade. I have applied to UCs and wonder if I need to tell them (with either course of action). In either situation, I believe I have to notify the UCs. Also very worried that my other two schools will rescind my application. I have already submitted many other applications and wonder what I should do? Worried sick!
@sfloyal -The UC’s will not accept a final grade of D in your senior year … at least not officially, but I have heard of situations where students are struggling in tough courses, not slacking, and so they manage to get admitted (or keep an acceptance) even with a D. So you should contact your UC schools ASAP to explain your situation and ask how it will affect your applications if you withdraw from the class. Since the class was listed on your applications when you applied, you should not withdraw without asking for an okay from the admission offices. If your D is just for a quarter or semester grade, it is not a dealbreaker. Maybe if you stay in the class, you can work out an arrangement with your teacher that will allow you to do extra credit to keep your FINAL grade above a D.
As for the colleges that have admitted you already, you need to contact them to ask if withdrawing from the AP class will mean that you lose your acceptance. It’s likely that you will NOT, but the college folks hate to find out in the summer that a student did not finish all classes that were on the application. So don’t withdraw from the class before asking all of the admission offices how the W might affect you down the road.
@Sally_Rubenstone Thanks for replying. This is not my final grade, but the semester grade. It sounds like withdrawing is the worse option .Do I need to tell the schools I got accepted into about my D? Is one D a deal breaker (all my other grades are As or Bs)?
@sfloyal - Colleges only care about final grades. So if you are confident that you can pull up your D to at least a C-, by the end of the year, then you won’t have your acceptances revoked. But if you withdraw from a class that was on your applications, you run the risk of having an acceptance rescinded. However, if you tell the colleges that have already accepted you … as well as the UC’s where you’ve applied … that you are considering pulling out of a class where you are struggling, they may say it’s fine. You just need to find out BEFORE you do it.
Thanks @Sally_Rubenstone. Sorry to bother you again. The D is in AP Environmental Science and it is a full year course. So we get a first semester grade and a second semester grade…I don’t know if that means a final grade. Some courses are semester courses only and get the one grade. I am meeting my counselor tomorrow. So if I don’t withdraw, do I need to inform the schools I got accepted to about my D. Also, I applied to UW and UTAustin that require no mid year transcripts, but just a final one if I get accepted. Should i do anything with those schools? Looks like I have blown my chances at a UC. My family’s financial situation has taken a turn for the worse and UC was my first choice because of that. I’m sorry to vent but sleepless nights have rendered me useless.
@sfloyal -Don’t give up on the UC’s. Because AP Environmental Science is a year-long course, you should get a final grade in May or June, which will be the one that the colleges see. Ask your counselor to tell you exactly what will be on your final transcript that goes to colleges. Most high schools do not put January grades on the student transcript unless the course ends after one semester.
You don’t have to do anything with UW and UTAustin unless you think you are going to withdraw from AP Environment. If you DO want to withdraw, you should check with them to ask if the W will affect your admission outcomes. Even if you don’t “need” this AP class, if it’s one of the most rigorous classes in your schedule, eliminating it may mean that your admission chances take a nosedive.
And if you do stay in AP Environment, get some tutoring if you can (often there is free peer tutoring available if you can’t pay) and definitely take advantage of any extra-help sessions that your teacher offers. Not only should this improve your grade but also it will help convince admission folks that you weren’t slacking if you end up with another D in June.
@Sally_Rubenstone thanks. They will put BOTH the grades on the transcript. It will be half a credit for first semester and half for second semester. We start the second semester with a clean slate. This D in first semester will make me ineligible for UC’s. My other courses are AP Stat, Economic Policy, English Honors and another History course which I haven’t got into yet. If I was to drop AP Environmental Science, I was thinking of Industrial Design or another History course. I come from an extremely rigorous school. While a W will look really bad, will it make me ineligible though? I feel I may still have a chance with a W, but absolutely no chance with a D at the UCs. I don’t however want to lose my other two acceptances. I still need to inform the UCs about a course change because I was hopeful of getting a course but it is already full. I will be selecting an equivalent course. I should have more clarity after I meet my counselor but these two are my only options (W or a D).
@sfloyal -It would be irresponsible of me to advise you further without knowing a lot more about you. You really need to hash this out with your counselor and have her discuss your next steps.
From where I sit, if you withdraw from the AP Environmental class, then you will have a D on your record for sure and that could kill you at the UC’s. The colleges that have already admitted you may rescind your acceptance as well … or they may not. It will be important for you to tell them about the D and about how you weren’t slacking in the class but you just got behind and couldn’t catch up.
So here are some of the other things you need to find out and/or do:
-Ask your counselor to contact the UC’s to see if you are out of the running with a first-semester D or with a W or if significant effort in AP Environmental during the second semester will keep your candidacy alive.
-Also contact the colleges that have accepted you, plus the others you are waiting on (UW and UT) to see how a W will affect your candidacy. Even though Environmental Science isn’t considered a hard-core science by most admission officials, if you aren’t taking any other science this year, it could really work against you if you drop Environmental. So you just need to ask before you decide whether or not to stick it out. (I have no clue what sciences you’ve had already. Maybe you took some tough sciences in 10, 11, and 12 … that’s what I mean about not being able to answer adequately without more information).
