I am not sweating it. With this option, you can remove the non-weighted courses (eligible for HS credit, taken in MS) from being calculated in the GPA, but all of the HS courses will be listed anyways. So this does not buy you much.

The colleges will ignore your GPA, and then recalculate the GPA of just the core subjects, and look closely at what was offered at the HS, and what you took, then they will look at your standardized scores and eventually work out 1(ONE) score called the Academic Index (AI) for each student. That score (AI) is how they will compare you with others.

My family member is a college counselor in West Coast. He had a very simple formula -
1) Take the most rigorous courses that the school offers and get A's in those.
2) Do not hesitate to take building block courses (Spanish 1, 2) in MS, even if they are not weighted, if it can lead you to take more rigorous classes in HS
3) Do not hesitate to take one easy, fluff classes (PE, woodworking, ceramics) in those years when the workload is particularly heavy (11th grade), so that you can demonstrate that you are smart enough to balance your schedule.
4) Be aware of what the core subjects are - English, Math, Science, History/Gov, Foreign language.
5) Look at the requirements of your dream colleges. If they say that they want 2 years of FL, that means aiming for 2 years of higher level FL in HS. If you have taken Spanish 1 and 2 in MS, then take Spanish 3 and 4 in HS. They are going to be looking closely at your scores in HS. Remember that these requirements are a minimum requirements by the colleges. If you want to make yourself competitive, you want to do these courses for all 4 years of HS or as long as you can.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS, I thought grades in MS do not transfer over to HS any longer. In past year, it was, then there was a time a parent can "opt" out, but now I do not believe HS credit class grades do not transfer over to HS transcripts. However, the credit is still there.

“ For students who enter Grade 6 during or after the 2018–2019 school year, the final grade and credit earned for high school courses successfully completed while in middle school will be reported on the high school transcript, but will not be calculated into the cumulative GPA, unless requested by the parent/guardian or by the student”

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/Home/Introduction#hscreditmsstudents

Please help me understand this. Does the opt out apply to (1) reporting the final grade on high school transcript, OR (2) calculating the grade into the high school GPA, OR (3) Both 1 & 2?

My understanding is that all courses are on the transcript, but they only show up in the GPA by request. In response to the other PP, sounds like you could opt in for any individual course - so, Honors Spanish 3, but not Spanish 1 & 2. Or Honors Geometry, but not Algebra 1.

Thank you. Do you know if you make such request at end of 8th grade or at the beginning of when the coursework is taken in MS?

I don't know what the opt-in process is, but the earliest it can happen is the fall of freshman year. The first transcript isn't generated until your child is assigned to a high school and I think it is created at the end of the first semester.

Anonymous wrote:The benefit of opting out of reporting HS credits earned at MS, is that you can drop anything that is not honors. Honors, AP, IB, Magnet courses are weighted (so if you get an A, you earn a GPA of 4 in regular course and a GPA of 5 in weighted course) and they improve your overall GPA.

No, not really. I get what you are saying but colleges look at classes and what is offered and recalculate a GPA anyway -- and MCPS does not rank so it would not impact rankings. There are already other classes required which cannot be weighted so if your kid got an A, I still think it looks better to include. However, B's or lower in FL 1 or 2, Algebra 1 (no Honors options are available) or IED, yes, do not opt in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My understanding is that all courses are on the transcript, but they only show up in the GPA by request. In response to the other PP, sounds like you could opt in for any individual course - so, Honors Spanish 3, but not Spanish 1 & 2. Or Honors Geometry, but not Algebra 1.

Thank you. Do you know if you make such request at end of 8th grade or at the beginning of when the coursework is taken in MS?

I’m not sure. We haven’t gotten any info about opting in yet. DC is in 7th and is taking HS math & language. Since the new rule just started w/last year’s 6th graders, maybe no one has opted in yet - they’re waiting to have Honors credits, like PP suggested?