Do Colleges REALLY Re-weight GPAs?

<p>I am TOTALLY new here & only beginnning to enter the college admissions process with my son. So my apologies if this subject has been exhausted at an earlier date. </p>

<p>I am 100% concerned about how colleges will look at my son's GPA. Our tiny, very challenging private high school does not weight the GPA at all. In the face of admission officers looking at skyrocketing applications, how on earth will they have time to re-weight/un-weight any stated GPA? Every school we have visited has assured us that they look at each application in respect to his/her high school. It sounds wonderful - but not plausible! </p>

<p>I would love to hear your thoughts.</p>

<p>Most schools (at least the one's I know) do not weight a student's GPA. They unweight it, to make all applicants on a level playing field, using a 4.0 as an A. They also take a very hard look at academic rigor.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, at my children's school (80 students per class), students with non rigorous schedules are highly ranked, while students with the rigorous courses are pushed out of the top twenty percent. Will highly selective colleges even look at these top students, considering they are not highly ranked? Many students and their parents felt it best to avoid difficult classes in favor of class rank. This course of action, I assume, would nearly guarantee a pass at being looked at by highly selective schools. Unfortunately, I think this action is also preventing our best and brightest from being considered. The schools Board of Trustees refuses to allowing weighting of accelerated and AP courses. Thoughts?</p>