<p>Hello!</p>
<p>I was wondering if a stupid mistake I made would take me out of the college game. In the second semester of my sophomore AP Biology class (I'm currently a junior) I had to move early April to a new school because of family reasons, and this took a toll on me. Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal to others, but moving somewhere after living my whole life in one area with my childhood friends so late in the school year made me become kind of depressed. Biiiig mistake.
I let myself become unmotivated and that caused my grades to slip, namely in AP Bio. I loved this class (even though it was crazy hard) in my old school and I managed to get B first semester. Then, when I moved to my new school, the few assignments that the teacher based my grades off of pulled my grade down to a solid F. I literally broke down then because I thought I would never get into a good college :(
But on the other hand, that result has motivated me to try even harder and have an even better Junior year, and to shake off the sadness that came with moving. </p>
<p>So, would this automatically put me in the "rejected" pile? I was originally shooting for some selective schools, but should I now look at other ones? (I'm living in CA) Would colleges even consider what caused the grades or would they consider it an "excuse"?</p>
<p>Thank You!</p>
<p>I’m just a senior in high school so I wouldn’t know, but here’s my speculation:</p>
<p>If moving to a new school caused you to fail a class you could have gotten a B in, why should a college think that this won’t happen again? If you live in Cali and are looking at selective colleges, you may be looking at traveling 3000 miles across the country. Colleges should have a reason to doubt whether or not that will happen again. However, there is a special circumstances/further information section on the Common app (not sure about on the UC schools app, I didn’t apply to cali schools) where you can write a letter of explanation. Other than that, I don’t know… email the admissions rep for your area for the schools you are looking at and ask them how much it may impact your application.</p>
<p>If the rest of your grades are very good and you are taking rigorous classes, I think most schools will understand that the F was an exception, not the rule. Moving midyear is a major stress; make sure to provide the explanation in your college application. </p>
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<p>I agree with milkweed. One F doesn’t doom anyone especially in sophomore year after a major move. Just explain the situation and what you learned from it, and demonstrate that you’ve overcome it.</p>
<p>Can you revisit the grade for the class? Were you given any credit for the work you did at your first school from January-April? What was your second semester grade before you transferred?
How was your score on the AP Biology test?</p>
<p>If you have a great AP Bio (5) test score, in most schools, they will adjust your semester grade. Schools have different policies in regards to a F grade…</p>
<p>Can you take the class again or drop it from your transcript? My school system has a policy where you can drop a class and grade entirely from a transcript, albeit you receive no credit, if you send a request directly after taking the course. Although this wouldn’t work for you, maybe your school has a different dropping policy. Also, a lot of high schools allow students to retake a class and the new grade will replace the old. You can take AP Bio next year, get an A or B, and then that F would disappear. Sure, extenuating circumstances may be useful to plead your case, but not having that F at all will just save you a lot of grief.</p>
<p>My AP test score for Bio wasn’t so stellar, sadly :c I’m still pushing myself this year and I’m doing waaay better than soph year. I guess I have learned from the experience, especially since it made me determined not to fail again.</p>
<p>@Fermat25 I’m in junior year so would colleges still look at my transcript the second year?</p>
<p>Also, my school has this policy with the local community college where taking a class there goes on my college transcript and my high school transcript. Do you think that taking a biology class there would replace the score? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The way my school does it is if you retake a class that you failed, get say, a B, the only grade for that class on your transcript is the B. The F disappears. You should ask whoever would know in your school about their own policy. Chances are it could be something similar. As far as the community college goes, I’m not sure. Only your school can answer that question. If there is any way to get rid of the F, you should definitely take it.</p>
<p>OP, You need to check with your own school to find out their policy about replacing grades. What other schools do is irrelevant.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, the only truly convincing mitigation for a failure such as yours is to retake the class and do well. You note that “you loved that class” so retaking it should not be a burden. You have a summer and two senior terms to do that. I would encourage you to retake the class (“college BIO 101”) in the community college setting as soon as you can. Anyone reviewing your transcript will quickly figure out what happened and would see your proactive positive response to a difficult situation.</p>
<p>@fogcity</p>
<p>I’ve looked into my local community college and apparently there isn’t a Bio 101, but there is a “BIO 120 Introduction to Biological Science”. Is that any different from Bio 101?</p>
<p>^ You need to ask the college/HS. How would fogcity know?</p>
<p>you most def can get into college, not to mention some great colleges, if you have really solid grades for your other classes. if u didn’t do great on the AP exam, take the SAT II bio test and really study for it if I were you. ace the exam so you can show that u really know the material. i dont think community college bio will show the same standardization? maybe use some supplemental outlines from other teachers like these?</p>
<p>[AP</a> Biology Chapter Objectives & outlines](<a href=“http://www.biologyjunction.com/ap_biology_chapter_objectives%20&%20outlines.htm]AP”>http://www.biologyjunction.com/ap_biology_chapter_objectives%20&%20outlines.htm)<br>
[College</a> Admissions Blog | SAT | College Application Essay Editing | College Admissions Tips Help](<a href=“http://www.applicationanxiety.com/]College”>http://www.applicationanxiety.com/)
[-</a> Campbell Biology 8th Edition Textbook Outline - AP Biology Exam Review Course -](<a href=“http://www.apexamreview.com/apbiology/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=60]-”>http://www.apexamreview.com/apbiology/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=60)</p>
<p>Yeah, you’re right; I just kind of assumed they were all the same. Silly me.</p>
<p>@abaker2001: Thanks a lot, will do 
Hopefully it all works out!</p>