Median HS GPA at Big 3?

[Anonymous]

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea of rigor is a hard one to measure, imo, and feels like a double edged sword. I hear a lot of "most rigorous" curriculum but what does that actually mean? There is a single boy at my son's school who took Linear algebra/multi-variable as a junior and will take number theory as a senior... is he considered more rigorous than a kid who takes two AP languages and but "only" gets to AP AB Calc? Or the kid who takes Calculus-based physics but not Honors History? My hunch is once you get to a certain point, it is all "most rigorous" but if you ask the kids themselves they would tell you these kids who track ahead are truly brighter than the rest -- but not sure that the college AO has enough time to really get into the weeds like this.

The problem is especially acute when you have students who perform at a high level in the upper level English/History/Foreign Language courses relative to the Math/Science courses. Or in advanced Math but not Science. Or the converse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

3.7 = A minus at Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

At my HS, 90-92 was B+, 93-94 was A- and 95+ was A. Stop pretending it’s uniform. Colleges know how to convert a score from a particular HS, especially the college prep ones that send a huge majority to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

At my HS, 90-92 was B+, 93-94 was A- and 95+ was A. Stop pretending it’s uniform. Colleges know how to convert a score from a particular HS, especially the college prep ones that send a huge majority to college.

We are answering what they convert it to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

yes, this is right. 93 or better is an A, or a 4.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

At my HS, 90-92 was B+, 93-94 was A- and 95+ was A. Stop pretending it’s uniform. Colleges know how to convert a score from a particular HS, especially the college prep ones that send a huge majority to college.

Nowhere is a 90-92 a B+. Have never heard of this anywhere from anyone at any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid with a similar profile at a Big 3 did not get into an Ivy, but did get in to a top 20. He also did not make the cut for cum laude, so while 3.7 is a strong GPA, it’s not rare, either.


What grade number is a 3.7

I would also like to know. At a school that uses a 100 point scale, how do you convert the gpa?

90-92 is an A- which is a 3.7.

At my HS, 90-92 was B+, 93-94 was A- and 95+ was A. Stop pretending it’s uniform. Colleges know how to convert a score from a particular HS, especially the college prep ones that send a huge majority to college.

Nowhere is a 90-92 a B+. Have never heard of this anywhere from anyone at any school.

My high school in Florida had a letter grade of 87-93 assigned as a B. Just because you are unaware of something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

[Anonymous]

Does maintaining a 4.0 mean a good shot at HYPS? DC is running a 4.0 but we are almost afraid to feed the HYPS ambition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does maintaining a 4.0 mean a good shot at HYPS? DC is running a 4.0 but we are almost afraid to feed the HYPS ambition

No. It does not. Unless they are exceptional in another area as well — recruited athlete, major donor, URM, national award winner. 4.0 maybe Cornell without a hook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea of rigor is a hard one to measure, imo, and feels like a double edged sword. I hear a lot of "most rigorous" curriculum but what does that actually mean? There is a single boy at my son's school who took Linear algebra/multi-variable as a junior and will take number theory as a senior... is he considered more rigorous than a kid who takes two AP languages and but "only" gets to AP AB Calc? Or the kid who takes Calculus-based physics but not Honors History? My hunch is once you get to a certain point, it is all "most rigorous" but if you ask the kids themselves they would tell you these kids who track ahead are truly brighter than the rest -- but not sure that the college AO has enough time to really get into the weeds like this.

I don't think your math example is great. Sure, the kid who gets to Linear Algebra will be noticed for that but it's more an exception.

At our school, I'd say the most rigorous would mean they took the harder class each step along the way. And for some colleges, they like to see students took 4 years of all 5 core subjects (not doubling down in courses of. their strengths). For example if there's a regular Chem 1 and an harder version of Chem 1 - they took the harder one. If there's a regular Algebra 2 and an Honors Algebra 2....they took the honors. Or if there's a regular math track and a theoretical one - they took the theoretical. It's generally not an option to take and "honors" version of English or History or Language at our school.

I think your confusion comes when someone chooses to double down in one area but stay in the lesser challenge class in another (as you note double down in language but take lighter path for science). That definitely happens - some kids will take more Humanities or Language, others will drop History or Language to take more Science or Math or Computer Science. I'm sure it just depends on the college itself and what major your child is applying for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does maintaining a 4.0 mean a good shot at HYPS? DC is running a 4.0 but we are almost afraid to feed the HYPS ambition

No. It does not. Unless they are exceptional in another area as well — recruited athlete, major donor, URM, national award winner. 4.0 maybe Cornell without a hook?

Do you really know this? Do you have data to support your claim?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does maintaining a 4.0 mean a good shot at HYPS? DC is running a 4.0 but we are almost afraid to feed the HYPS ambition

Depending on which Big 3 you get 4.0. Which school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does maintaining a 4.0 mean a good shot at HYPS? DC is running a 4.0 but we are almost afraid to feed the HYPS ambition

Depending on which Big 3 you get 4.0. Which school?

Also depends on whether you were taking most rigorous classes and as someone said earlier on what other activities they were involved in.