<p>I go to a competitive private school where I've been an average/below average student my whole high school career. I basically just didn't try. I could've put it in less effort at public school and gotten a 3.7. My options are to go to this school for my senior year, or go to my local public school which is the complete opposite. I'd definitely get at least a 3.8 first semester. (My cumulative GPA right now is about a 3.0 UW, probably about a 3.4 W) My school doesn't send any form of ranking. What do you guys think I should do? I know it's my senior year, and it doesn't matter a lot, but I think socially and academically I'd be better off at public school. Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>I'm not saying that public schools are academically inferior, because I've learned at my school that private schools are one of the most overrated things in the world. I'm just saying that it's a lot harder to get good grades at my school, and at my local public school, you can get all A's just by doing the work.</p>
<p>Also, if I did switch schools, I'd probably get recommendations from my old school. Would my new school's grades influence admissions decisions at all?</p>
<p>I agree, especially since it will make it more difficult to get recommendations from people who barely know you. And instead of focusing on school, you’d probably be worried with making friends and adjusting to a new school. Just seems unnecessarily disruptive to me…</p>
<p>Colleges are going to weigh the grades and recommendations from the private school over the academically inferior public. You spent much more time at the private, and they will realize that the lower-level of coursework at the public school does not reflect your true academic ability, even if there is a brief decline in grades due to the change. Changing will mainly affect you socially since you might need to make new friends – it might be a challenge because you will be coming from a different culture with an improved set of norms and values than the people who go to the public school. As far as getting into college, it won’t make much of a difference though.</p>
<p>If you have not attended the public high school, then it is impossible for you to predetermine what your GPA will be. You say that you “…basically just didn’t try.” Regardless of whether the school is public or private, effort will be required to attain a 3.8. </p>
<p>That said, if you think you’ll be happier at the public, then by all means Make the switch! I am proud to be a public-schooler (as if that isn’t apparent ), and I think public schools offer a lot for everyone. Additionally, you’ll be saving your parents the financial burden of private tuition the year before the college bills start piling up, and I don’t think that the switch will influence the admissions committees either way, because it is so late in your high school career. Do what will make you happiest, and best of luck with your decision!</p>
<p>“I basically just didn’t try. I could’ve put it in less effort at public school and gotten a 3.7. My options are to go to this school for my senior year, or go to my local public school which is the complete opposite. I’d definitely get at least a 3.8 first semester.” - </p>
<p>What a joke - Go with that attitude and get the snot kicked out of you the first week, and I don’t think that will improve you GPA one bit.</p>
<p>All semi-kidding aside - None of us live in a vacuum and who knows how the social pressures and opportunities at one place over the other would have effected your GPA. If you were a slacker at one school you would have likely been a slacker at the other, so stay at your school and at least take advantage of a guidance councilor who doesn’t have 450 other kids to attend to…</p>
<p>travelbug, I attended the same school K-8, and it’s such a small district that there is only one elementary, one middle, and one high school of about 600 kids. Most of my friends at this school who are juniors barely ever have homework besides projects and papers. I’m not joking…this school is kind of a joke, but a lot of teachers offer smart kids extra work so they feel challenged. </p>
<p>And ncmentor, like I said before I know the level of difficulty for my old school and I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I could’ve tried less and came out with a 3.7 Seriously if you do the work at this school and suck up to the teacher where in most classes the participation grade counts for 50%, you will not get a grade lower than an A- on your transcript.</p>
<p>I have a lot of friends at this school since I basically grew up with all of them. I just feel like transferring to a private school was just a huge mistake. I don’t belong there. I hate hate the petty competition and grade grubbing and the sense of entitlement. </p>
<p>I really think I would be happier at the public school, I just don’t want colleges to think I’m doing it in order to get better grades. It is a huge financial burden (waste) of $22,000/year. I feel so guilty for having my parents literally throw away all this money just so I can get into a lesser college than I would’ve at my old school.</p>
<p>BTW I’m aiming for schools like USC, Toronto, GWU, etc. if that matters.</p>
), and I think public schools offer a lot for everyone. Additionally, you’ll be saving your parents the financial burden of private tuition the year before the college bills start piling up, and I don’t think that the switch will influence the admissions committees either way, because it is so late in your high school career. Do what will make you happiest, and best of luck with your decision!</p>