<p>Ds received his report card today. Did really well, but one thing that brings his GPA down is that he takes unweighted classes required for graduation at school, such as PE, rather than getting a PE waiver to avoid the 4.0 ding on the GPA. What's irksome is that we can't afford to pay the hundreds of dollars for private rowing lessons or tennis classes or the other things that qualify for the PE waiver. Makes it kind of a class issue.</p>
<p>Also, we simply don't care that much. We're raising him to not be a score w.hore.</p>
<p>Still, it bugs me that three semesters of PE (as well as the other stuff he's required to take that are 4.0) will send his class rank lower and lower.</p>
<p>Anyway, no one ever said life is fair, which is why this is only a small vent.</p>
<p>There's no perfect system. Our sons' school simply doesn't weight at all. Each year there are multiple valedictorians. Some have taken a boatload of AP and advanced classes, and some have taken almost none.</p>
<p>There was a (long) thread a couple years ago along the same line. If I recall correctly, one kid got a medical waiver from PE and was able to take (in its place) an Honors course that boosted his cumulative GPA some miniscule amount -- just enough to make him Val. It seemed that the medical waiver was bogus, and the Honors course was taken secretly over the summer. As MilwDad says, there's no perfect system.</p>
<p>I don't see why a PE or any non-theory course (non-academic?) would ever be added in. They weren't at D's school. And it really shouldn't be to where a PE waiver gains points against the "competitors". Everyone (all affected students) need to have the same access.</p>
<p>D's system was "odd", maybe even nonsensical, certainly flawed but it WAS fair in the sense it was well set out in writing and nobody got a special plus for a course no one else could take.</p>
<p>PE's always been factored in at my schools and at my children's schools. A B in 11th grade PE prevented me from being valedictorian :-). </p>
<p>Do colleges REALLY recalculate everyone's GPA's or do they just give a general skim? It would seem like such a waste of effort for a college to manually recalculate thousands of applicant GPA's to a consistent scale.</p>
<p>There are some people who do a PE waiver but not because of the grade issue. They're worried their kids would be harrassed by bullies in PE and so this avoids the situation.</p>
<p>Our marching band kids get to double dip -- marching band counts as both their fine arts credit and PE credit, so they only have to take one hit and not two.</p>
<p>I'm just going to hope that when the counselor writes her rec that she'll make note of how he's not playing a numbers game, is just a regular kid working hard and having a good time.</p>
<p>That sucks. We don't have PE at my daughter's school -- just the five core classes and one intersession elective. PE is done through accumulating activity hours, and not for grades.</p>
<p>Hmmm. Interesting to read all the variations. </p>
<p>I've never heard about waivers for regular out-of-school activity. It does seem unfair. I wonder how/why they came to be allowed. </p>
<p>Here everybody needs 1 credit of PE to graduate. So, since everybody takes it, it counts for everybody. And it has the same potential to boost (A) or lower (B - F) a GPA/rank.</p>
<p>You know, I never really thought about it until now. But all those music classes son is taking are "only" 4.0's. I suppose if he wanted to increase his GPA he could do it by dropping something he loves (percussion) and adding an honors (4.5) or AP (5.0) "book" class. </p>
<p>On second thought, no thanks. I think we must subscribe to youdon'tsay's philosophy:<br>
[quote]
We're raising him to not be a score w.hore.
<p>D's huge (and I mean HUGE) public HS in Western WA:
1. PE is graded and the grades count towards GPA
2. 2 Years of PE is a requirement. No one can waiver out of 1 year of Health & Fitness for ANY reason (can be taken online, but it is still graded). Second year of PE can be waived for athletes participating in 4 seasons of HS sports, but the coach has the last word.
