Which GPA matters most? UW or weighted?

[Anonymous]

I've been looking at college GPA averages or the likely minimums they accept.

Junior is in 5 honors and 1 AP this semester. In past: Has received all A with two A- freshman year and one A- sophomore year.

Currently has D in math, which is concerning but time to fix it.

GPA: 3.89 UW

Some schools that look good seem to take 3.91 or above. Would they accept someone with a lower than normal GPA if they have a lot of honors classes and spend time on service and sports?

This all seems so crazy to me...that a few A- makes a student less desirable?

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school. Unweighted is more important as it tells the overall health of the students grades. Get the math score up.

[Anonymous]

Where are you seeing the colleges minimum gpa? And do you know whether it’s weighted or not?

[Anonymous]

Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

[Anonymous]

OP it's unweighted because they have to compare with kids all over the country.

Honestly it's better to have a realistic view of their grades because traditionally they get to college and gpa lowers about .5 on average. Hence don't want them going to a school that is too hard. The idea is to get out and get a job success at college.

[Anonymous]

At UVA they said they only look at weighted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

The 4.89 is likely MCPS. Colleges know those GPAs are inflated and judge students by their own school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you seeing the colleges minimum gpa? And do you know whether it’s weighted or not?

+1

And how do you rate an A- from Exeter versus an A- from Churchill in Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

OP - what sorts of schools are you looking at? That might help us provide better insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

The 4.89 is likely MCPS. Colleges know those GPAs are inflated and judge students by their own school district.

Even at MCPS that high of gpa is very rare. You see a couple in Scattergrams heading off to the Ivys. Many incredible colleges are taking kids with lower gpas and more reasonable AP loads than 15. That said, 1 AP as a junior is low for most competitive DMV high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are you seeing the colleges minimum gpa? And do you know whether it’s weighted or not?

+1

And how do you rate an A- from Exeter versus an A- from Churchill in Bethesda?

They don't. Those two schools are not screened in the same pipeline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

GAG. My husband and I can't wait to get out of this place once DD is out...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

GAG. My husband and I can't wait to get out of this place once DD is out...

I’m guessing that 4.89 poster is a troll. Either way, super obnoxious. And can’t spell.

[Anonymous]

There’s a college (actually several) that will be a good fit for him when the time comes. I’d be way more concerned about the D in math. What’s going on there?????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh and i say that because you are competing with kids like mine who is 4.89 with 15 AP classes, National Merit Semi Finalist and Valedictorian or Sudatorian depending on how senior grades go. In the DMV higher is way better because higher here is average.

The 4.89 is likely MCPS. Colleges know those GPAs are inflated and judge students by their own school district.

I’ve never seen a GPA that high in Naviance at an MCPS school.