How to do the Common App mid-year report?

[Musicmom]

:confused: I thought it was going to be straightforward, but after looking at the form, I’m confused. It looks exactly like the secondary school report I sent earlier, with the exception of the instruction to leave the second page (background info) blank if there are no changes. So do you just sign it and send it in with the updated transcript?? Do you/should you make any comments in the evaluation section? (Surely you don’t send the homeschool profile and counselor letter all over again…)

I’ve heard the mid-year report is the time/place for the student to let the college(s) know of any awards or honors received since submitting their application, but I see nothing on the form inviting the student to do this… And lastly, since my transcript only shows final grades for the year, and only a couple of ds’s courses (the fall semester ones) have final grades at this point, most of the courses on his transcript will still say in progress.

I’m wondering if I should send an extra document detailing semester grades (even though those don’t go onto the transcript) and any honors ds has received (we’ll know next week on a big one.) I also feel a need to expound on one grade from an online university level class which was graded pass/no-credit—ds passed with flying colors (would have been a very high A) but “Pass” doesn’t look too good (generally regarded as a C.)

Any advice? What have you all done? (I am doing this all snail mail, by the way, as that’s how I sent the initial secondary school report.)

Thanks in advance.

[Jane in NC]

Hi Musicmom,

My son applied using early action at schools where this available, so I knew that the mid-year report might be late coming into their decision process. My son's mid-year report included three grades from the fall semester at the CC and a virtual course grade that would not be available until mid-January. I phoned one of the schools and asked if it would confuse them to receive essentially two mid-year reports, one at the end of December when the CC grades arrived and then another "official" mid-year report when the virtual grade came in.

Small schools seem to love more information than less. So I snail mailed the preliminary mid-year report. On Friday I submitted the official Common App mid-year electronically. My son used individual school applications to two colleges so I snail mailed the updated transcript to them, pointing out the addition of the virtual course grade.

I would send the extra document! One large school to which my son is applying seems to want uniform materials for all applicants. All others want to see as much as possible to acquaint them with applicants.

Good luck.
Jane

[Kareni]

... So do you just sign it and send it in with the updated transcript??

That is what I did.

Do you/should you make any comments in the evaluation section? (Surely you don’t send the homeschool profile and counselor letter all over again…)

I chose not to do either of these things.

I’ve heard the mid-year report is the time/place for the student to let the college(s) know of any awards or honors received since submitting their application, but I see nothing on the form inviting the student to do this ...

If a big honor comes through, I would attach a letter and/or copy of that honor. If one should come after you mail the mid-year report, I'd send a letter at that point. (Or your child could.)

I also feel a need to expound on one grade from an online university level class which was graded pass/no-credit—ds passed with flying colors (would have been a very high A) but “Pass” doesn’t look too good (generally regarded as a C.)

If you have some proof that the grade would have been a high A, then I would send a note discussing the issue. Otherwise, I think I'd be inclined to not address the matter.

It is all so much fun, isn't it?

Regards,
Kareni

[Musicmom]

Thanks, Jane and Kareni! This is very helpful. :001_smile: