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No, I mean 2.8. My high school was the number 4 school (#1 boarding school) in the country at % of class going to HYP. The "valedictorian" of my class had about a 90 average (we don't use GPA)....not to excuse my cumulative GPA...but my college grades will show the difficulty of my high school. Not to mention my high school has a strong relationship with Georgetown and they understand the grading.
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<p>So really, you are saying that we cannot compare your GPA on a normal scale. a 2.8 at your high school is nowhere near the same as a 2.8 at your regular high school.</p>
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So really, you are saying that we cannot compare your GPA on a normal scale. a 2.8 at your high school is nowhere near the same as a 2.8 at your regular high school.
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<p>Correct, my college GPA and my SAT are the other things you can compare.</p>
<p>that's fair, my high school GPA is probably nowhere near as high as most gtown transfer acceptances, but my high school was similar to TheMagnanimous'.</p>
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that's fair, my high school GPA is probably nowhere near as high as most gtown transfer acceptances, but my high school was similar to TheMagnanimous'.
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<p>Personally, I think the high school GPA is vastly outweighed by college GPA. If one has proven they can be successful in college, it doesn't really seem like it would matter what they did in high school. I'm not sure exactly how adcoms consider it though....</p>
<p>I'm sorry, but how is doing well in one semester of course work proving that you can be successfull in college? At least high school was four years of hard work...</p>
<p>Cus High School is much less standardized in terms of one high school's academic credibility versus the next and across the country. This can make it hard for a college like Georgetown to value one person's 3.9 versus another's 3.9 at a hs in the Cascades of Washington versus one in inner-city Chicago. Reputation's are hard to form except for the few exceptional high schools. In contrast, it is easy to value a 3.7 from a place like, say Wake Forest over a 3.7 from UW-Milwaukee. That's one reason to place emphasis on a college transcript.</p>
<p>Another reason is that it just makes sense. For a large number of people your first semester freshman year is the worst, or close to the worst semester academically for you in your college career. If your first semester you can pump out a 3.5 at a decent school then they both know that you can cut it already, and that you are working hard now.</p>
<p>Four years of hard work sounds impressive when you look at it. But many people, even those at top notch schools will work hard in hs and slide in college or vice-versa. High school was a completely different period in everyone's educational and social lives. Dealing with being away from home for the first time in college and getting a 3.6 is more impressive than a 4.0 from a random public hs when your biggest worry very well could've been just if you had enough gas to drive your car home, or if you would get a date to homecoming.</p>
<p>Finally, College is the real world on such a larger level than is high school. Your high school GPA is great...in the long run, who cares??...grad schools?, not by much...employers?...as long as you a) weren't arrested and b) have a diploma from a legit hs, not at all. This is where you cut it or don't...get used to it.</p>
<p>Well stated ndhopeful, depending on the school, I think that if you talk to people at your college, you will find to an extent that HS GPA does not always predict college performance. Like I said, I got a 2.8 or so at a very tough high school, where I learned how to do tough academic work. My roommate got a 4.0 at a high school where he did not have to do much work. His GPA is significantly lower than mine, in a less difficult program. I know another guy who had like a 3.3 from a public school and high SAT's, and now has a 3.8 in college...maybe these are exceptions, but my point is that high schools can really vary, it makes sense that Georgetown or others have a better sense of how to analyze GPA's from other universities.</p>
<p>Right, I'm not saying that your college G.P.A isn't FAR more important than your HS G.P.A. It definitely is. What I am saying is that it seems sort of weird to me that they place so much weight on 1 out of 8 of your college academic semesters. What if somebody simply starts out slow, but ends up with a great G.P.A. when all is said in done? I like what schools like Northwestern do, which is to wait until they receive your second semester grades as well before they make their decision. That way, if you have a tough time adjusting to college during your first semester, and struggle academically, then you will have an opportunity to make up for it.</p>
<p>I have a good G.P.A. here at Emory, so I am not just complaining about my situation, but am rather thinking hypothetically.</p>
