Hi @Sally_Rubenstone, I currently take dual enrollment math at Princeton University at a 200 level. There are two semester-long courses, and I am doing fine in the first (Number Theory, likely will end in B to A-range depending on how I do on the final), but I have heard that the second course (Honors Analysis) is much much harder. Hypothetically, if I end in the C or D range in that course, could I get rescinded from my Ivy ED school? I have straight A/A+s in everything else but this DE process has just been very stressful and I am worried. I have been having some family illnesses and social/relationship difficulties recently, which negatively impacted my midterm grade in Number Theory; don’t know if those count as extenuating circumstances though. Thank you in advance!
@kitkat4023 -I’m a little confused by your query. Are you in BOTH classes right now or is Honors Analysis planned for the spring semester? In any case, if you get a D in Honors Analysis, your ED school will undoubtedly contact you about it, but you should probably be okay if you emphasize that you’ve challenged yourself by taking a notoriously tough class at one of the most prestigious colleges on the planet.
But if you haven’t started Analysis yet, you can write to your admission rep at the Ivy you plan to attend, explain that you’ve heard terrifying tales about the course you will soon be taking, and ask what the consequences will be if you don’t do as well in this class as you’ve done in your others in the past. You can insist that you’re up for the challenge but concerned about the outcome. There’s no down side to asking that question NOW. The college can’t rescind your acceptance just for worrying! 
Good luck!
Hello! I’m a senior in High school and I’ve maintained all A’s and B’s all through freshman- junior year. The lowest grade I ever got was a 90 B. However, during my first semester of senior year, and I undertook The QuestBridge application in less than 2 weeks, I got very stressed and busy with extracurriculars, senioritis, and sickness. I started dropping really low in my AP Calc class, and I ended the semester with a 78 C. Before that I’d never gotten even a B in a math class. However I applied to some pretty high ranking schools, Ivy’s, and a lot in the top 20. I got all As in every other class last semester, but I have to send the colleges a mid year report before they make a decision. Do you think there’s a chance I could still get accepted?
@Tifejjewel -The 78 is not a deal-breaker., especially since you are a Questbridge applicant and may be given some wiggle room when it comes to grades, especially in tough classes like AP Calc and also because your other grades are all strong. If, however, you indicated on your application that you want to major in a math-related field or if you mentioned that you want to be pre-med, it’s possible that some admission officials could view your math grade as a sign that you may flounder in a rigorous college math class. But if you got good scores on the math portion of your SAT or ACT, then these concerns will be unfounded.
Bottom line: The one low grade should have minimal impact on your college outcomes.
@Sally_Rubenstone Hi, thanks for your quick response! To answer your question, I haven’t started Honors Analysis yet. I did email the school after reading your reply, and they said that “in many cases” a C or D will result in academic probation. As a follow-up question I asked if they’d prefer to see me try to take it and do well or simply drop it; they didn’t mention any negative consequences of dropping but said that “as a general rule, they prefer to see me do well in a rigorous math class.” So from this I’ve gathered that my chance of being rescinded from a hypothetical bad grade in this class is very low, and I think I’ll try to not disappoint them by toughing it out and aiming for the A in Honors Analysis. Thank you again, your advice was really very helpful!
@kitkat4023 -Yes, you’re right. It sounds as if you’re acceptance will not be rescinded if you tackle the tough Princeton class this spring. Just make sure that, if you do struggle, you take advantage of faculty office hours or other extra-help opportunities (and even tutoring, if necessary) so that, should you end up with a bad grade, you can document the efforts you make to stay afloat, and the admission officials at the college that accepted you will know that you weren’t slacking. My best guess, however, is that this class will not be as miserable as the rumor mill has suggested.
Let us know what you think once it’s under way!
My son, a senior, who attends a prep school was recently found to have a tobacco “vape pen” on campus. It was his second offense (bright kid, poor judgement) He has been accepted to a small liberal arts college on the East coast. The school has given him the option of facing the school’s disciplinary committee, which has the discretion to impose sanctions up to and including dismissal, or to voluntarily withdraw. It is half way into his senior year. What would the options be to finish high school on time if he is dismissed or withdraws? And I am assuming that would cause his college acceptance to be revoked and now it is past the application deadlines for most other schools, so I am not sure what he could do on that front. Any thoughts on how to handle this would be appreciated. At this point in time, it sort of seems that dismissal and withdrawal are likely to lead to the same end result, but do colleges handle them differently? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
@MomofFiveCT -As stressful as this is, it’s not terribly uncommon, and I personally have known quite a few families who have been in similar binds (and survived!).
