<p>I see more and more kids with astronomical GPAs, but I don't see the justification. Nowadays a C in a single-enrollment AP class can chase a deserved B average to an A-. Is this for real? Who decided that getting a C in a supposed-advanced class elevates your status to A, while us lackies must count on a 95 average or suffer the consequences of a <em>shock</em> A-. Where would these children be without their precious weighted scores? Isn't it a little odd to see a C student manage a 4.2 GPA only through taking AP? Why is this allowed? Don't these AP kids have to go through some testing to qualify? Seeing half the school enrolled in AP is not only suspicious, it defeats the entire purpose. You can't possibly tell me that public education, the institution that spends more money debating what must be taught than actually teaching it, has increased its ability to educate so rapidly that half of students are college-ready. This has to be a facade. </p>
<p>I won't even delve into the E.C situation. Public schools offer endless amount of clubs, organizations, and blah blah blah. You can sign up and invest a couple of weeks, maybe try president...and go to the next club. Since when was school about this?!</p>
<p>My friend, who I cherish most dearly, is a complete idiot. He has a 4.3 GPA but cannot name all 50 states, or the primary allied powers during WWII. Text and grading are so dumbdowned (not a word btw) that the competent reguritator can post mediocre work and earn a gold star just for trying. </p>
<p>The school I attend is largely homeschooled driven. These kids are powerhouses, and could easily topple down the most digit-driven public school kid on the bloc. However, they don't have the privilege of AP, clubs, resources beyond merit, and teachers who give out A's like candy and thus are viewed less active than the public school zombies. </p>
<p>Why is it all about the transcript? All about the money? All about parents hushing their prized children from one internship to the next, just another bloated e.c to pepper the record?</p>
<p>I hate American secondary education. No wonder we're the dumbest industrial nation in the world. </p>
<p>I can see the many comments replying to this touchy post....</p>
<p>I disagree. As a high school student taking IB classes, I think school has been pretty tough. But then again, IB is an international curriculum. I think it depends on what classes you take.</p>
<p>And as for homeschool kids...I could take them on any time.</p>
<p>IB is nothing. My teachers throw assignments lifted directly from the U.C system, not crony-determined text that supposedly represents college difficulty.</p>
<p>I earned my 3.8. AP kids can sit and watch the stars, as getting a C or better guarantees a grade better than the highest-non AP kid. </p>
<p>Why can't they just make all courses equal in difficulty? Why force a academic division between students? I propose a new system. Those that cannot keep up would be accommodated, but the standard level of education should be STANDARD. No longer would we have to attach big fancy digits and words to our transcript to show others how well we can write our names.</p>
<p>High school, by definition, should be college prep. Students shouldn't be forced to elect questionable text in order to attract big-chief universities. I liked the old concept of 1.0-4.0. Those that were A students had a 4.0. Those that were C students had a 2.5. These days you can remedy a couple C's and B's, with a B in a single AP course. </p>
<p>I have no respect for people who mope and whine about their own country, so go to another country so you can mope and whine about their education system.</p>
<p>I hate American college, in how they accept students. I hate American secondary education, in how they allow students to graduate with grades they do not deserve. </p>
<p>Take a gander at world rankings. 20 years ago we were FIRST in the world. Now, we rank 9th - with the oh so silly Canadians 4 ranks ahead.</p>
<p>U.S.A!!!</p>
<p>Is that what they teach out public? Those who shout at authority must be nation-loathers. TOSS EM!!</p>
<p>Kinda dated though. Wouldn't it be just hilarious if the lazy non-AP guy like myself was accepted into a school that academically-active counterpart
was not? </p>
<p>
[quote]
I earned my 3.8. AP kids can sit and watch the stars, as getting a C or better guarantees a grade better than the highest-non AP kid.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hmm, I see your point. May be your school's weighting system is screwed up? At my kids school, B in AP or IB is still weighted LOWER than A in a regular class (B in AP is 3.75, A in regular classes is 4.0). Kind of makes you work harder ;)</p>
