CCers say a low GPA is fine as long as your rank is high, but what if both are low at a very competitive public (not magnet) school? Everyone in the school having a low GPA would imply grade deflation, which truly does occur here, but to be in the top 10% a person can only get 1 B all four years of high school.
How will colleges view a 3.77 GPA / top 40%?
Would they think that since 10% of people do only get one B, being a top 40% is simply too low?
It all depends on the overall reputation of your school as perceived by colleges. The school profile will tell a lot. What is the avg gpa? How many kids in the school? What is the highest gpa? What are avg standardized test scores? All these data points will factor in.
@wisteria100 It is pretty famous in my state, but I’m not sure if many colleges (especially LACs) know of it. The highest GPA (school only does UW) is 3.97-4.00 for top 10%. That makes it seem like there is lots of grade inflation but that is far from the case! I’m not sure colleges will recognize that, though.
Out of a class of 570 seniors this year (I’m a junior)…60 NMSF, over 130 commended.
Average SATs: Reading and writing are 640 and 660, math is almost 700. Overall I think it’s in the 2000s. Over 90% of AP tests taken by students at my school get a 3+, and almost 50% get 5’s on them.
The thing about the SAT scores is that with the new SAT playing a factor my year, I’m scared that the SAT scores will go down and make my school seem less competitive than it really is.
I assure you schools (including LACs) will know about the competitive level at your school.
@“Erin’s Dad” I sure do hope so…but maybe 5% of my school applies to LACs. LACs rarely even come to our school for information sessions because they know that no one ever applies from here.
Admissions for competitive LAC’s have as competent staff as do the Ivy League schools. In fact, mistakes are obviously more influential when there are so few students involved. Does that mean every student from a high powered magnet ends up at a very competitive LAC or university? No. But scores should be quite high even for those students who don’t end up in the top 25%.That is because most nailed tests to get into the magnet to begin with and because the schools are usually very rigorous. I’d expect that SAT2’s would be very high among students who might not be in the top 10-30%% of a magnet. The scores put the GPA into perspective.
@lostaccount I see what you’re getting at, although my high school is a plain old public school (not magnet whatsoever – although the scores sure do make it seem like one!). I guess my not-so-well-articulated concern is that the colleges may think that we have high scoring students (on the SATs, etc.) but that the school’s grading system is like that of an average school…although that is not the case.
Bump.
I don’t think my question in the OP was clear. Will colleges think that even though students at my school have an average SAT scores in the 2000s, that the school grading system is not difficult / inflated because the top 10% is 3.97-4.0?
Every high school has a fact sheet which describes the student body and how many go to college along with other statistics. Admissions offices have these and can make their own judgement. It is pretty much pointless for you to worry about it. You are at that school and for better or for worse, that is what admissions offices will see. Apply to the schools you are interested in attending and have some safeties and you will be fine.