Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well, we succeeded in pushing dd#2 up to the level of her incompetence, which is, really a good thing because the girl has never learned to study because she never had to study. Unfortunately, it's a bad thing because, to quote her, she's learning to study "when grades count".
She has two AP classes (AP world history and AP lit), honors chem, plus pre calculus and French 4 this year (she's in 10th grade). It's looking like her GPA for this semester will be something shy of 3.0. Does this blow her chances of getting into a good college and of getting scholarships? She can drop the AP classes for second semester but there's nothing we can do about first. We had hoped she'd pull up in time. While her grades are improving, she got off to a dismal start so her chances of getting even a B in her AP courses is slim. I've heard that C's in AP classes is the kiss of death. Is there anything we can do here or is she just sunk?
If I had known how heavy the work load was for AP world, I would have nixed the second AP class. That class alone would teach her to study out of necessity. I can't go back and fix that mistake. What can we do to help her? Early testing indicates she should score around 30 on the ACT when she takes it as a Junior. If she doesn't, we'll put her through a prep program and have her retake until she does. She has the capability of scoring, at least, that high.
It should be noted that she's also grade accelerated. She should be a 9th grader but she's a 10th grader taking 11th and 12th grade classes. We finally got her in over her head so she has to learn to study but the price she's paying in her GPA is heavy.
I've put this in the education forum, instead of the parenting forum, because I need feedback from educators and counselors (particularly, college counselors).
Didn't you say your kids were going to to community college? If so, grades in HS really don't matter all that much.
Edited to add: One or two Cs on a transcript is not great, but it probably won't kill her chances of getting into college as long as she wasn't targeting a super elite type of university.
A very solid last two years and high test scores will easily offset a poor first two years.
Much better off having a poor first two years than a poor last two years.
If she plays her cards right, she MIGHT be able to get in to the University of Phoenix...
No, just kidding. A C or two, while not great, won't absolutely rid her of any chances she had of going to a good school. She probably won't be going to any Ivy League schools, but schools like Michigan (you're in MI, correct?), would definitely be within her reach.
Not everyone can handle the work load of AP classes, and that's fine. I would encourage her to stick it out for the rest of the year, and then come time to schedule for next year, go with a lighter course load that she can manage. While colleges like to see a rigorous course load, getting As in "regular" classes is preferable to getting Cs in AP classes. That's what we've been told, at least.
Didn't you say your kids were going to to community college? If so, grades in HS really don't matter all that much.
Edited to add: One or two Cs on a transcript is not great, but it probably won't kill her chances of getting into college as long as she wasn't targeting a super elite type of university.
No, her sister is going to CC. She was planning on going away to school.
If she plays her cards right, she MIGHT be able to get in to the University of Phoenix...
No, just kidding. A C or two, while not great, won't absolutely rid her of any chances she had of going to a good school. She probably won't be going to any Ivy League schools, but schools like Michigan (you're in MI, correct?), would definitely be within her reach.
Not everyone can handle the work load of AP classes, and that's fine. I would encourage her to stick it out for the rest of the year, and then come time to schedule for next year, go with a lighter course load that she can manage. While colleges like to see a rigorous course load, getting As in "regular" classes is preferable to getting Cs in AP classes. That's what we've been told, at least.
That's what I've been told too. Unfortunately, I doubt she can pull up to B's in her AP classes and she's getting B's in her other classes because she's trying to keep up in the AP classes.
AP classes can be difficult even for the most intelligent student with the most involved parents.
Anyway, OP I wouldn't have her drop, I struggled my first semester of both of my AP classes for the exact same reason. The best thing I learned was time management. Do you know if her problem is lack of studying (so memorization) or if she isn't understanding the material? Does she have a review book, I think had it not been for my review book I would have probably failed. There is a big chance that she can get her grade up to a B because she now knows the deal- for me I had a C the first quarter, and by the end of the year I was only 2 points shy of an A because I learned my way around the course. Colleges (this is what my college counselors have told me) like to say improvement and challenging courses, although she may not be able to get into Ivy League, there will be many GREAT schools that she can attend.
In addition to that, her being a freshmen gives her a lot of time to improve, I know people who have made it to a 3.7 after being "stuck" freshmen year. (Will she be graduating in her junior year?)