3. No weight is given for Honors, AP, etc. classes. 4.0 is the max.</p>
<p>In many schools PE is graded and counted. That's just the way the system is set up in those cases. My older son waived out of PE but his club sport then was grueling. I did not know any kids who waived out to up their averages. They did so because they were either heavily into school sports or another sport, and it would have made little sense to make them do more physical activity. However, my kids have gone to schools that did require PE despite heavy varsity and National level sports participation. No one can opt out of PE in those schools. You just do what you have to do in those cases and try to lobby for change if the system is flawed.</p>
<p>My school has a policy that anyone with a 4.0+ weighted GPA is a valedictorian. But the true valedictorian of my class, with a 4.4 or so, can't walk at graduation, because he never fulfilled his required Health and PE classes for the reasons listed above. In our district, you cannot substitute activities for PE credit. He will take the classes over the summer, but won't get his diploma until August.</p>
<p>Have you checked at your local CC for PE classes? My Ds opted to not take some PE in HS so they could take more academic classes (they were AP classes). Since PE was a requirement they still had to take an accepted (by the HS) PE class at the local CC. I actually signed up with one D and took golfing lessons with her over the summer at the CC. It cost me around $25 and cost her nothing since the CC doesn't charge HS students for the classes and we had fun taking it together (I also bought 3 or 4 $4 golf clubs at a second-hand store). My other D took a 'workout class' at the CC in the summer where she'd go and use their workout facility which was a very nice one. It was also very inexpensive and she was still getting a workout. </p>
<p>These courses couted as credit only and so didn't enter the 'overall GPA'. Like some others here, their HS had an 'overall GPA' which included PE and an 'academic GPA' which didn't.</p>
<p>Our h.s requires one PE credit to graduate. It is counted in the gpa. Have never heard of a waiver.
Tons of kids take more than one year of PE just because they like it. Same with art and music.<br>
My S2(varsity footbal player) took a PE class all four years. It was his best subject,lol.</p>
<p>At our SoCal high school, waivers to take PE credit outside the school program are very difficult to obtain. Club sports don't count. It would have to be something the school doesn't offer, such as horseback riding or crew (and even that, you have to be competing on the national level.) I assume that they can't let too many kids out of the school PE program because the PE teachers also serve as coaches for various sports. They need to fill those classes. If they let club soccer or club baseball or club volleyball count for PE, the school's PE classes would empty out. Our district also would never approve credit for PE taken at a community college. The best you can do is take PE during summer school. </p>
<p>Our h.s. also seems to generate a total GPA and an academic GPA, which does not include the PE grade. </p>
<p>What irks me a bit is that Jazz Band is counted as an academic class and does work to lower total GPA for those who choose to take it rather than selecting a weighted academic course, iow an AP.</p>
<p>4 years of PE required. No excuses accepted whatsoever. Grades are computed based on whether or not you're on time, in the correct uniform, and actually put forth what appears to be some amount of effort in whatever activity we're working on that day. And if you don't want to do that activity, you can jog or walk laps around everyone else.</p>
<p>It was pretty much a joke and for most people ended up slightly boosting GPA (it's only a half credit each year).</p>
<p>PE should be graded. PE should be held mandatory through sophomore year. Personally what you learn in phys ed will last you longer than what you learned in geometry. What shape are you in and how do you feel about yourself? Look around, and see how many people are overweight. These people who are in poor physical condition will cause your group and personal health insurance rise.</p>
<p>I have a friend who used to be a military recruiter. Their job is so much harder in the W years, because there are so many people who want to serve, cannot serve because one just one reason - over weight!</p>
<p>My S is a wimp in sports, Excepting PingPong.</p>
<p>Bunsen, I know this is off-topic, but there aren't really any HUGE high schools in Washington State. According to an article in the Seattle Times, the biggest high school in the state is Marysville-Pilchuk with an attendance of about 2,600. When I went to high school, I attended the smallest of six high schools in our district and we had an attendance of 2,700. The biggest high school in our district had more than 4.300 students. There are quite a lot of high schools in the country with more than 4,000 students. Back to your regularly-scheduled thread.</p>