If this were my own son, this is probably how I’d approach the situation:
- I'd have my son speak immediately to his physician (or to a school physician if he's still away at school) and discuss treatment for a nicotine addiction problem, and I'd have him enroll in a formal nicotine addiction treatment program. If you think that your son also has problems with respecting rules or making wise choices, I would have him make an appointment with a psychologist to discuss these concerns.
- I would recommend that he face the disciplinary committee where he could then explain that he began vaping as a way to deal with stress or anxiety without turning to drugs, alcohol or cigarettes, but he didn't realize that vaping was also addictive. He would then point out that he has met with a physician (and possibly a psychologist) and has begun a stop-vaping program.
- He can also suggest some "sanctions" that would help ensure that he finishes the school year with no further incidents of any sort (e.g., weekly check-ins with a dean and/or Residence Life staff). He could also suggest a relevant community service project (such as talks to underclassmen about the hazards of vaping).
- He should conclude by saying that he very much wants to remain at this prep school and hopes that the committee will allow him to stay and to prove he can be a good citizen.
If this works, and he does get to stay, you as parents will need to decide if there is anything that you should be doing on your end to help your son fulfill his commitment to staying on course.
If, however, your son is not permitted to stay at his prep school, he will still have options. You might want to talk to an administrator at your local public school right now to see if enrolling there would be possible. I have known students expelled from boarding school who started at the local public high school as late as March in the senior year. Another student I know who was booted out of private school was able to enroll in the local community college to finish his requirements. He was officially registered in his local high school’s “dual enrollment” program so he got his diploma from the public school in June.
Another student in this boat finished high school online (which is a fairly common solution in these circumstances) and yet another got a GED.
Finally, your son should explain the situation to his regional admission rep at the college he plans to attend. He should do this soon, but–if you want–you can wait to see what happens with the disciplinary committee. If your son IS permitted to remain at his school, the next step will be to ask his school counselor exactly what he or she plans to tell the college that your son expects to attend. Your son will also have to contact the college with his explanation, and you’ll want it to be in sync with what his school says. It’s POSSIBLE, however, that the school will say nothing to the college. Although schools are SUPPOSED to report all disciplinary infractions to colleges in the end-of-year report, some schools do not do this, citing their own privacy policies.
But, presumably, your son WILL have to contact the college. He will need to explain his infraction and then, hopefully, also explain that he has already taken steps #1 and #2 above. He should emphasize that he has learned a lot from this experience and is prepared to start college with full respect for the college rules.
While it’s impossible to know how the college will react, I think that there is a good chance that the college will NOT rescind the acceptance. His infraction (vaping) is not a hate crime nor did it hurt or endanger anyone. College folks are much more concerned with disciplinary violations that suggest that a student might harm another college community member in some way.
If your son does lose his acceptance, he can apply to several of the many colleges with late or rolling deadlines, or he can consider a gap year, and reapply to colleges next fall. If he spends his gap year wisely, he should have college choices that are similar to the ones he had this year. The college that already admitted him (and then revoked his acceptance) might actually accept him again.
Whatever happens, rest assured that all of the students I know personally who were in your son’s shoes have gone on to lead happy and productive lives, and none actually lost their college acceptances because–like your son–their infractions fell squarely under the “Teen Foibles” rubric … i.e., they showed poor and juvenile judgment but not criminal behavior.
Good luck to you and your son as you navigate this maze.
Dear Sally,
My son is already a senior in college but for some reason I still receive notifications from some CC threads which I don’t usually open. Just by absolute random chance I opened the last question posted by MomofFiveCT above, and read your response.
I want to say I was struck by your compassion and kindness, and your thorough and thoughtful response. The mom did not have to say how stressed she was, you just KNEW it.
I want to acknowledge you for the way you help these kids and parents see things from a balanced perspective and give comfort yet absolute great advice , never compromising the integrity of the admission process and never shaming or blaming. The college admission process is way too stressful , and you are a gem of a resource.
Thank you !!!
I hope the mom feels comforted knowing her son has some options, and I wish them the best of luck.
@ovrseasmom -Welcome back to CC, and thanks so much for taking the time to write. You made my day!
Nearly every parent (me included) must look at MomofFiveCT’s plight and think, “There but for the grace of God go I!” Even the most industrious and cautious teenagers can have a lapse (or two) of judgment and end up in hot water that their luckier (but not necessarily more moral) peers avoid. So it’s easy to want to help someone in this predicament.
And I should have mentioned in my earlier post that colleges tend to rescind acceptances not only for transgressions that might harm others, but also for committing offenses that suggest questionable ethics (e.g., cheating, stealing, lying). MomofFiveCT’s son didn’t do that either. So I’m optimistic about his chances of staying at his current school. While many private schools do have inflexible policies that pertain to multiple offenses, the fact that this boy has the option of facing a disciplinary committee–and hasn’t already been shipped out–makes me believe that there’s hope for him!
