AP / grades

Exactly what my kids’ school does, weighting for AP and high honors classes goes above 5. Most kids take a significant proportion of regular honors or higher classes, so a typical median class weighted GPA might be around 4.0, yet many of the kids with a 4.0 weighted, have 3.0-3.3 unweighted GPAs. Only weighted GPA is reported on transcripts, and no class rank is reported either.

At least colleges have the school profiles (and knowledge of the more rigorous high schools’ curriculums). Many large schools do not have the manpower and/or systems to recalculate unweighted GPAs at the course level for all applicants, of course there are exceptions such as the UCs and their unique method, and schools that use programs like SRAR. Practices such as reporting only weighted GPAs, removing class rank data, keeping elective grades in weighted calcs and such can definitely benefit students in their applications to some schools.

I would say that there is no guaranty that a student will get lower grades in more rigorous classes and higher grades in less rigorous classes.

My S17’s only B+ grades were in 10th grade honors English. It was not a rigorous class (honestly mostly an issue with that particular teacher). No Bs in his more rigorous classes. I suppose it might have cost him valedictorian, but as far as we know it didn’t make a difference in where he ended up in college.

Our school weights pretty much like the uncapped version of the UC formula.

Don’t forget that APs can lead to a significant amount of college credit for many in-state schools for relatively low AP test scores. Of course, a student could self-study and take an AP test without taking the class and have the same result, but that is uncommon.

Can I throw monkey wrench into the mix? What about students who attend schools which do not offer APs? I have a middle schooler who is applying to independent schools now, three of which have dissolved their AP programs. How do colleges consider these students as compared to those who are able to take many APs?

This is not uncommon. Some high schools feel they can do a better job than simply “teaching to the test.” Invariably, the HS will still offer a course on the topic that is at least to the level of rigor as an AP class. The school profile will usually discuss the lack of AP classes and the rationale behind it. Every AO is aware that some schools “opt-out” of AP, and it will not impact an application.

My D19 has only got an A in one semester of science classes in HS. Never lower than a B. We don’t do +/-. She has taken AP Physics and AP Chem. So she wouldn’t look like a strong science student. Well she ended up with a 35 on the science portion of the ACT. So her GPA isn’t the greatest, but she knows her stuff. And it wasn’t because of a lack of effort in class. She is just spread thin and GPA has suffered some. Too much ECs and sports.

That might keep her out of some schools, but I am fine with that.

Depends on if the high school is known to colleges as an academically elite one that believes that it can teach “better than AP” courses, or if it appears to colleges as an academically weak one where the lack of AP courses suggests that it is unable or unwilling to teach advanced-level courses.

@Cwela23 One of mine went to a state school for engineering on full scholarship - not just tuition, but everything from room and board to parking was 100% paid for. He walked a fine line in high school between being able to handle a fairly rigorous schedule that included AP classes and competitive marching band (that was very time consuming - the level of national finalist). He also had a part-time job because we felt it was important for him to learn about finances and appreciate what it means to work for minimum wage. His jobs also helped him develop excellent people skills.

For us, keeping a high GPA was important. He didn’t take as many AP classes as some, but his high school experiences were varied and toughened him up a little bit. He shared a story once during a scholarship interview about dealing with a shoplifter while working at Target. The interviewer commented he had good problem-solving skills.

For kids looking for merit scholarships at state schools, it’s better to have all A’s in fewer, carefully planned AP classes than a few B’s in an AP heavy schedule. This was our experience.

@bancqsy , we were told by a number of colleges that they assess rigor in terms of what is offered by the school, which as mentioned already they’ll have on the school profile. If they offer few or no APs, the student is not penalized for that, but should make it up in GPA on other courses.

I have a possibly odd situation of a child who tended to get B+s for her AP courses, but 5s on the AP exams themselves (and a 4 on the one AP she got an A for in class…go figure) Anyone know how/if colleges look at the actual test scores too? Her school does upweight GPA for AP and hons courses.

Selective, private colleges do. Large publics don’t have time so don’t do it.

@SJ2727 she can always add her AP scores under additional info and state her grade in the course to bring it to the AO’s attention.

@ECmotherx2 , they’re there… we just don’t know how much notice adcoms take of them.

She is mostly applying to private colleges as her target schools. I guess they’re selective, but not ivies.
(Us parents did not go to college here. This whole system is a real eye-opener and has been a massively steep learning curve…)