Well... yeah!
When I was in undergrad [1] there was a student whose average after first year was a D, ie he had to repeat first year of engineering.
Instead, he got into the ECE program (our university has first year engineering as a common year) that has a B+ entrance requirement. Only about 10-15% of students had >B+.
He failed out of ECE with another D average. The university rules were clear. Two straight D averages and you are kicked out of Eng. (or the school?).
Instead he was put into the nuclear program, an unpopular program with only a C requirement. That's where I dealt with him (I chose nuke despite my B+/A- average. Big mistake).
There he kept a C minus average largely from cheating but also thanks to professor largesse.
When he graduated he got a coveted job at the state controlled energy company at one of their nuclear sites. Typical candidates needed a B+ to get in if they were a disadvantaged group. White men like our protagonist needed a solid A.
His average? A C
His secret? Why so much largesse from the professors? His dad was the vice president of said government company. He went on to be president and the best paid public employee. Most people in tech in SV dont make the money this man was making.
I used to hate this kid. In private he was one of the most racist, misogynist people I've ever met. He gladly told anti-Semitic holocaust jokes. He'd bully anyone weaker than he, and cajole and act saintly to anyone above him.
Im past my anger now. Because, in fairness, he is where he belongs. He was quickly promoted to a position where his technical incompetence could not harm the public and now enjoys a management position. He's too politically savvy in too woke an environment to harm women, (or Jews) but his ability to navigate and exploit corruption, frankly, benefits the public corporation. Maybe even the public.
[1] in a progressive northern country where nothing bad is supposed to happen