Again, thanks for your kind words.
Thank you so much for your support and helpful advice! 
@MomofFiveCT -You’re very welcome and here’s to a happy ending … whatever that may ultimately mean.
Hi Sally–
I have been accepted ED to Middlebury College as a Posse scholar, but the past including the end of my junior year has been very stressful for me. I was in a very toxic relationship without realizing it that took me away from my studies and brought up a lot of issues. My anxiety and depression which I had under control for the majority of high school resurfaced, and I had terrible trouble sleeping and would come to school exhausted mentally and physically. I have been an A/B+ student all throughout high school, but I am potentially ending this year with 3 A’s and 3 C’s. All of my classes are AP classes.
On Middlebury’s admitted student’s website, it says that I am to “complete the rest of the year with satisfactory grades” and that my admission is provisional until the final transcripts are sent to them. So that leaves me with two questions: 1. Because I am not failing (D/F) in any classes, would that still be considered satisfactory? 2. Do my midterm/ Mid Year grades not count that much because they emphasize second semester grades as a deciding factor, or because I was accepted ED, first semester grades hold a lot of weight as well?
I am out of that relationship and already feeling better. Two weeks ago all of my grades were Cs/Ds/Fs and I have managed to smooth out half of them, and I know that next semester I will be able to do even better again.
Thank you
Hi Sally,
I was accepted to Georgetown through their early action program. I haven’t sent in any senior year grades yet, but pretty soon I have to send a midyear report. So far, between both quarters my lowest grade on my report card is a 90. I’m taking 5 AP’s and doing fine for quarter grades, but I just received my midterm grade for AP Calculus BC and I failed with a 56. My current overall average for math right now including the 56 is a 89 because the 56 only counts for 5 percent of my overall grade. I’m worried because on my report card, which will be sent, there is a separate column for midterm grades and final grades. I got a 92 first quarter and a 90 second quartee, but with the grades broken up into different categories, Georgetown will be able to see the 56 I got on the midterm. Do you think this will impact my acceptance since my overall average is still an 89? I feel like the 56 will hurt me if they don’t know that it is only 5 percent. Thank you!
@middkid22 -You should write to Middlebury now and explain your situation, if your counselor will be sending in a mid-year report, which I assume he or she will do. Colleges do not like to lose admitted students–especially Posse students–but three C’s will be a red flag. But if these C’s are only in your first semester grades, and if you are able to end the school year on a stronger note, you have nothing to worry about.
Do you think you can get better grades in the second semester? You don’t have to get all A’s … or even all A’s and B’s … but can you do better than 3 C’s? It sounds like you’re optimistic that your grades will improv,e now that you’ve ended the unhealthy relationship. And if they do, you’ll be fine.
@gigirocks75 -If your report card shows an 89 in Calc BC, then your low exam grade might attract a few raised eyebrows but it shouldn’t have any effect on your acceptance … assuming, of course, that your Calc BC grade doesn’t plummet in the second semester.
However, are you sure that the exam grade has to go on your mid-year report? Talk to your counselor about that. The colleges want to see your semester and, especially, final grades. But sending test results is not mandatory. So it’s possible that your exam grade won’t be on the transcript that gets sent to Georgetown. And, even if your school does routinely include exam grades on its transcripts, you can try asking your counselor to remove the exam grades since they’re not required.
Hi Sally,
I know this isnt regarding a rescind of acceptance, but my grades throughout high school have improved from mid-90s (freshman year) to an overall 98 average in junior year. We dont do 4.0 scale. In senior year, my first two quarters are back to what it was in freshman year, except im taking all APs this year and none during freshman year (my school doesnt offer it that young). Since I “dropped” my grades back to mid-90s, will that look weak to extremely selective colleges? (ivies, northwestern, washu etc.) These are all for regular decision, so they will see these grades on the midyear report.
Thank you!
@futurecollegeguy -Are you serious? A drop from high 90’s to mid-90’s in an all-AP course load is inconsequential! So stop worrying!
If you drop a class like AP Chem after the first semester? I learned that I didn’t have adequate resources to be successful in that class. I don’t need the class for graduation, but I’ve been accepted to several universities where I didn’t see any indication that I would need. My major is Microbiology or Psychology depending on the school. I am still waiting on Texas A&M for a response of anything.
@SnrGirl18 -College admission folks do not like to find out in July that a student did not take the same classes that were on his or her application, and this is particularly true when a student drops a very rigorous class. So you would be wise to tell your colleges NOW that you dropped AP Chem. There’s a possibility that your acceptance will be rescinded but, if you explain your decision, you’ll probably be okay. And if the news IS going to be bad, you want to know ASAP and not in the summer. Good luck!