Also, as another poster said, I suggest having her go through this year and maybe pick an easier load next year- chem and pre cal alone are tough classes (Well I'm sure she's good at chem cause you're a chem teacher right?)
My Class rigor is not as difficult as hers (5 AP's total- No honors level math or science and not that high on ACT) and I have gotten scholarship money at decent schools. Just be sure to encourage her and tell her not to lose hope in herself, because once she hits that point of "I can't do it" she will really be stuck.
(I know you said you wanted an educators opinion, but I thought it may be helpful to hear from a student as well)
Last edited by toobusytoday; 12-07-2012 at 08:25 PM..
Reason: Removed deleted post
AP classes can be difficult even for the most intelligent student with the most involved parents.
Anyway, OP I wouldn't have her drop, I struggled my first semester of both of my AP classes for the exact same reason. The best thing I learned was time management. Do you know if her problem is lack of studying (so memorization) or if she isn't understanding the material? Does she have a review book, I think had it not been for my review book I would have probably failed. There is a big chance that she can get her grade up to a B because she now knows the deal- for me I had a C the first quarter, and by the end of the year I was only 2 points shy of an A because I learned my way around the course. Colleges (this is what my college counselors have told me) like to say improvement and challenging courses, although she may not be able to get into Ivy League, there will be many GREAT schools that she can attend.
In addition to that, her being a freshmen gives her a lot of time to improve, I know people who have made it to a 3.7 after being "stuck" freshmen year. (Will she be graduating in her junior year?)
Also, as another poster said, I suggest having her go through this year and maybe pick an easier load next year- chem and pre cal alone are tough classes (Well I'm sure she's good at chem cause you're a chem teacher right?)
My Class rigor is not as difficult as hers (5 AP's total- No honors level math or science and not that high on ACT) and I have gotten scholarship money at decent schools. Just be sure to encourage her and tell her not to lose hope in herself, because once she hits that point of "I can't do it" she will really be stuck.
(I know you said you wanted an educators opinion, but I thought it may be helpful to hear from a student as well)
Dd's problem is that she has skated through school half paying attention and gotten A's up until now. This is the first time she's had to study and she doesn't know how. As a parent, I know this is good for her but she's stressing over her grades. I can't offer her any comfort when her counslors are telling her she can't afford C's in her AP classes.
She needs to learn time management and how to study effectively. She's just never had to before. Now she needs skills she never developed. Study takes longer for her than her peers because she's not effective at it. (I know the feeling with grading papers, lol) What's sad is this is what she needs and this will make her a better student but colleges frown on C's. If she wants to go away to school, she needs go get scholarships.
She's not a freshman. She's a sophomore (with enough credits to be a junior). She should be a freshman. She skipped 4th grade and started taking high school classes in 7th grade. She's been pushed two years ahead. She'll graduate with 6 AP classes and having completed the calculus series at the local community college plus one more course. Too bad colleges don't consider that. Part of me is wishing we'd never let them push her ahead now but she wants to go to med school and if she doesn't learn effective study now, she'll die on the vine later.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 12-07-2012 at 07:42 PM..
My son got an F, yes an actualF in sophomore English.
He wanted to go to the University of Wisconsin -Madison, while certainly not an Ivy League school, it is quite difficult to get into. He was accepted. When he went to his Freshmen orientation he had several professors requesting appointments to see him to invite him to take one of their classes. I'm still amazed at that. With a freshman class of over 10,000 students, wow!
After his receiving his undergraduate degree he was accepted in a doctoral program at the top ranked University in the country in his field.
He has said that receiving that F was the best thing that ever happened to him. After that he started to take his school work more seriously. His grade point raised dramatically from his freshman year to his senior year. I bet that your daughter will also gain some valuable lessons from her recent experiences.
So, don't panic. I agree with the posters who recommended staying in the the AP classes but having her improve her weak areas(test taking, study skills, knowing what is important or whatever). Perhaps a tutor could get her back on track. Can she cut down on extra curriculur activities (at least for a while)? Also, consider a slightly less demanding courseload next semester or next year.
Good luck to her and to your family.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
