<p>I mean, come on. I don't know if it's just me but kids from the States have averages over 100%...How is this possible without grade inflation?
Is it just CC that has crazy overachieving students or is this common in the States? I've seen people get 99% average on this board but they were still ranked somewhere around 10~15%. Do the colleges consider this as a fact? From where I come from - Canada - I know this one kid in our school who got something like 96% average in her junior year and she was told that she had the highest average in our school's history.
I don't want to be compared with people who have "inflated" grades when I barely maintain low-90s (but still 4.0!).
I'm quite sure somebody else already made a thread about this before, but I actually don't know how to take this so I brought it up again.</p>
<p>Calm down, and get over yourself.</p>
<p>Some US students have over 4.0 GPAs because they sometimes "weight" harder classes. So, if you get full marks in all subjects, and are taking some which are hard and are weighted, it's really quite simple.</p>
<p>classicfreak, im not sure where you are from, but i can answer from a quebec perspective:</p>
<p>i know someone who has high 80's in high school and low 90's in cegep, nothing special by american standards, but as im sure you know top 5%-10% in canada. he ended up at upenn. i spoke to my GC and he said most US colleges that you would be interested in know of the lower marks in canada. make sure they know how good you are by good SAT's and well written essays and you wont have a problem.</p>
<p>One way of looking at it is that there is grade inflation in American high schools. Or, there is grade deflation in Canadian high schools.</p>
<p>Also, the percentage and grade letters do not correspond the same way in Canada and in the the U.S. In B.C., for example, an A is 86% or above, and these aren't easily given out (at least compared to the U.S. system). Meanwhile, a B is 75% or above in B.C., while in the U.S., a 75% would be a C.</p>
<p>Without sounding to self-promoting, I would just like to comment on some of the observations I have made...
I have heard many stories of classes with 10,20 or even 40 valedictorians with 4.0 GPAs. Obviously standards are too low when a 3.9 would immediate place you onle in the top third of your class. </p>
<p>Either way, there is no perfect system. I know in canada, and especially at my HS, many students get very demoralized. For example, all final exams are standardized so that 65% is the average. In the states, this may be less of a problem as almost all students get As or Bs, however it is difficult to discern between a student with marks in the low 90's and high 90's. In the end it really doesnt matter, because recognition of a good student is universal, and I dont think canada's mark deflation is detrimental in a canadian application - most US schools have some knowledge of the system anyways.</p>
<p>Basically, no one is right or wrong. There are just two different philosophies. If I get into the school I am looking at, It will be interesting how not having to aim for 100% will make a difference..</p>
<p>There is tremendous grade inflation in US public high schools. Colleges are aware of this, and the best colleges make it their business to know how this particular isssue is addressed in the various large school districts from which they draw the majority of their students.</p>
<p>Grade inflation relative to what? Grading systems in other countries? Grading systems from decades past? Define grade inflation. Is it the percentage increase? The shift in the bell curve? Is it actual point increases?</p>
<p>The best colleges look for other means of ascertaining a student's attractiveness than his or her GPA. Any GPA > 3.5, and maybe even GPA > 3, is equivalent, really, to any other; what sets the best students apart from the second best is not in the tenth of a GPA point, but in ECs, interests, etc.</p>
<p>WHAT? Are you saying that a 3.1 and a 4.0 would be held in the same regard?</p>
<p>If student A has a 3.1 but... (a) Performed interesting research for a competition, for a class, or for fun; (b) Had great ECs and accomplishments, like leading the math / scholar's bowl team to victories (nationals, etc.); (c) Had great community service; (d) and demonstrated significant academic achievement in one or more subjects, and student B has a 4.0 but... (a) Has never done anything outside of class, i.e., has no accomplishments; (b) Has never undertaken anything resembling research; (c) Took a relatively light course load; (d) Demonstrated only exceptional test-taking ability and no real enthusiasm for what he was learning, then I would bet money that student A would stand a better chance than student B.</p>
<p>Student A might have to explain the lower GPA, but it could be something as innoccuous as not being good at history, art appreciation, or PE.</p>