Median HS GPA at Big 3?

[Anonymous]

Does any one have any idea where the number falls? 3.7? 3.6? 3.5? 3.4? 3.3?

[Anonymous]

Junior is not going to Harvard, but he'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Junior is not going to Harvard, but he'll be fine.

With a 3.7 at a Big 3, their chances are good.

[Anonymous]

I worked at a big three for about 10 years. The median I would estimate, having seen data and had faculty meetings re:grading norms, is a b/b+. Students also tend to improve jr sr year when they have more choice in the courses they take. At the end of senior year it’s closer to a b+. Big 3s are hard and most kids are going to be more than fine academically in college. Of the bottom half, usually between 5-10% are academic disasters, most likely this is NOT your kid. 15-25% are middling around a low B and the rest float between a solid 3.0 and a 3.5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Junior is not going to Harvard, but he'll be fine.

OP here. Appreciate the lighthearted comment!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big three for about 10 years. The median I would estimate, having seen data and had faculty meetings re:grading norms, is a b/b+. Students also tend to improve jr sr year when they have more choice in the courses they take. At the end of senior year it’s closer to a b+. Big 3s are hard and most kids are going to be more than fine academically in college. Of the bottom half, usually between 5-10% are academic disasters, most likely this is NOT your kid. 15-25% are middling around a low B and the rest float between a solid 3.0 and a 3.5.

Senior parent. Interesting and sounds about right to me. Big3 grading tends to be pretty hard. Nearly fell off my chair once when I saw the grading rubric for my DS in English. Outstanding = A, Very strong and comprehensive = B, Good but could use some improvement ==C. So medians are below that at many other schools fo sure.

[Anonymous]

The World According to DCUM: grade inflation is rampant, but my school deflates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big three for about 10 years. The median I would estimate, having seen data and had faculty meetings re:grading norms, is a b/b+. Students also tend to improve jr sr year when they have more choice in the courses they take. At the end of senior year it’s closer to a b+. Big 3s are hard and most kids are going to be more than fine academically in college. Of the bottom half, usually between 5-10% are academic disasters, most likely this is NOT your kid. 15-25% are middling around a low B and the rest float between a solid 3.0 and a 3.5.

Senior parent. Interesting and sounds about right to me. Big3 grading tends to be pretty hard. Nearly fell off my chair once when I saw the grading rubric for my DS in English. Outstanding = A, Very strong and comprehensive = B, Good but could use some improvement ==C. So medians are below that at many other schools fo sure.

I would fall off my chair if someone tried to pass that off as a rubric too. Surely you are getting an actual rubric for that kind of tuition?

[Anonymous]

My kid is graduating with something very close to a 3.8 from a "big 3" and had ZERO chance at Harvard, or any Ivy, despite many varsity letters, leadership in clubs, regional awards and summer employment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is graduating with something very close to a 3.8 from a "big 3" and had ZERO chance at Harvard, or any Ivy, despite many varsity letters, leadership in clubs, regional awards and summer employment.

Really? I would have thought your DC would have a modest shot, no? Not at Harvard, but a couple of the lower ranked Ivies perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is graduating with something very close to a 3.8 from a "big 3" and had ZERO chance at Harvard, or any Ivy, despite many varsity letters, leadership in clubs, regional awards and summer employment.

Really? I would have thought your DC would have a modest shot, no? Not at Harvard, but a couple of the lower ranked Ivies perhaps?

Yeah. What was the problem? Maybe negative references or bombed interviews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is graduating with something very close to a 3.8 from a "big 3" and had ZERO chance at Harvard, or any Ivy, despite many varsity letters, leadership in clubs, regional awards and summer employment.

Really? I would have thought your DC would have a modest shot, no? Not at Harvard, but a couple of the lower ranked Ivies perhaps?

Yeah. What was the problem? Maybe negative references or bombed interviews?

He couldn’t time travel back to 1998 where you apparently are posting from.

[Anonymous]

The grading is not the same all every Big3. Some are harder than others.
A 3.8 from one might put you near the very top of a class and get you into a Ivy while a 3.8 at another may just crack the top 20% of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is graduating with something very close to a 3.8 from a "big 3" and had ZERO chance at Harvard, or any Ivy, despite many varsity letters, leadership in clubs, regional awards and summer employment.

Really? I would have thought your DC would have a modest shot, no? Not at Harvard, but a couple of the lower ranked Ivies perhaps?

Similar stats for mine. 3.8. Will have 4 years of 2 (non-English) languages. Recognition on some national competitions. Summer internships/jobs. Won’t even consider applying to any Ivies, or probably even any Top 20. Even if say, Cornell, was in shouting distance, there are at least 20 non-Ivies my DC would rather go to that are slightly less competitive. Any Ivy just for Ivy’s sake is not DC’s mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a big three for about 10 years. The median I would estimate, having seen data and had faculty meetings re:grading norms, is a b/b+. Students also tend to improve jr sr year when they have more choice in the courses they take. At the end of senior year it’s closer to a b+. Big 3s are hard and most kids are going to be more than fine academically in college. Of the bottom half, usually between 5-10% are academic disasters, most likely this is NOT your kid. 15-25% are middling around a low B and the rest float between a solid 3.0 and a 3.5.

Senior parent. Interesting and sounds about right to me. Big3 grading tends to be pretty hard. Nearly fell off my chair once when I saw the grading rubric for my DS in English. Outstanding = A, Very strong and comprehensive = B, Good but could use some improvement ==C. So medians are below that at many other schools fo sure.

I would fall off my chair if someone tried to pass that off as a rubric too. Surely you are getting an actual rubric for that kind of tuition?

PP. That was my summary. Just to say that "good" work gets a C.