Although the UC’s claim to rescind acceptances when a student earns a grade below C, in reality I have seen exceptions made when the student proves that he or she was trying hard. So don’t give up yet but do enlist your counselor to work with you to do some damage control.
Above all, please realize that, despite how frustrating and discouraging this situation may feel right now, it will soon be ancient history and life will go on for you … perhaps even working out in a good way that might not have occurred if you’d aced the class. So try not to get too stressed out over this.
My son is an honor roll student. His school has a program that allows him to take a semester to get an internship and be exempt from attending classes. Will a school frown on him not completing c.g. Physics?
@SRWard–Any time a student’s curriculum deviates from what was listed on the application, it is important to check with colleges before finalizing the new plans. Your son’s verdict may depend on several factors … e.g., where he’s applied, the rigor of his curriculum up until now, and the perceived (by the college folks, not YOU!) value of his internship.
You certainly don’t want any unpleasant surprises in July, so send out emails today and if you don’t hear back promptly, pick up the phone (but any green light you get verbally should be confirmed in writing thereafter).
@Sally_Rubenstone Feels like my world is falling apart. I am still calling schools to see if I can withdraw and now my best friend is in trouble. I don’t know what he was thinking but he took answers to a question from the internet. Not an excuse but he has family troubles and is stressed. Too many things to juggle and he dropped the ball. Some girl told the teacher and he was given a zero, as is the school policy. And the teacher asked him to withdraw from the course as well. Because he has to withdraw, the school has told him they have to notify the colleges about this incident. This is his first offence. While they are not required to notify, they are obligated to tell the truth as to why my friend was asked to withdraw. This will go with his mid year report. The matter went to the principal who also agreed. The counselors and the principal have all offered to write letters of support for my friend. They are saying they know some of the admissions officers in the colleges he has applied to and will vouch for him. My friend is very worried that his future is over and no college will accept him. He has one acceptance which he fears will now be rescinded. I know that this is the kiss of death. Will no college take him now? He will be writing a letter as well, guided by his counselor that shows his remorse and what he has learned. Even though he, his principal, counselors and teacher write a letter and advocate for him, do you think he has a chance?
@sfloyal - This situation may feel insurmountable to your friend and to you, but it’s not. It sounds as if it is being handled by the school and by your friend in the best possible way. When your friend writes his apology/remorse letter to the colleges, he should be as specific as he is comfortable being about his family problems … IF they are problems that are likely to garner sympathy in admission offices (e.g., if his parents are fighting constantly or divorcing; if there are health, mental health, or medical issues, etc., he should spell them out. If, however, the “troubles” involve a kitchen-remodeling job that isn’t going well, he should be vague!)
My best guess is that this unfortunate episode could hurt your friend at the colleges that turn away two-thirds or more of their applicants or anywhere that he is a borderline candidate to begin with. But, assuming that his college list is balanced and includes realistic and safe options, he should be okay. And, given that he seems to be getting support from the high school, he might be fine everywhere, including at the college that already admitted him. If there is talk from that college about rescinding the acceptance, he should propose that he can start his freshman year on probation and would check in regularly with a dean or advisor.
If the college that already accepted him does decide to revoke the acceptance, you should find that out right away. And, if that’s the case, it’s not too late to apply to one more college that is VERY “safe” (i.e., where your friend’s GPA and test scores are well above the median and where the majority of candidates get in.)
As I said above, this may seem like the end of the world right now, but your friend will ultimately learn and grow from this and WILL have college options.
Thank you @Sally_Rubenstone. Even the college counselors are telling him this is not an insurmountable problem, but then it’s not their life. They think that he won’t lose his acceptance. But most of his other schools are 30 to 40% acceptance rate. But his dream school has an 18% acceptance rate and he is upset that his application will just be tossed aside. He has applied to UCs where they don’t send a mid year report. He had high expectations and this one incident is now ruining his chances. He and I both won’t know until Mar Apr I suppose…
@sfloyal - There will be an element of luck in play here. Some admission officials will take a hard line on the cheating infraction while others will be more apt to acknowledge the support from the high school and give your friend a pass on this. So depending on which admission officers’ desks your friend’s file lands, he may get lucky … or not.
Hi, @Sally_Rubenstone I got into 2 colleges so far, but got 1 A, 1 C and 4 Bs first semester senior year sadly. Will I get rescinded? I’m generally a B+/A- student, but this semester was just harder than I expected. It’s a 3.5 weighted. But if I get into UC schools, will I be rescinded for having such bad grades?
@Sally_Rubenstone the one C I got was in Ap psychology which also happens to be my major at one school I got accepted to. If I get an A second semester will it pose an issue? I’m just worried they’ll think poorly of me because I did badly in a subject I’m majoring in.
@deadroses -A college that already admitted you is highly unlikely to rescind your acceptance for a C in AP Psych, even if psychology is your intended major. At a college that has NOT admitted you yet, however, a C in your intended major might work against you, especially if the school is highly selective or if you are a borderline candidate even without the C in AP Psych. At any college where you have not yet been admitted, a second-semester A will do you little good since your fate there will be sealed before the semester is over. But if you start out very strong in your psych class in the second semester, you can ask your counselor to contact your colleges to say that you seem to be turning your low grade around.
@Sally_Rubenstone okay, thank you! The school I got in for was UIUC for psychology. The rest of the schools I applied to were for the major linguistics and did not ask for mid year reports, so I hope that works out in my favor. Thank you for the help!