<p>I attend a private high school and am concerned about the way they calculate your GPA. I take both honors and AP classes, but there is no difference in an A in these type courses and regular courses. An A is still a 4.0 The only benefit is that it raises your class rank- they multiply your grade by 1.07, for example and A in honors is a 4.0 x 1.07 = 4.28 So while my class rank looks better by taking these classes, my GPA shows nothing. I have friends who attend a public school that receive a 5.0 for an A in honors and a 4.0 for a B. This just doesn't seem right. So even though I am making A's their GPA will appear much higher than mine. Do colleges admissions officials know this and do they take this into consideration? At my school it is impossible to have an impressive GPA like a 4.6 (etc) I just feel like I am working hard for no purpose! Could someone please help explain how this works! I feel like I am being cheated out of a higher GPA by attending a private school.</p>
<p>Well every school is different, and colleges know that some schools give higher GPAs to students for the same effort (sometimes known as grade inflation) than other schools. They’ll take that into account, and that’s one reason why class rank is important. Your school is only one of many, private and public, with a GPA calculation that ends up lower than that given at some other schools, and colleges won’t hold that against you. Also don’t forget that GPA is just one part of the package that colleges will consider.</p>
<p>Most colleges ignore the GPA your high school reports, for precisely this reason. They do their own calculations based on the actual grades reported on your transcript.</p>