Do HS Freshman and Sophomore Year grades matter for college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Likely a naive question. But, I am totally new to the system. DS just started in 9th. Transition fro a foreign country has been tough. Afraid that these grades will matter for College. Any information would be useful.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely. It is a cumulative GPA for all four years. Some people will say that some colleges will note if a student has improved their grades over the four years but IMHE no college has that much time when they are processing 35,000 applications - it really all comes down to GPA (including the AP courses), test scores, and ECs. Essays get read only if you make the first cut on test scores and GPA>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. It is a cumulative GPA for all four years. Some people will say that some colleges will note if a student has improved their grades over the four years but IMHE no college has that much time when they are processing 35,000 applications - it really all comes down to GPA (including the AP courses), test scores, and ECs. Essays get read only if you make the first cut on test scores and GPA>

This is all hog wash. It does not just come down to GPA and test scores. Why are many valedictorians and/or kids with perfect test scores rejected from top schools in favor of kids without those credentials? Hmmmmmm.
Teacher recommendations and jobs/projects that show a high level of intellectual curiosity and functioning count for a ton. Some schools are looking for smart , creative kids with ideas for new businesses (Facebook?).
High test scores and GPA might get an application a read - but it might be a short read before it’s tossed into the incinerator.

[Anonymous]

They are going to be looking primarily at the core academic courses, some of which will be taken during freshman and sophomore years.

[Anonymous]

Yes, more than people say. I just got on Naviance and can see the exact GPA / SAT scores that resulted in acceptances, waitlist, or rejections from DC’s school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. It is a cumulative GPA for all four years. Some people will say that some colleges will note if a student has improved their grades over the four years but IMHE no college has that much time when they are processing 35,000 applications - it really all comes down to GPA (including the AP courses), test scores, and ECs. Essays get read only if you make the first cut on test scores and GPA>

This is all hog wash. It does not just come down to GPA and test scores. Why are many valedictorians and/or kids with perfect test scores rejected from top schools in favor of kids without those credentials? Hmmmmmm.
Teacher recommendations and jobs/projects that show a high level of intellectual curiosity and functioning count for a ton. Some schools are looking for smart , creative kids with ideas for new businesses (Facebook?).
High test scores and GPA might get an application a read - but it might be a short read before it’s tossed into the incinerator.

A) it's not hogwash. Go to college confidential and learn. High school GPA and test scores are the first cull.
B) If any valedictorians are being rejected it's because many SLACS and LACs practice yield protection (look it up), especially now that students are applying to 10+ institutions. Nine of those won't get a "yield" from the applicant, so it's common if a school thinks a student is using the school as a safety to not admit them because they know they won't show up (yield). This is particularly true of highly sought after URMs.
C) No, teacher recommendations and ECs aren't useful until you get past the first hurdle. Almost every campus hires outside temporary readers to do the first cull on the applications. They take each one and summarize the GPA (and where that student stands in that student's high school class, which can be done because each school submits a senior class/GPA profile to institutions every year) and test scores. If those are sufficiently high, then whether or not the child is a legacy, URM, athlete, plays the vibraphone, or is a "development case" (parents might donate big bucks) are also indicated. The readers also read the essays and grade them.
D) The average application gets a TOTAL six minute read, including the contractor readers and then the actual admissions officers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, more than people say. I just got on Naviance and can see the exact GPA / SAT scores that resulted in acceptances, waitlist, or rejections from DC’s school.

Naviance and collegeconfidential are xlnt tools.

[Anonymous]

Canadian schools just look at test scores and junior and senior year grades.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Naviance will show you that GPA then test scores are the most important factors, except for 2 factors - if school has holistic admissions similar to William and Mary where they say they look at all apps, then they will look within a certain bottom range. Otherwise if they want your hook (family money/well-known name, sports, rare instrument needed for group possibly legacy), it's possible.

Never forget, there are so many great colleges out there that aren't top 20 on test scores and GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, more than people say. I just got on Naviance and can see the exact GPA / SAT scores that resulted in acceptances, waitlist, or rejections from DC’s school.

Naviance and collegeconfidential are xlnt tools.

Meaning?

[Anonymous]

I have an indirectly related questions. A lot of kids in DC’s grade have older siblings and seem to have access to tests used by teachers in earlier years, which helps them a lot. I didn’t even think about this until DC’s classmate blurted it out to her. If kids w older siblings h ave such an advantage and if grades matter so much, it seems a bit unfair no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an indirectly related questions. A lot of kids in DC’s grade have older siblings and seem to have access to tests used by teachers in earlier years, which helps them a lot. I didn’t even think about this until DC’s classmate blurted it out to her. If kids w older siblings h ave such an advantage and if grades matter so much, it seems a bit unfair no?

Of course it is unfair but there is no way to suss that out on the individual student level one by one. Far easier to tell the school and have them rattle the teachers to update their tests, or make copies of prior tests available to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an indirectly related questions. A lot of kids in DC’s grade have older siblings and seem to have access to tests used by teachers in earlier years, which helps them a lot. I didn’t even think about this until DC’s classmate blurted it out to her. If kids w older siblings h ave such an advantage and if grades matter so much, it seems a bit unfair no?

Report this to the school. This is ridiculous if it is happening.

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Would the school see this as just unsubstantiated whining? I would never agree to name DC's friend...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, more than people say. I just got on Naviance and can see the exact GPA / SAT scores that resulted in acceptances, waitlist, or rejections from DC’s school.

Do those data show GPA broken down by year, so that you can tell whether the GPA was a result of lots of A's in 9th/10th vs. in 11th/12thFall? Just saying a GPA >x got you in doesn't answer the question posed.