As midterms approach, the Academic Success Center at Samford University is encouraging families to check in with their students about academic progress. In this Q&A, Bridget Rose, assistant dean of the Academic Success Center, shares three simple but important questions parents can ask this month: Have you checked your midterm grades? How has your attendance been? Have you met with your academic adviser? These conversations can help students identify challenges early, understand course expectations and stay on track for registration and future semesters. Rose also explains what midterm grades mean, why attendance policies matter and how advising appointments support long-term success.

1. Have you checked your midterm grades? 

All undergraduates should have received a midterm grade in each class to let them know how they are progressing. S means “satisfactory,” while there are several U grades that should be a call to action: UA is "unsatisfactory due to absences"; UI is "unsatisfactory due to missing or incomplete work"; UT is "unsatisfactory due to tests or other academic work"; UX is "unsatisfactory overall or due to multiple reasons".

Note: Some students get confused about midterm grades — they think they only get one if they had an actual midterm exam. Actually, though, they are not grades so much as a mid-semester status update. That will be good for you to know in case your student says, "I didn't have a midterm."

2. How has your attendance been?

(And do you know the attendance policy for every class?) This can be a big one for students (and parents) to understand that every missed class can bring a penalty in terms of loss of learning and there are limits on how many absences can be allowed for in-person classes. Also, there is no university-wide attendance policy, so each class may look different. And faculty are not required to accept doctor’s notes

3. Have you met with your advisor or scheduled an advising appointment yet? 

Registration is later than usual this year; it will begin in April. This is to allow time for the schedule to be built and accurate following several changes forthcoming (including a credit hour change from 4- to 3-credits for most classes). It is important that students respond promptly when their advisor sends out an invitation to schedule an advising appointment!

If any students have follow-up questions or need help answering any of these, they can reach out to the Academic Success Center.
success@samford.edu
205-726-2698