<p>So here's my problem. I have a 3.99 gpa. My high school doesn't weight grades there are 8 kids above me with 4.0s, all of whom have taken--at most--two or three AP classes, but many of them, none. </p>
<p>Because I've taken 6 out of the 8 AP classes offered at my school and have earned only one A- (first semester freshman year), I'm pretty sure I should be number one in my class by far. And, if my school could just corroborate this, I'd go from an Academic Index 5 to 8 (not that this is the only determining factor, but it's a decent indicator). </p>
<p>Is there any way to demonstrate this, to tell Yale that, in relation to everyone at my school, I should be valedictorian? I know it's a bit neurotic, but I think it could make a big difference. Maybe....</p>
<p>I have an almost identical situation. I said something about it in additional information saying that our school doesn't weight, and I made sure that my GC stressed that I took the hardest classes.</p>
<p>Request that your GC decline to rank by 1,2,3 etc and do it by deciles or something. Our school refuses to rank for that reason, and even so weights (using magic) our ranks to take into account AP courseload (eg, I'm ranked 7 or so although kids in phase 4 classes have 4.1s. I have a 4.08). Well "refuses" in the sense that we don't let colleges see them, but they do exist.</p>
<p>Yeah, get your guidance counselor to write something. I'm in kind of the same situation because there are about 9 people ahead of me, who I know are not as...well, let's face it, "smart" as I am, as I'm acing pretty much everything I'm taking including all the AP classes. The only reason I'm number 10 is because I;m in Student Council and it's a standard class that's required if you're in StuCo. Sucks, doesn't it? I definitely deserve to be val, but...what can you do?
But I digress...anyway, you should def get your GC to write something, I'm sure it will help.</p>
<p>I have almost this exact same situation. Most of the people with 4.0's don't even take hard classes, and so the fact that I am ranked 11th is completely misleading. Depending on how many people lose their 4.0's after semester, I may ask my GC to write something on my mid-year report explaining this. </p>
<p>As you can see, I am bitter about unweighted grades, but at least now if I get another A-, I won't be losing my 4.0! hahah</p>
<p>In the end, I honestly don't think it matters that much whether you're 1st or 15th. Yale deals with these situations every year with over 15,000 applications. Just like GPA, they aren't looking for every 4.0 student out there. They want a well-rounded, articulate, and genuine person at their college. Your rank nor your GPA that is only a point under a 4.0 or several points under will have an extreme effect. I think they focus a lot on the essays and EC's and the total applicant.</p>
<p>Yeah unweighted grades are pretty much useless. It's the weighted that counts and even that is pretty misleading sometimes.</p>
<p>Thank you for that mickley0007. But, with or without acceptance to Yale, I'm still very bitter about the fact that I'm not ranked what I deserve to be ranked. C'est la vie I guess. UGH</p>
<p>Yeah. I hate rank. I get to find out if I moved up into the top 5% after this semester soon. Yale obviously admits people who aren't vals or sals, so there is obviously hope. Maybe I will move into the top 10! (I'm 18th right now)</p>