<p>i havent read this. but for the most part in alot of these threads i see alot of.... <em>.</em> at a very competitive high school/prestigious high school/blahblahblah. i must say that as much as i'd like to believe...i really dont think that schools care WHAT type of school you came from in high school and prob. not so much in college (more so the college at a competitive school like g'town). they want to see good stats, whether or not you had to/have to try, is kind of irrelevant. i want to believe that they truly do look at each application and make decisions based on personality and intelligence and all of that crap but the truth is...i don't think they do.</p>
<p>it does matter what school you come from. my high school is notoriously difficult and feeds into ivies and schools like georgetown, and does the school magnanimous went to. it's the same way with college grades-- a 3.7 from cornell has the advantage over a 4.0 from a community college. and a lot of people do say that their high schools were good, i'm sure some are, some aren't, some are recognized by colleges, some aren't, but i can assure you that the schools magnanimous and i went to are recognized and that's all that either one of us was speaking to.</p>
<p>oh im not saying that your school isnt. im just saying that there are alot of schools that Arent notorious...nationally. by all means good for you for success in a competitive hs. and yes, i agree w/ you a/b the cc and college or university difference. i do think it is important what school you come from in college but i mean there are only so many tiers...im definitely not comparing a cc w/ a college or university gpa. there's an obvious difference.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your high school, For Shaganov, but not everybody has the opportunity to attend such a school. I personally am glad that I went to a public high school which, although ranked very high nationally, encouraged students to learn and prosper, and not just to get into ivies.</p>
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I wasn't intending to be a jerk. She made it quite clear that she went to a presitigious school, and I wanted to congratulate her for it.
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<p>I find that hard to believe, regardless, the point is not even the ivies, it is the grading. This entire discussion stemmed from me posting my HS GPA as 2.8, and when someone said "you mean 3.8?" I had to explain that my high school (in addition to being prestigious) has very difficult grading, it is next to impossible to have an "A" average, and I'd imagine For Shaganov's high school also had more difficult grading than the typical public school would have.</p>
<p>You know what...you're right...colleges don't care if your high school is prestigious or not. That's why some public schools rarely see an Ivy League grad and some public schools see 5 or 6 a year. That's why almost everyone at places like Andover goes to top 50 schools. And hey, when X public school sends 90% of its college matriculating grads to Y State University and rarely gets an acceptance at a place like Georgetown, its because the colleges don't care.</p>
<p>This is the reason we have SAT/ACT scores. It is the only thing that is a national barometer in any way. The colleges know that an SAT score of X/1600 or out of 2400 is directly comparable to one of a Y/1600 or 2400. These tests are the only thing in the college admissions system that they know is the same across the country and the only direct comparison between people states away from each other.</p>
<p>It sucks that some people don't have the opportunity to attend the great schools that some do have the opportunity to attend. That said, a graduate of a Prep school, renowned public school, and the like is someone who they know can a) handle the work...and b) has been educated to the level necessary to cut it at an ivy, or a Georgetown.</p>
<p>Arguing social policy and social equality/equity is fine, and you can do it all you want...but when it comes to College Admissions...in as tragic as it is, in as horrible as it may sound they know that those kids from the best high schools in the country are tried and tested. If you want to argue that it should not matter for one reason or another (I would disagree with you) go ahead. That doesn't take away from the FACT about the way the world works now. Your OPINION is not the SYSTEM, like it or not.</p>
<p>I was not saying that coming from a prestigious school does not matter, I was just saying that I personally enjoyed attending a public school, and was still able to attend a top 20 university. </p>
<p>But nobody should feel that they are less worthy of attending a top notch college because their family couldn't afford to send them to a presitigious prepatory school, and I think that universities are starting to reward students more and more for suceeding despite their surroundings, as they should.</p>
<p>There obviously is a reason why parents are willing to shell out 20-40 k for a private school, and I am obviously not against the idea that you should be able to increase your son/daughter's chances of attending a great university by sending them to such a school. </p>
<p>Ndhopeful09, I am a freshman in college now, and my days of fighting sarcasm with sarcasm are over. Everything you've experienced with the college admissions process, I've probably experienced it too. But if posts like that make you feel better about yourself, then feel free to continue.</p>