<p>I've been reading on CC that most schools don't really look at Freshman year grades. My d's gpa was 3.5 in 9th grade. Since then, she's had at least 3.9 each term. (This year, junior year, she's had 4.2 twice.) </p>
<p>She's always taken all Honors. She's in one AP this year and signed up for 4 AP's as a senior. (VERY competitive HS.) She's in a tizzy about the fact that the 3.5 freshman GPA brings the overall GPA down.</p>
<p>Is it true that the top colleges (not talking Ivies) might disregard Freshman grades if there's a strong upward trend?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Yes, they might disregard, but not all do. When schools are offered so many qualified applicants, they could potentially choose the student who had stellar grades throughout their high school career. Additionally, schools may offer merit scholarships or honors programs that require a certain cumulative GPA at application. That GPA will include freshman year grades. </p>
<p>That said, tell your dtr to relax and think about what she can do to be a high quality applicant. She can't change those grades, but she can work hard to keep her current and future grades high. She can begin to think about her essays. She can prep for standardized tests.</p>
<p>BTW, the 4.2 sounds like QPA, not GPA.</p>
<p>I think QPA is another way of saying "weighted" GPA. Where honors courses get more than a 4.0 for an A.</p>
<p>I don't know how many colleges "ignore" frosh year grades. They want to see steadily great grades - or IMPROVING grades throughout 4 years (starting from a reasonable base, of course). Not quite the same as ignoring frosh year, but your daughter's grades sound fine.</p>
<p>Oh, thanks. The 4.2 is actually the GPA. An A+ counts as 4.5. I guess in weighted terms the A+ would be 5.0.</p>
<p>Rank in the most important factor, and even when colleges don't use freshman year to calculate GPA, rank is what matters to them. If the school doesn't oficially rank, colleges aprox rank.</p>
<p>What if freshman year was your best year for GPA hahahah</p>
<p>If a hs doesn't rank, how does the college know where the student stands within the context of that particular hs?</p>
<p>Rank is not the most important factor, imo.</p>
<p>As long is GPA is steadily improving, rather than steadily declining, I'd say you'r ein a good place.</p>
<p>Any adcom will tell you that rank is the single most important data point, but I do appreciate all opinions.</p>
<p>When schools don't rank, and more and more don't every year, colleges aproximate a rank using several sources. The schol profile and calls to guidance if they don't know the school well, and their own formulas from history if they know the schools. In A is for Admissions Hernandez lists some of the schools for which schools have formulas.</p>
<p>Even if the schools don't disregard the freshman GPA, it would still look good to see a rise in grades from Freshman year. Don't worry.</p>
<p>But they would rather pick a person with 4.0 throughout their high school year than a person with gradual increase in their GPA.
It's certainly not bad, but it's not good either.</p>
<p>Of course it's good; the person would appear as someone who cared.</p>
<p>Sure, a consistent 4.0 is wonderful, but other factors have to be taken into consideration, especially at the Ivies.</p>
<p>Snoopy, I think you don't understand the process very well. If you look at CDSs, you'll understand that ivies onlt take other things into account for the unhooked once they have appropriate stats.</p>
<p>Post responsibly.</p>
<p>I hate how much people weigh ranks. What if you go to a top 20 public school in the nation? Doesn't that have to count for something? Ugh, I should have just gone to a stupid school.</p>
<p>Sure it matters. If you go to a truly top school (average SAT 1350 plus old) your grades are looked at differently. It's about their average and you want to be in the top 10% of their pool.</p>
<p>Just remember that numbers aren't the only part of the equation. Momnewtothis, your daughter should relax and focus on her ECs, essays and teacher/couselor relationships. There is nothing you can do about the past, but you can always improve for the future.</p>
<p>what if you are good freshman year, decline slightly in sophomore year, and then increase in junior year...
(at a top/very competitive HS)?</p>
<p>wait papercane, when you apply to colleges, you have to show your uw/w gpa at the end of each school year? or is it you just show your w/uw gpa after the first semester of senior year?</p>
<p>my school only sends out weighted GPAs.</p>