Earth science 1st quarter average deeply effect me in College?

Question

I'm taking earth science in 8th grade it was a elective course and I really like earth science. I have a 74 average for first quarter but if I get better averages in 2nd, 3rd. and 4th quarter would it be okay? If I started to get 90 and above grades in the 2nd, 3rd,4th quarter? I'm panicking because 9th grade material is going to really effect college wouldn't it? I have just not been studying and thought this would be a easy going course so I didn't study and didn't try so got these bad grades but if I started to get good grades would it be okay for the college? For example if it was ivy league would they accept the fact that I have a 74 average in that first quarter in 9th grade? I'm really going to do really good from now on forth. So if I got lets say 95 above on every year in high school maybe ap classes and I've failed for this one quarter in 9th grade and did good for the other three quarters would it effect me deeply? I'm really planning on doing well I'm going to study A LOT. Also please give me good tips on how to study

Answer 1

Sylvia,

I'm a bit confused...in your first sentence, you said you were in 8th grade and worrying your 9th grade class - is that right? Here are my thoughts:

• Generally, 8th grade coursework doesn't appear on most high school transcripts - unless it's an accelerated course (so I'm wondering if at your school Earth Sci is considered an accelerated class for 8th graders...bottom line, ask your School Counselor!).

• Most high schools only report Final Grades on their Transcripts - which means you still have time to work on your average (and again, check with a Counselor to make sure you know how your school transcript will work).

• Most colleges feel that 9th grade grades are the least important grades on a transcript (and not all colleges will calculate your GPA using elective courses).

• Finally, earning grades is a bit like running a race...if you get off to a slow start but run really fast at the end, you can still finish well. But I'm hoping the lesson from Earth Science is that it's ALOT less stressful to keep up a good pace from the very beginning!

 

Hope that helped - good luck and if you have time, let me know how you're doing!

 

Spence