How will a lowish GPA affect my admissions?

<p>Well I'm in a bit of a dilemma here. I'm applying to super-selective unis (including the ivies) for business and engineering. My HS cumulative GPA for over the past 4 years is a bit on the low side, about ~3.6 UW. BUT I really do not feel this reflects my true aptitude. Do those unis really care if I got a Cs in Art and Drama? I really didn't want to take those classes but was forced to do so in my 9th and 10th grade years. </p>

<p>In 9th grade I had a rough transition to a new international school with a much different grading system. My first year grades were rather relatively so-so; a 3.1 GPA. In 10th grade a starting picking up and I had a 3.4GPA. At the end of 10th grade I took external exams IGCSE which covered topics over those 2 HS years with an average result equaling a 3.81 GPA (so my school has serious grade DEFLATION).</p>

<p>11th grade I got my act together and received a 3.78GPA and the first term this year I have a 3.9 (if this was weighted it'd probably be like 4.8) The problem is that my school doesn't list individual years' GPAs but only has a cumulative one (but my transcript shows all my classes and my grades for each term). My courses are the toughest anyone takes as well, but no weighting is given. Last year i self-studied 6 APs in only 2 months on top of my IB workload and I recieved an average grade of 4.17/5. I take 4 HLs in my IB, and I take an extra standard level subject further level mathematics (only 50 people in the world take this per year) which is hardest math course taught in HS and is above Calc BC. I am predicted grades of 7/7 in all my subjects (52/52) but my GPA is still so damn low. Will universities understand my situation and treat my grades accordingly or will I be at a serious advantage?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help.</p>

<p>^^as a follow-up (because my first post was a bit all over the place), I basically I want to know if universities recalculate GPAs to their own standards of weighting and if they consider non-academic subjects. I'm especially interested if upenn does this.</p>

<p>Most colleges recalculate your GPA and take our drama and art. They also do not weight your grades. Just the typical 4 for an A, 3 for a B, and if you have pluses and minuses they do the adjustment for that. So your GPA may actually be higher than you think.</p>

<p>Do universities post this information on their websites or in statistics?</p>