I’m starting my AS levels this September and I was wondering if they counted as advanced placement when applying to us universities? I know A levels count but I will have already applied and (hopefully) been accepted before I even sit my A levels let alone get the results back! At the moment my GPA is estimated around 3.7. Although you can’t really get a completely accurate score because of the different systems. But I’d preferably like to get it up to about the equivalent of 4 which I can’t do without AP points. I know you can’t get a completely accurate GPA but it would be nice to attest ball park it so I know if there is even any point applying.
Are you thinking of “weighted” GPAs that bump of the grades of AP classes?
Don’t worry about your GPA - the absolute number rarely matters. What’s more important is how your grades compare to the grades of your peers.
For example, at my local public US high school, the unweighted median GPA is about 3.6. Would you say that at least half of your peers earn grades of AAB or better on their A-levels? ([Probably not.](A-level results 2012: breakdown by subject, gender and region | News | theguardian.com))
If you’re interested in highly selective US universities, your GPA doesn’t even play a central role in admission. Once your grades and test scores are high enough to suggest that you can keep up with academics, the focus moves on to the rest of your application. What can you contribute to the campus and the student community? Are you likely to become a leader in student organizations on campus? Are you an academic superstar, who will ask the most insightful questions in class and has the potential to become a famous researcher one day? Are you a competitive athlete who’ll help the college sports team? Do you have political connections of value to your classmates?
Keep this perspective in mind when you decide how you want to present yourself on your college applications.
I think you misunderstand the GPA system. There are 2 standards weighted and unweighted. Most (not all) systems are based on a 4 point scale. A 4.0 UNweighted is a very big deal. A 4.0 weighted is much less of a big deal. The selective colleges will often re-calculate GPAs, taking out the weights and sometimes the non-academic courses.
Don’t worry too much about trying to make an exact conversion. The competitive schools know how to handle UK marks.
Depends on the university. AP is more closely related to A level courses if you’re referring to AICE classes. AS level courses are still hard but not referred as highly as IB/AP/A level, but they may still give you college credit. Some universities will take AS scores and some may not. Check each individual universities credit matrix.
Colleges want tour AS level as well as Gcse scores,Plus predicted A Level scores.
The general conversion is British A*oprA =4, British B=3.7, British C is tricky and runs from 3 to 3.3, and so forth with British E =C and British G or U an F.
Don’t worry aboutvyour gpa. Ballpark it. Report your gcse &as results as well as predicted A Levels and you’ll be fine.