<p>what is causing the delay in this case, is the influx of "katrina" kids that have suddenly changed the rankings with regards to percentiles..and the school is trying to figure how to handle it,,,,if you have a group of kids that change the #s, pushing people UP the perctantile ranks, that ranking is VERY relevant...say a kid was in the horrid rank of 11%, but suddenly the school brings in kids who are trying to catch up, and probably on averge are in the bottom half of a particualr schools standings, that bumps that 11% to 9 or 10% while that kid actually did nothing different</p>
<p>I have seen more complinats on this site with regards to ranking then I have seen,wow what a great system</p>
<p>Our school does not rank, yet kids are placed in wonderful schools...</p>
<p>What if one of those "katrina" kids came in and took over spot # 1 after two years because grades at formoer school where higher, but school was easier...just a question</p>
<p>Actually, if you transfer in, you lose your grade point average from the school you came from and start fresh at the new school with your credits but no GPA. They have had to do that in our district because we have 2 really high achieving schools (one of which my s attends) and two lesser achieving schools. There was some game playing going on in the past where people would transfer to the lesser schools so their rank would be higher. At my s's school, to be in the top quarter you have to have taken the distinguished scholar route complete with AP's and honors and made mostly A's. A kid who was strictly on an academic level with straight A's will be in the second quarter. Somehow my s was able to make it through with all A's in all honors and AP's, but a good friend of his who had one B two years ago was at around 5%, still top ten, but he was not admitted to McCombs, the business school at UT, they bumped him to Liberal Arts(he ended up ok though, he is a sophomore at Rice).</p>
<p>Oh and the "Katrina" kids thing is just speculation among parents and we all know how correct that can end up being. It may be taking so long because they are using an abacus. But, the "Katrina" factor is having an effect on class ranks, and yes it is bumping some up, but fair or not, that is the system and I don't really know how they could not count them, as they are students at the school, and yes, generally they are ranked in the bottom half. BUT, that is a whole other discussion - What in the Sam Hill were they doing all day at public schools in NO? Because they sure as heck weren't teaching them. God Help Those Kids!!!</p>
<p>Last year, my daughter's high school handed out the rank. Several of us eager parents quickly realized something was up when we couldn't recalculate the GPA - apparently the computer program left out a semester. The ranks had to be recalculated and distributed a week later. GIGO.</p>
<p>internally they are weighted, and for California Scholarship Federation thing, but no ranking....they find it not useful and they would rather kids take the tougher classes no matter what anyway</p>
<p>AG54; it is EARLY yet. Very, very, very early. I would be surprised if UT is even looking at applications yet, even with rolling admissions, and even more surprised if the committee that decides honors acceptances are meeting so early on. Sending a transcript after the first 6-week marking period, (only a week and a bit away at our school), should be in plenty of time to still be an early bird. Your son is an automatic admit to UT, and looks like an automatic admit to the business school also, given his stats. Relax. ;) (I'm curious...Did he already apply for a space in the dorms, or in the Towers, or is he waiting to do that?)</p>
<p>that is true....many schools like to wait because at this point in time, kids are often still adjusting schedules, and dropping classes, so when they send transcripts off that show current classes being taken, they want it to be accurate</p>
<p>I know I need to chill out about it, :) like I said earlier, I think it is just that my s and I both want everything to be done and completed so we don't have to think about it anymore. And it is frustrating when you have everything done on your end, but have to wait for someone else to complete the app. Yes, he has applied for UT housing and we got the forms from Towers this week. I am going to be sending the deposit next week. The boy that he wants to live with has also applied both at UT housing and the Towers and he is waiting for his transcript to be sent too. Same boat! </p>
<p>I will say this, though about the counseling, I went to a meeting for 12th grade parents last night to discuss procedures and such. The handouts they gave and much of the talk was about stuff that absolutely should have been discussed last spring, such as making sure your senior schedule reflects that you aren't "taking the year off" - well, too late to change that now! The deadline to change classes was June 1. They also talked about showing leadership in your activities, too late for that too as all the elections for captain and presidencies occured last spring! Luckily for my s, he had been doing that stuff anyway, but I'm sure there were some folks who were like, "Huh? My son told me it was fine to have 2 off campus study halls and not take any more math and science." I just have really felt like you are on your own there and there are lots of people where this is their first kid and they are totally flying blind and not getting very good guidance.</p>
<p>Ag, it is like that here, as well. I think there is some meeting for just the students (not even the parents) of seniors about college this month. It is sorta on the late side. This should be in junior year and the parents should be part of it. The only meeting I remember for parents was in senior year about financial aid. Families are practically on their own and so many have no clue. My D used to say to me, "mom, I wish you could help all the kids in my class as none of them know anything about this stuff". (clearly not the situation in prep schools, nor a public like in the new Robbins book)</p>
<p>Any school which weights grades ranks.....de facto. They are sending a chart to the colleges that allows them to determine where your child ranks with a few places. </p>
<p>The only people who don't know the rank are the parents and the child. </p>
<p>This is one of the most overlooked points in the US secondary school system. Usually by smart parents.</p>
<p>The latest in our saga. So, last week (Monday) my s turned in the 24 hour form to have the transcript sent along with the stamped, addressed envelope and the 2 dollars. He was assured the transcript would be sent that day. Well, we start watching the UT system to see when it will show up as having been received. In the meantime, he sends his expanded resume and honors forms on Wednesday. They show up as received online on Friday. I start worrying about the transcript. We are joking about the movie Orange County, saying that someone else has his transcript in their file and that he will no longer be number 1 with all A's, now he'll have some transcript that shows middle of the class, etc. Haha. </p>
<p>So, this morning, I have to go up to the school to bring something my s left at home and I stop by the registrar's office to check. The lady goes into the back office to check and surprise, his request is in a pile of unrelated stuff and hasn't been sent. She is very sorry, doesn't know how it was overlooked, and promises that it will go out today. Well, I think I'll go by in the morning to check again. </p>
<p>Like I said before, the frustration lies in having to trust someone to take care of their part of the process and knowing that it is out of your hands! Hopefully, it will truly be taken care of this time!</p>