How many Bs are too many?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really depends on your school. Mine are at a very competitive public magnet without much grade inflation. Bs are common. But there are still a few kids with all As. You can get by with a B or two in very hard classes and still have a shot at top tier schools with no other hooks. But if everyone has all As or almost everyone does, then Bs are tough.

Yes, school context is important. Private schools tend to see more grad inflation so make sense that the experience in this forum vary.

https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/the-college-board-2017/when-grades-dont-show-the-whole-picture/1479/

From the article:

"A deeper look at where grade inflation rates have increased the most—and for which students—showed sharp differences across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups:

High schools with the largest increases in high school GPA over time also had the lowest percentage of students who were Black or Hispanic and students who were eligible for free or reduced price lunch.
Students whose parents had the lowest levels of education experienced the least grade inflation.
Students in private high schools (both independent and religiously-affiliated) were three times more likely to experience grade inflation than students in public or charter schools."

This would definitely track with what I see at Banneker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our experience was that it depends on school and class selection. I think if your school has a reputation for rigor and you’re taking a lot of serious classes, you can tolerate a few Bs in honors level classes, our DC at a good private got into a high end SLAC with a few 88s floating around on the transcript in some intense courses. I suspect there is less margin for error with a less demanding course set.

+1

This is our experience too.

[Anonymous]

If your HS is very rigorous and not grade inflating (could be private or public) it won't matter. Check your private or public HS's published unweighted grade distribution (don't look at weighted, just look at unweighted). Check to see if your school has more than 50% of the class a 4.0 gpa or higher, that would signal it's quite grade inflationary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your HS is very rigorous and not grade inflating (could be private or public) it won't matter. Check your private or public HS's published unweighted grade distribution (don't look at weighted, just look at unweighted). Check to see if your school has more than 50% of the class a 4.0 gpa or higher, that would signal it's quite grade inflationary.

Where would one find this in DCPS?

[Anonymous]

My kid got into UVA ED with two Bs from a “mediocre” fcps school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The A students work for the B students, the C students own the businesses, and the D students dedicate the buildings.

As a former straight-A student/NMSF, this has been my experience in life. That’s why the overzealous parents on this forum are so entertaining.

Agree..also a former straight-A/NMSFer. I'm raising my sons to be chill and popular. My older got elected to a club leader position and won an unsolicited award for contribution to the school community.

People with no name degrees do quite well at my employer - which is one of the highest paying in my metro.

My grandpa the physics PhD always said that the small business owners in his school programs were the ones that made the most money/were the richest.

That's all great, congrats. Still shooting for a certain type of school here and wondering if a couple Bs are okay.

NP. Yes, especially if early on and not more than a couple. But academic record also needs to complimented with great scores, ECs,essays.

[Anonymous]

DC had 2 Bs in math, one of which was 1st semester AP Calc BC. But DC got an A 2nd semester and a 5 on the AP. Mid 1500s SAT. Just got in early to an Ivy for Engineering, non-athlete. Don't lose hope!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The A students work for the B students, the C students own the businesses, and the D students dedicate the buildings.

As a former straight-A student/NMSF, this has been my experience in life. That’s why the overzealous parents on this forum are so entertaining.

Same. Here is an anecdote for you: I was an A student at a top school. A bunch of us Ivy worker bees had a billionaire boss who went to a college ranked in the high 200s. Very successful Wall Street firm, and our boss didn’t even know what an option is, but he made sure he surrounded himself with people who did. Incredibly worldly and street smart guy, high EQ. But yah, I have never even heard of his college before I joined his firm.
Nothing can ever make up for drive and resilience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The A students work for the B students, the C students own the businesses, and the D students dedicate the buildings.

Not in my world. My siblings certainly not. In a few rare cases only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was admitted early to an Ivy this year with 4 B+ grades 9-11th and 2 first quarter senior year B+ grades (making a total of 6 B's). White kid with no hooks at all, applied for financial aid, rigorous NYC private.

Top rigor in all subjects (one of maybe 10 kids at the school in this category). The 2 first quarter senior year B+ grades were in classes that only about 5 kids take each year (because of rigor). My kid has since raised them to As but they were Bs at the time the grades were sent for the ED application as there had only been a single assessment in each class.

Doubt this. Quite average for an Ivy admit.

And Early? Don't believe it.

You are missing the part about TOP NYC private. My friend’s daughter is at Breatley, and the level and amount of work she does is in many ways higher than that of college kids. I’m not sure you have a clue of what a B at such a school means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into UVA ED with two Bs from a “mediocre” fcps school.

ED at UVa has a 30% acceptance rate in-state. That’s the time to apply with Bs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The A students work for the B students, the C students own the businesses, and the D students dedicate the buildings.

As a parent of a C/D student, I find it really condescending when this is posted on almost every thread about getting Bs. My student is on the edge of failing out of college and has no job prospects and no trust fund to buy companies or dedicate buildings. But keep telling yourself that your A/B student is so disadvantaged because they're smart and successful.

NP and you missed the point of that. My husband is similar to what he’s talking about. He failed a class in HS, went to community college and then a college no one here has head of and does own a business. A very successful business. The grades aren’t the reason. It’s because he knows how to relate to people and is a hard worker in real life beyond school. These are the people who know how to make connections with people and know how to work hard. They didn’t spend their life only worrying about grades, studying and being book smart. They don’t care about the best college. That wasn’t important and neither were grades. Hard worker and networking were important. That’s what is left out of that phrase. They are extroverts. Always.

I had my share of Cs and do not own a business.

[Anonymous]

My son got 3 Bs one semester junior year. All AP classes and one C in an honors upper level language.
He had a devastating injury that kept him out of school for about 16 non consecutive days. He explained the issue affected his grades and because he was a recruited athlete, I think he had more opportunity to provide insight into why he struggled that semester.
Went back to all As second half if jr yr and both quarters senior year.
Got into a top 20 SLAC. Athletics help though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your HS is very rigorous and not grade inflating (could be private or public) it won't matter. Check your private or public HS's published unweighted grade distribution (don't look at weighted, just look at unweighted). Check to see if your school has more than 50% of the class a 4.0 gpa or higher, that would signal it's quite grade inflationary.

50%! Wow. That’s pretty shocking. My guess is those schools will stop reporting that.

[Anonymous]

Timing of those Bs also matters - 9th grade - fine. 10th grade - not ideal but not tragic. 11th - detrimental.

Positive grade progression + increased rigor + increased volume/intensity of ECs is the right combo.