Not sure if ds should stay or drop CC class--wwyd

[Chris in VA]

Ds is floundering a bit in CC--he is taking Eng, Philosophy, West Civ, and Bio.

If he pulls it all together, I could see him getting B's and maybe an A--maybe better, IDK.

 

He didn't do an essay in Eng--Idk how much it affects his grade, but I imagine he is looking at a C for the course, b/c I don't think he will do perfectly or even 90% from now on.

 

Do you think it's better for him to present the 4 year Uni he wants to go to with 3 strong grades, or more credits but a C in there?

 

I'm counseling him to go ahead and drop the Eng class, and pick it back up at the Uni next year (he doesn't know if he's going to CC this spring or not).

 

His high school grades for the last year were very good--he ended with a 3.0 cumulative for hs inspite of all the yucky stuff he went thru. But I know the universities are going to look at his community college grades. He is working about 20 hours a week, too. I am hoping that dropping the Eng would give him a little breathing room, and he would be more motivated to pull up the other grades (he's got a C in bio and Idk the others, but there is more weight in the latter half of the semester due to exams in those classes, so he could easily raise that C, even to an A).

 

What would you do?

[In The Great White North]

Check if Radford considers 3 classes to be full time and whether or not they care, before he drops one. If he really wants to go to Radford, I'd drop work hours before a class.

[MomsintheGarden]

:iagree:

 

with Laurel & GWN. If it won't affect his acceptance at Radford, I'd drop that English class in a heartbeat.

 

Does this mean he's doing better? I hope so!

 

GardenMom

[Chris in VA]

He's sort of trying.

Sort of.

I'm seeing how very easily discouraged he is. VERY easily.

He's overwhelmed with something, and using to cover it up.

I think he's still devastated by not getting into college ("real" college--his words), and he's hanging out with kids that do drugs.

He didn't even come home night before last.

I do catch his facebook page and he says he wants to make a change.

[Photo Ninja]

I think it would be best to drop the course with the lowest grade. It is better to enter a university with a higher GPA. If he waits, he may miss the drop date for the class, so be sure to check to see when that date is. Does he need full time student status for anything? That could be a consideration, but those cc grades will follow him.

 

I have a ds who takes 12 credits each semester because it is better for him. He can get better grades because he has fewer classes at one time and it is less overwhelming for him. My other dc take 15 - 18 credits and don't have a problem with it, but each child is an individual and needs to plan accordingly. it may be that your ds needs to take fewer classes. It may take an extra year or two to graduate, but that is better than getting poor grades and feeling overwhelmed all the time.

[flyingiguana]

Four classes might be too much, so maybe it does make sense to drop a class -- any class -- just to reduce the load.

 

But the essay that wasn't turned in for English *might* be salvageable. Has he talked to the professor about missing this? At times, professors can be understanding, particularly with students who are just starting out in college and may have gotten in over their heads.

 

If it's too late to drop a class without a "withdrawn" mark on his transcript, I wouldn't get too upset about that. Lots of colleges (where he might apply in the future) see that kind of thing. If he can pull the rest of the classes together, the W might not be so damaging.

 

I'm not sure why he'd need full time status except for financial aid (or health insurance??).

 

Or maybe he needs to get away from college altogether for awhile. If he's still smarting from not getting into the college he wanted, that could really bring him down. He might need more time to get over that.

 

Is there anything else he's interested in? Just holding down a job of some sort instead of school might be what would make him focus a bit more just now.

[Miss Marple]

Ds is floundering a bit in CC--he is taking Eng, Philosophy, West Civ, and Bio.

If he pulls it all together, I could see him getting B's and maybe an A--maybe better, IDK.

 

He didn't do an essay in Eng--Idk how much it affects his grade, but I imagine he is looking at a C for the course, b/c I don't think he will do perfectly or even 90% from now on.

 

Do you think it's better for him to present the 4 year Uni he wants to go to with 3 strong grades, or more credits but a C in there?

 

I'm counseling him to go ahead and drop the Eng class, and pick it back up at the Uni next year (he doesn't know if he's going to CC this spring or not).

 

His high school grades for the last year were very good--he ended with a 3.0 cumulative for hs inspite of all the yucky stuff he went thru. But I know the universities are going to look at his community college grades. He is working about 20 hours a week, too. I am hoping that dropping the Eng would give him a little breathing room, and he would be more motivated to pull up the other grades (he's got a C in bio and Idk the others, but there is more weight in the latter half of the semester due to exams in those classes, so he could easily raise that C, even to an A).

 

What would you do?

 

Does he particularly like the classes? Working 20 hours a week and taking a full load (probably has a lab in Bio?) may be a bit daunting when first starting out. If he is discouraged, I would tend to think that a change of something is in order. I would worry more about discouragement than the grades at present. If he doesn't have a successful semester, he might want to give up altogether. Will he give you any feedback about what he would like to do? My first thought would be to drop the class he is the least interested in even if it is his best grade. Then he could focus his attention on those courses he really likes and perhaps bring up his grades.

:grouphug: It's hard being the school counselor as well as the mom!

[Yolanda in Mass]

If he's trying, I would do whatever it takes to encourage him, especially given his history. If it means dropping a course and having a W, who cares? At this point you want him pointed in the right direction. He's actually in a great place to get help. CC's have better resources for students who struggle than most 4-year schools: writing centers, tutors, people who have experience with under performing students.

 

That he's trying and cares does mean something! It's just so easy to fall into bad habits again. Therapists call it "stinkin' thinkin'". I assume you have ruled out any learning disabilities that may interfere with his academics? You'd be surprised how many kids who do drugs have undiagnosed LD's. Praying for wisdom for you!

 

Yolanda

[Yolanda in Mass]

Check if Radford considers 3 classes to be full time and whether or not they care, before he drops one. If he really wants to go to Radford, I'd drop work hours before a class.

 

:iagree: