four students walking in front of the Clark Library

SHEPARD ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER

PARENT NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2018

Dear Parents,

As you may already know, students’ stress levels rise as the semester midterms arrive. Students are becoming accustomed to new academic standards of college professors and should know where they stand in all their classes. Your students are able to calculate their course averages based on the grade outline that professors place in their course syllabi. Students are also now receiving academic warnings and mid-term grades from professors (see attachment); parents will not receive copies of these warnings. Now is a good time talk to your student about his or her academic progress. Be forewarned that grades may not be as high as you might expect. Please take into account the factors discussed in the following paragraphs before you immediately suspect your student of not doing the work he or she should.

At the high school level, grades were probably not really a concern for your students. They often breezed through classes, not worrying about the paper due in two days, since they could probably hammer it out in about two hours and pass successfully. Now your students might find themselves presented with a different situation. Classes are more difficult and students find that managing their studies, friends, and extracurricular activities can become quite the struggle. Students who did not need to study much in the past find themselves cramming for the exam that looms on the horizon. They also find themselves starting papers weeks in advance. While they work hard to stay afloat, there is a difference in the grades between high school and college. Good students continue to do well. However, they must work much harder and often find keeping up with studies a bit overwhelming.

Of all the adjustments students undergo during the first semester of college, becoming accustomed to new academic standards is surely one of the most difficult. Last year, more than 86% of UP’s freshman class had a high school grade point average (GPA) between 3.3 and 4.0. After one semester, just over 61% fall into that range. Over 49% had a high school GPA between 3.7 and 4.0 and in the first semester, 30% fall into that range.

Students and their parents may be surprised that fall semester grades are lower than they are used to seeing on high school report cards. Be aware that a decline in GPA is common. A national study of individual student’s grades found that almost half of students earned lower grades in college than in high school, one in three earned the same grades, and only one in five students earned higher grades.

One of the reasons for this decline is in part due to greater demands in college, and the competition is more stiff. Students used to being at the top of their classes now find themselves in a group of equally capable, hard-working and serious peers. The very qualities that may have made a student a standout in high school are now considered "average."

Another factor to consider in the difference between high school and college grades is the pervasive problem of grade inflation. The tendency to assign higher grades for lower performance may give many high school students an unrealistic idea of what is required to do well in college. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, college freshmen in 1966 who had a high school GPA of C or below outnumbered those with A averages 2 to 1. In 1998, just the opposite was true; twice as many college freshmen reported high school GPAs of A- or higher as those with C’s. Before we say that freshmen today simply took their high school years more seriously than did previous generations, consider the fact that in 1966, college freshmen reported studying an average of 3 hours a week during high school. For freshmen in 1998, the number dropped to 2.8 hours each week doing homework.

The problem of grade inflation is not limited to high schools, of course, and professors at UP face the same pressures as their colleagues at other schools to assign B’s and even A’s for mediocre work. Most UP faculty, however, are committed to setting high standards for their students and grading them realistically on their performance, seeking to prepare them for life, rather than just boosting GPAs.

The one caution we give you is to remind your student they will be graded on mastery of material, not how hard they work, as might have been the case in high school. If they are having problems mastering the material, they should immediately make an appointment to discuss the material with their professor or visit them during office hours. Also, remind them that unlike high school teachers, professors will rarely give out extra credit projects to raise grades. They have to pace themselves throughout the semester and seek help as the need arises.

Academic resources and support abound at UP, so if your student needs help, please have them see their professor, or come see us at the Shepard Academic Resource Center in Buckley Center Room #101, or by email: sarc@up.edu. Please see additional resources available for parents and families on our website to assist you in parenting your first year student.

Sincerely,

Brenda Greiner, Director

Matt Daily, Assitant Director

Image of a graph showing that students who had very high grades in high school often receive lower grades in thier first semester at UP

What to Expect at Midterm

Expect exhaustion. Students are finally rooted into their campus life and they may not realize how sleep deprived they have become. Late night talks with roommates or poor time management keeps many students up late and could affect class performance. Students should attend all classes and study sessions. Be sure they get enough sleep to accommodate their numerous activities.

Expect reality checks. By this time, students have taken quizzes, tests, or turned in essays. Based on results, encourage them to make changes to time management and study habits. Encourage students to visit their professors; these meetings can prove very helpful if your student is having trouble in a class or with certain areas of a course. Also, have them visit the Shepard Academic Resource Center (SARC) located in BC room 101 or the Learning Commons (located in the BC room 163) for help.

Expect some difficulties. Depression and stress can occur because of feelings that one should have adjusted to college by now. Feelings of failure and loss of self-esteem may follow midterm work and class pressure. From a lack of budgeting experience, financial concerns may also put a strain on a student.

To help, please reinforce that UP is filled with people interested in helping. Have students talk to friends, professors, advisors, Health Center counselors, Campus Ministry, residence hall staff, or the SARC about any academic or personal difficulties.

Academic Warnings and Midterm Grades

Students will soon receive academic warnings from their professors. These reports come from professors who think students are in danger of failing if they continue in the same academic pattern. While these warnings are not noted on students’ transcripts, a copy is placed in their permanent record.

Professors give academic warnings for any number of reasons. There are seven categories for the warnings and a professor may be concerned in one or more areas:

Excessive absences
Poor test or quiz performance
Inadequate preparation/study habits
Poor class participation
Incomplete or late assignments
Course comprehension
Any other reason the professor feels is vital to success that is not being met

These warnings do not necessarily mean the students are going to fail the class. The instructor simply thinks they may fail if they do not improve in an aspect of their studies. These warnings should not be ignored. A warning means something in students’ behaviors has to change in order to pass the class.

Professors teaching 100-level or 200-level classes will post midterm grades. Given that freshmen are placed almost exclusively in 100 and 200-level classes, your student should receive feedback in nearly all of his or her classes by mid to late October. This grade will be available on Self-Serve on the Pilots Portal. Midterm grades are progress reports and are not a part of the permanent record.

Also, see if your student is keeping track of his or her grades. By doing this, the student can avoid any unpleasant surprises.

If your student has received a warning, see if he or she has sought help. If the course material itself gives the student problems, then have him or her consult the professor or go to the department-coordinated workshops and tutors. If it is a question of time management, have the student visit the SARC.

If your student has added you as a Proxy through Self-Serve for student information view, you have permission to know his or her midterm grades. Last year, over 4,500 midterm grades were posted for first year students, over 440 of which were for grades of C- or lower. All freshmen with a midterm grade of C- or lower will be contacted by the SARC and invited in for an appointment.

sarc@up.edu | 503.943.78955000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, OR 97203

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