I know that NEU’s old formula was +.5 for honors, +1 for AP, and +2 for HL classes, but I don’t think they recalculate like that anymore. Does anyone know how NEU now recalculates GPA? I’m trying to see if I qualify for the honors program. Maybe I could get it calculated by a CCer who knows how it would be calculated or a current student of NEU? I have a 4.0 UW with 18 classes, 9 of which are honors (according to my school’s method, my GPA from fresh through junior year is 4.5). I also got 4s on two AP tests and got an A in a DE college class. How are those factored into my GPA? Thanks for the help!
As far as I know, the method you mentioned previously is correct - why do you think it has changed? I have no idea how college classes are calculated into that, but AP scores are considered for credit mostly.
In general, Honors admission is holistic - merit is more stats driven.
My understanding is .5 for honors, +1 for AP… what is HL?
@twicemama it’s an IB curriculum class I believe.
@PengsPhils my school doesn’t even offer AP classes though; will they take that into consideration when re-weighting my GPA? A girl from my school got into honors but no merit (33 ACT and 3.93 UW GPA). Did she get no merit because NEU weights honors less than AP classes (she was in 12 honors classes, I believe)? I just find it ignorant that they assume honors classes are less rigorous than AP classes; it isn’t like that at my school. I took 2 AP tests and got 4s on both (I even took one in a class I hadn’t taken). Anyway, the girl who got into honors went to Harvard instead. It just astounds me that NEU would still use such an archaic belief when re-weighting GPAs. Don’t get me wrong - I love the school - but it just bothers me that I’m at a disadvantage even though I’ve taken the hardest course load at my school.
This isn’t true…
Northeastern takes into account the courses available to you in your application, though it won’t affect the recalculated GPA. The girl you mentioned certainly didn’t fail to get merit based on a lack of AP courses. They contextualize your academics based off your school profile, which it submits to every school you apply to along with your guidance counselor recommendation.
You’re asking impossible questions here, and really looking a bit too closely at stats - Northeastern is holistic, and if you look at the admissions threads, you will see people every year confused why they didn’t get in with high test score X when someone else had X-200.
If I had to guess, that girl probably didn’t fail to get merit due to lack of stats - something else had to be up, from essay to extracurriculars. Again, I can’t emphasize enough, Northeastern is still a holistic admissions process, even if they are a slightly bit more test score driven. I said merit was more stats driven - not fully.
While NEU will give you credit for them, it isn’t going to play a big or even medium role in admissions.
You’re overanalyzing here - you have a solid profile in terms of stats - now focus on yourself as a person - they look at that just as much as SAT/ACT and GPA.
A few years ago when I got in, I had a 34 ACT and my GPA was probably 3.6W by NEU’s metrics. I got merit with that. What probably mattered more was an upward trend, taking the most challenging classes I could at my school, and other things like already having an internship experience in my field. If it was purely by stats, I would not have gotten merit.
@PengsPhils ok thanks! This makes me feel a lot better. I’m not too worried about not getting in; everyone that applied from my school got in last year, even one person with a 22 ACT (evidence that it’s not just about stats).
I didn’t know about an extra bump for HL… I was IB and haven’t heard of that before.
@nanotechnology idk if that’s true… I’ve just seen people say that before.
Whether they do that or not, I honestly don’t think it makes a big difference for applicants, because they’re looking at it in the context of what’s available to you to take. And your weighted GPA would be hurt by taking electives (like art or music) instead of study hall, but in reality that would likely help your chances of admission rather than hurt them.
@nanotechnology oh ok cool!
Do you guys know if NEU recalculates or weigh gpa for dual enrollment courses?
My guess is that dual enrollment would be weighted like AP
PengsPhil mentioned also, but just to reiterate for any other applicants, your guidance counselor sends a “school profile” with every application. My high school profile is actually on our district website; you can check yours. It includes information contextualizing your grades, including things like graduation rate, how many students pursue post-secondary education, the number of AP/IB/DE classes available and typically which ones, and the ranking of which classes are considered most rigorous. If it is an objectively true fact that honors courses are most difficult at your high school, then the adcom will see that in the school profile.
To second nano, I believe DE courses are weighted as AP.