Language Test GPA

Applying to College
1

<p>I am really upset about something I just learned toady. I am currently a junior about to finish my second semester in high school. </p>

<p>In EIGHTH GRADE, I took a language test to skip a year and earn credits of foreign language. I took said test, and earned a B letter grade with a passing mark. Now, understand that I was in eighth grade, and as the oldest child from a minority family I had no idea of the impact of these grades. I was just like, "yay I passed and earned the credits." </p>

<p>As you can see where I am going, I just learned that the test, apparently with a course named Chinese1/2NS (native speaker), gave me a "B" letter grade on the transcript for freshman semester 0. Here are my thoughts about this.</p>

<p>Why is it bad?
It completely dropped my freshman GPA from 4.0 to 3.8333. Besides that one "B," I only received a B once in my high school career this year. </p>

<p>What makes it not so depressing for me?
The test was just plain unfair. I earned an "A" in all four semesters of Chinese 3/4 and 5/6 from the same teacher who graded the test. </p>

<p>My questions to CC:
Will colleges be able to understand the B letter grade as a qualifying test since it's labeled as semester 0 freshman year? </p>

<p>I know that UCs do not look at freshman GPA, but to privates, the difference between 3.97 and 3.91 is relatively large. What are your thoughts on this, especially how much colleges will take it into consideration?</p>

2

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<p>I’m pretty sure that’s not true… Besides, they get your transcript, not just your GPA. No college will turn you down just because you got a B on a language test for a year that you skipped! Especially in eighth grade.</p>

<p>If you are very worried about it, make a note of the GPA discrepancy in your Additional Info area of the Common App/make a note of it on any non-Common App schools.</p>

3

<p>UCs do not count your freshman GPA in your GPA if I remember correctly. They still have access to the transcript though. And I don’t know for sure if they can tell if it’s a language test in 8th grade. For all the transcript shows, it could have been a summer course.</p>