So my DS has 7 RD college admission decisions pending, and one ED deferred Ivy pending. His GPA has a definite upward slope, with lowest grades freshman year (some serious medical issues at that time) and highest this most recent semester of senior year. I saw lots of threads about students worrying about low senior midterm grades, but not many on the effect of high midterms on decisions. Are these even considered? Do schools recalculate GPAs?
Oh – in case someone wonders – yes he has a rigorous schedule. He always takes an overload…
When my daughter applied she had to send her first semester senior year grades to some of her schools, particularly her RD ones, so I am assuming that some do care.
Yes, mid-year grades count. Mid-year grades are sent for RD applicants through the common app. IN addition, the deferred school will want to see his mid year grades. Good mid-year grades will not guarantee an acceptance, but bad mid-year grades will keep him out.
Final grades also count, because your admission can be rescinded for a serious case of senioritis.
I do realize these grades are sent out as part of the final app. I am aware of many threads saying how bad mid-year or final grades can lead to an offer being rescinded. But in this thread, I was particularly interested in the potential impact of good (great?) senior mid-year grades – hence the title of the thread.
Particularly for a deferred admission I think great grades can tip admission in the student’s favor (unless it’s a school that defers everyone).
The Tufts rep on CC once said that a primary reason for deferrals was that they wanted to see the mid-year grades.If I recally correctly he said, a deferral usually means someone on the committee is rooting for you, but there were some academic concerns. So yes, good grades would definitely help.
Alas the deferral is from Penn – I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one. Do you folks think the RD schools care about midterm grades. Does anyone know if they recalculate GPA? DS is already in 2 safeties, so now it is just a question of where else he gets in.
His scores are solid. His grades are borderline for the reachy schools, with, as I said, an upwards trend.
I think most schools care about midterm grades. Many recalc GPAs but other than the UCs and CSUs which have a defined process I don’t know which ones.
To me the only ones that matter are the ones the schools see. So the first term grades. After that I think it is only required that they maintain grades that are commensurate with the scholarship package that they received.
^ That was what I took the OP to mean by Midterm grades but perhaps I misunderstood.
I may have used the wrong word – I meant the mid year (first semester) grades.