<p>Not sure whether ours is a common experience, but thought I'd repost this here from another forum. Could really use some advice!</p>
<p>Here's the situation. My youngest is not the academic superstar my eldest was. She'll need all the help she can to eke out ANY merit from a lesser known school (fin. aid is unlikely, but badly needed). We requested xscripts & counselor rec forms from d's guidance counselor (public school, 2000+ kids, 400+ in d's grad class). On the school's request form, I specifically asked that the rec forms reflect both weighted and unweighted gpa & class rank.</p>
<p>d's school doesn't mail the info off to the colleges. They give it back to the kid in a sealed envelope. The envelopes bear a huge black stamp over the seam: "UNOFFICIAL IF OPENED." Sooo . . . of course, I opened one. To my complete lack of surprise, the counselor's letter of recommendation was lukewarm (no quibble there. d didn't even know her counselor's name, and is only a slightly above-avg student). But annoyingly, the counselor's letter AND the rec form she completed, stated an unweighted gpa, and a class rank I'd never seen before (much lower than the one she'd told us verbally or the one printed on the official xscript).</p>
<p>What the heck was I to do? Was this an unweighted rank? Why was it different? Why had she chosen to write a separate letter presenting d's academic achievement in the worst possible light? How on earth am I gonna admit I opened the envelope??!!!</p>
<p>Any ideas?!! The schools we're considering will use a weighted gpa & class rank "if reported by the high school." Even if I'm somehow able to get the counselor to fix the error on the form and rec letter for the one school I opened, how can I avoid the now complete lack of trust and fear that she'll sabotage d's remaining apps because I opened this one!?</p>
<p>Confess to the GC that you were anxious, so you opened it. Don’t call it an error on GC’s part, just explain as you did in your post that the schools you’re considering will use a weighted GPA and class rank if reported by the high school. Keep in mind that some schools just don’t report weighted GPA and class rank, even if you request it. (Ours doesn’t.)</p>
<p>At the end of the day, it really does not matter. Most schools look at and consider the unweighted GPA because there is already an assumption that if it is a selective school that the student is taking the most rigerous courses that the school offers. In addition, there is a lot of variation when it comes to how “heavily” a school weighs a course. </p>
<p>There could also be a possbility that the weighted GPA could show the student in a less positive light than the non weighted GPA. If the student has a 3.0 on a 40 unweighted gpa and a 3.5 out of 5 gpa on a weighted gpa the unweighted gpa is actually the better one.</p>
<p>The thing that I would be concerned about is if there is a copy of the school profile attached that explains rigor and course availability. This way the school can see based on the profile that the student is taking the more rigerous courses.</p>
<p>sybbie, it doesn’t sound like the student is taking a super-rigorous program, or applying to super-selective colleges. </p>
<p>It’s an interesting dilemma. What happens when the numbers on the rec form written by the counselor doesn’t match up with the transcript?</p>
<p>Before confronting the counselor, I’d call the admissions office at the schools where your D is applying, and ask them what they do if the transcript rank and GPA don’t match up with what’s on the counselor’s rec form. They might tell you that they draw all their numbers from the transcript alone. In that case, all is well as far as ranking and unweighted GPA go. </p>
<p>If, however, they say that they use the counselor’s numbers, or that they call the school to confirm, or if the weighted GPA isn’t printed on the transcript, tell the counselor that you heard from a college adcom a horror story where the transcript didn’t match the counselor rec form, and how it triggered calls to the counseling office from the college and caused all kinds of problems and extra work. Or say that you had a nightmare where the counselor used numbers from another kid. Or that you were brainwashed by the crazy people at CollegeConfidential into worrying about everything. Apologize for being paranoid, but say that since you can’t of course see the counselor’s rec, you’d very much appreciate if the counselor could confirm for you that the rec class rec and GPA match what’s on the transcript, and that the weighted GPA is included since it is so vital. OR, say that you would like to review the non-subjective parts of the counselor’s rec to confirm that there are no errors. Emphasize that you aren’t interested in seeing her rec, which you know is confidential. </p>
<p>If the counselor then tells you that yes, of course the numbers match, or refuses to let you see the form, then you’ve got a bigger problem. :eek: Ignore that for now, and see if you can get some happy news from admissions or the GC.</p>
<p>SlitheyTove!! <em>huge grin</em> How I wish I’d seen your advice b4 impulsively taking to my keyboard! Sage, indeed. Alas, I’ve done gone & spilled the beans. As posted elsewhere, in response, the GC simply characterized the discrepancy as “her error” and offered to update the forms today. </p>
<p>Goodness help me. Henceforth shall my name be known as “HELL-icopter Mom” and the GC’s office shall spit after each mention . . .</p>
<p>And you shall be known in the annals of the GC office forever and ever, LOL!</p>
<p>Our school mails the GC packet themselves. Probably saves a lot of people from the temptation of opening up the “don’t break this seal on the pain of death” seals…</p>
<p>Hey SuperMom<em>You</em>Is, let’s take the GC at her word. You didn’t moan and groan about the written part, just the numbers. No harm, no foul. The GC will be more careful. Everyone wins this round. :D</p>
<p>Now on to figuring out how to suggest to the GC that there should be some way in the future to keep this kind of thing from happening. :)</p>
Apologize for being paranoid, but say that since you can’t of course see the counselor’s rec, you’d very much appreciate if the counselor could confirm for you that the rec class rec and GPA match what’s on the transcript, and that the weighted GPA is included since it is so vital. OR, say that you would like to review the non-subjective parts of the counselor’s rec to confirm that there are no errors. Emphasize that you aren’t interested in seeing her rec, which you know is confidential. </p>