Independent School GPAs

[Anonymous]

After reading about hundreds of kids in public high schools having 4.0s unweighted, I am wondering if independents in general have been less subject to grade inflation, especially in rigorous math and science classes. DS was in an honors math class this year where the brightest students in the school were struggling to maintain Bs and high Cs. He should finish in the 3.6ish range unweighted, significantly higher weighted, but we don’t know of any students with a 4.0. Do colleges and universities look at independent school GPAs somewhat differently?

[Anonymous]

yes, colleges do look at the GPAs from independent schools differently. However, there will still be a handful of kids who finish above a 3.9 at even the most grade deflated schools. these are generally your unhooked ivy admits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes, colleges do look at the GPAs from independent schools differently. However, there will still be a handful of kids who finish above a 3.9 at even the most grade deflated schools. these are generally your unhooked ivy admits.

^^this

[Anonymous]

When people apply, the college counselor includes a school profile, which gives their weighting policy, describes what AP and honors classes are available, and gives the average GPA. That puts your child's gpa in context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When people apply, the college counselor includes a school profile, which gives their weighting policy, describes what AP and honors classes are available, and gives the average GPA. That puts your child's gpa in context.

+1. And yes, compared with some publics, many privates have deflated GPAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people apply, the college counselor includes a school profile, which gives their weighting policy, describes what AP and honors classes are available, and gives the average GPA. That puts your child's gpa in context.

+1. And yes, compared with some publics, many privates have deflated GPAs.

I think you mean the publics are inflating grades.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Seems like everyone I know in PS is a straight A student. Not the case in my kids’ top private. An A in their upper school is EXTREMELY hard to achieve in almost any class. If it’s a top college, they know this.

[Anonymous]

Much depends on where you are applying. Originally we planned to send our DS to UMCP after independent upper school. Unfortunately the grade deflation made it impossible to gain admission. Bear in mind that the very large schools and state flagships (even out-of-state) do not really have time to “holistically review” all apps. I’m convinced they are just sorting apps by GPA. With the huge run-up in apps since the pandemic, schools have had to get creative to wade through tens of thousands of applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much depends on where you are applying. Originally we planned to send our DS to UMCP after independent upper school. Unfortunately the grade deflation made it impossible to gain admission. Bear in mind that the very large schools and state flagships (even out-of-state) do not really have time to “holistically review” all apps. I’m convinced they are just sorting apps by GPA. With the huge run-up in apps since the pandemic, schools have had to get creative to wade through tens of thousands of applications.

PP here again. The good news is that our kid, an average to middling student at his Catholic high school, truly excelled in college, completing a dual major in four years and graduating with high honors and a fantastic job offer with a top employer. So while it was anxiety provoking to see him struggling with a 2.6 during his junior year in HS, he learned early on about college-level expectations, and he benefitted from a lesson in humility.

I would not trade his HS 3.4 final GPA for an inflated 4.3 from a public HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Seems like everyone I know in PS is a straight A student. Not the case in my kids’ top private. An A in their upper school is EXTREMELY hard to achieve in almost any class. If it’s a top college, they know this.

It doesn't have to be a 'top college' -- just any college with a decent regional rep that knows the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Much depends on where you are applying. Originally we planned to send our DS to UMCP after independent upper school. Unfortunately the grade deflation made it impossible to gain admission. Bear in mind that the very large schools and state flagships (even out-of-state) do not really have time to “holistically review” all apps. I’m convinced they are just sorting apps by GPA. With the huge run-up in apps since the pandemic, schools have had to get creative to wade through tens of thousands of applications.

PP here again. The good news is that our kid, an average to middling student at his Catholic high school, truly excelled in college, completing a dual major in four years and graduating with high honors and a fantastic job offer with a top employer. So while it was anxiety provoking to see him struggling with a 2.6 during his junior year in HS, he learned early on about college-level expectations, and he benefitted from a lesson in humility.

I would not trade his HS 3.4 final GPA for an inflated 4.3 from a public HS.

💯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Much depends on where you are applying. Originally we planned to send our DS to UMCP after independent upper school. Unfortunately the grade deflation made it impossible to gain admission. Bear in mind that the very large schools and state flagships (even out-of-state) do not really have time to “holistically review” all apps. I’m convinced they are just sorting apps by GPA. With the huge run-up in apps since the pandemic, schools have had to get creative to wade through tens of thousands of applications.

PP here again. The good news is that our kid, an average to middling student at his Catholic high school, truly excelled in college, completing a dual major in four years and graduating with high honors and a fantastic job offer with a top employer. So while it was anxiety provoking to see him struggling with a 2.6 during his junior year in HS, he learned early on about college-level expectations, and he benefitted from a lesson in humility.

I would not trade his HS 3.4 final GPA for an inflated 4.3 from a public HS.

💯

Really? I'm not sure I would feel the same...and after my kids freshman year we may very well be in that same spot! Did you kid feel a lot of stress and agree it was worth it? Honestly asking bc we are weighing our options over here.

[Anonymous]

I think SO much depends on the public and private you are comparing and what courses are actually taken and the teachers they get. This conversation has been far too general to be of any real help. There are many students in Big 3 schools and W type public high schools that end up in the same colleges. It will be the top 30 percent of each class. Others will go to big state schools, or places in Canada, as a choice or for financial reasons, even at private schools. Some will go to small schools that are a great fit for specific reasons. Also there are patterns on naviance etc about which colleges tend to like kids from each school. It isn’t so simple as higher or lower gpa.

[Anonymous]

It’s also about the stress and if it’s worth it. Maybe it is I’m just not sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s also about the stress and if it’s worth it. Maybe it is I’m just not sure.

Is the stress because you are used to and so expecting straight As? Letting go of that helps a lot.

Before you decide leave, have a meeting with your school's college counselor. You may just need an adjustment in expectations.