<p>Actually, HSisOverrated, my son graduated from a public high school that gave absolutely no weighting to AP or honors courses, did not weight rank, and required 95% for an A. He took a slew of AP courses anyway. Then again, he spends little time whining about things.</p>
<p>That article is terribly unclear about the source of the research, the methodology, and who actually did the research. They interviewed a guy at the OECD, but not much else.</p>
<p>My school doesn't offer AP, but the local public school does. I think kids should be obligated to post above average scores in a regular course to proceed to an AP version of it (perhaps testing out of the standard). This would make the merit of getting a 4.5 more worthy. </p>
<p>B in a regular class is 3.3, a significant backflip from a 3.75. I've seen B graded AP assignments, and the content within those records would have received marginal scores in my barbaric and undeveloped non-AP course. </p>
<p>It astounds me how much you have to do to get into school. Volunteer for the help, go to a foreign country, spend thousands of dollars on tutors or activities, internships, etc..etc..</p>
<p>UCLA - I agree, however if you are disputing this overly-documented fact feel free to google. Plenty of information there.</p>
<p>You could also spend a couple of hours digging through the national testing average, and compare it to neighboring states...</p>
<p>first username btw. Am I violating any rules here?</p>
<p>midmonk: Good for you. I'm glad your son had such an encouraging parent. Most schools don't scrape the extra points usually awarded for AP and Honors programs. Those that do, deserve a nice big check from the awfulness that is NCLBA.</p>
<p>There is no weighting at all...so those kids whose seniors class loads are Foods, Raquet Activities, Body Toning, Senior Communications, Applied Trig, and Stats can get a 4.0 while never having homework(ever). And the kid who takes a couple classes at the local CC, AP Physics C(Mech & E&M), AP Gov, AP Econ(Macro & Micro), and AP Lit has hours of homework and gets that same old 4.0.</p>
<p>Wouldn't that suck.</p>
<p>And at my HS a B is a 3.0, not some fancy 3.3. (and A-'s are 3.7's not 4.0's)</p>
<p>And public schools have such great clubs!!! Half of them require class enrollment to get in(Debate, Deca, Environmental, languages, etc.), a quarter disband due to lack of participation after a week or 2, and that last quarter is unfunded, so you have to raise money at all times.</p>
<p>Anyway, I know that testing averages in the US are lower than average. I just think that that article in particular is poorly written.</p>
<p>But I still question the validity of all these data. For one, I don't know whether or not all the data are necessarily saying much as of yet. I do think that education should be improved, but I don't know that any sort of educational armageddon is approaching like the media suggests.</p>
<p>That sucks DSC. I would honestly switch schools - or go the homeschool route. Then you can take all the AP courses you want at local CC (which is free for kids under 17) on your time. A friend of mine did that..</p>
<p>
[quote]
My school doesn't offer AP, but the local public school does. I think kids should be obligated to post above average scores in a regular course to proceed to an AP version of it (perhaps testing out of the standard). This would make the merit of getting a 4.5 more worthy. </p>
<p>B in a regular class is 3.3, a significant backflip from a 3.75. I've seen B graded AP assignments, and the content within those records would have received marginal scores in my barbaric and undeveloped non-AP course. </p>
<p>It astounds me how much you have to do to get into school. Volunteer for the help, go to a foreign country, spend thousands of dollars on tutors or activities, internships, etc..etc..</p>
<p>Is it really worth it?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, thousands of dollars of spending is necessary to get into schools(which you apparently defined as HYPSM), that's why we have a greater number of students at top schools who are 'in poverty' than other countries.</p>
<p>The schools that care about that crap are looking for differentiation between students numerically similar, so only at the top schools does that play a major role.</p>
<p>And international, tutoring, and so on are actually quite overrated, as schools care more about commitment than family money. </p>
<p>BTW - why are you complaining about college admissions if HS is your complaint. I tihnk you are complaining much moreso about inequities in college admissions.</p>