Not all high school good grades are equal at selective universities

[Anonymous]

"But not all good grades are created equal. In the eyes of the admissions officers at the nation's more than 2,800 four-year colleges, an "A" earned at one high school may only be worth a "B" at a more rigorous one. And in recent years, colleges have given more weight to grades from designated college-prep courses--and the more exclusive the college, the more weight those grades get."

http://news.morningstar.com/all/market-watch/TDJNMW2014122258/update-10-things-the-college-admissions-office-wont-tell-you.aspx

[Anonymous]

In a recent episode of Family Guy, Meg asked Brian to take the SAT exams for her ... actually her friends all said she should just pay someone to take it for her.

It's a pity, because there are students who are really strong in every subject and earn their grades on their own merit, but there are also those students whose grades are bloated by 2 or 3 letter grades, including manipulrating AP answers. No parent of a very high achieving student wants to believe this is happening, but universities know the reality of high schools.

[Anonymous]

I thought this was widely known. If not, it should be. College counselors know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a recent episode of Family Guy, Meg asked Brian to take the SAT exams for her ... actually her friends all said she should just pay someone to take it for her.

It's a pity, because there are students who are really strong in every subject and earn their grades on their own merit, but there are also those students whose grades are bloated by 2 or 3 letter grades, including manipulrating AP answers. No parent of a very high achieving student wants to believe this is happening, but universities know the reality of high schools.

How does one "manipulate" AP answers?

[Anonymous]

This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

[Anonymous]

I also assumed this was widely known. The college admissions officers get the profile for every high school and know the reputation of most in their assigned region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

I understood what he was saying, perfectly. His roommate got into college with an inflated GPA and bombed out. What was your difficulty, PP? Just looks like autocorrect got in there -- not a showstopper for folks who understand English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

Nah, that one was OK. The one about "manipulating AP tests" was dumb, as was the one about getting someone else to take the SAT for you. For a year or so now, the College Board has required that you upload your photo when you register, and that you show ID on the day of the test. I don't think you can change your registration photo. So if your plan was to get different people to take your various AP and SAT subject tests for you, you're SOL.

I agree that it's widely known that colleges' regional reps understand the relative rigor at different high schools within their assigned regions. Also that many colleges reweight your transcript according to their own, proprietary formulas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

I understood what he was saying, perfectly. His roommate got into college with an inflated GPA and bombed out. What was your difficulty, PP? Just looks like autocorrect got in there -- not a showstopper for folks who understand English.

1 story = proof

I know multiple W kids that bombed out of college, mostly smoking pot and snorting coke. A students... His story lacks legs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

Nah, that one was OK. The one about "manipulating AP tests" was dumb, as was the one about getting someone else to take the SAT for you. For a year or so now, the College Board has required that you upload your photo when you register, and that you show ID on the day of the test. I don't think you can change your registration photo. So if your plan was to get different people to take your various AP and SAT subject tests for you, you're SOL.

I agree that it's widely known that colleges' regional reps understand the relative rigor at different high schools within their assigned regions. Also that many colleges reweight your transcript according to their own, proprietary formulas.

You can manipulate your GPA with AP classes especially if your tiger mom does your projects and you have top notch tutors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my college roommate. Had straight A's from tiny town hihg school in PA. I thought he'd kick my butt, me being a B-average student from a "W" school in MoCo. We were both in engineering so not easy stuff.

His grades the first yet? All F's except for 1 D. He transferred out right after. I guess in his HS, just showing up gets you a B, and turning in your assignment on time gets you an A.

This is least intelligent post I have read in a while, which says a lot since I read the 2nd wives thread.

Nah, that one was OK. The one about "manipulating AP tests" was dumb, as was the one about getting someone else to take the SAT for you. For a year or so now, the College Board has required that you upload your photo when you register, and that you show ID on the day of the test. I don't think you can change your registration photo. So if your plan was to get different people to take your various AP and SAT subject tests for you, you're SOL.

I agree that it's widely known that colleges' regional reps understand the relative rigor at different high schools within their assigned regions. Also that many colleges reweight your transcript according to their own, proprietary formulas.

You can manipulate your GPA with AP classes especially if your tiger mom does your projects and you have top notch tutors.

OK, you really don't understand how this works, do you? I nominate your "get your tiger mom to do your AP projects for you" as the least intelligent post today. AP classes are nothing like the middle school science fair, unless your tiger mom also happens to be an NIH chemist or a university history prof.

For the record, most selective universities start with your UNweighted GPA, i.e., they give your A in AP World History a 4 not a 5. Then they reweight it using their own system. They may well give more weight to an AP class--but that's because AP classes are harder than regular or honors classes. High school honors classes are pretty easy, frankly. AP classes are supposed to be college-level classes, so the kid is working harder. Don't you think more work might deserve a higher weight?

The tutor thing is an advantage that rich kids have over poor kids. Yes, rich kids can buy extra help. But at the end of the day, kids in AP classes still have to master more material than kids in regular or honors classes.

[Anonymous]

Please refrain from using the term "Tiger Mom" since it is considered racist and derogatory by Asian Americans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please refrain from using the term "Tiger Mom" since it is considered racist and derogatory by Asian Americans.

no

[Anonymous]

College admissions officers know the rigorous schools, and they factor that in accordingly. Of those schools, they know which schools weight grades and which do not. They know how to factor in APs, class rank, etc.

For the most selective schools, all the calculus for the scores only adds up to so much - they aren't just looking at some re-weighted GPA to determine admissions. If you really are from BF nowhere and don't have quite the same number of APs, your grades may count for less,but your "uniqueness" counts for more.

Just encourage your kid to do their best and do the things that they like with conviction.