<p>Ok, I sent an email and also included a question asking about GPA translation from a 4 point scale to their 100 based scale. Here is the reply I received (edited for anonymity)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Thank you for your interest in SUNY Oswego. </p>
<p>We calculate gpa's based on an unweighted average. On a 4.0 scale: </p>
<p>3.0 = 85
3.5 = 90
4.0 = 95 </p>
<p>Our merit and Residential scholarships require strong academic programs
of study. We do not weight these gpa's, but look for those difficult
courses and recognize them. </p>
<p>A student can be eligible for the Residential and a Deans award combined.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So the good news is that yes, OOS students can double dip in the merit pool.</p>
<p>The not-so-good news is that their grade scale conversion does not look particluarly generous, as extra weight does not explicitly get added for taking honors or AP curriculum, although they seem to "recognize" difficult courses. Not sure what that means. I think a follow-up is in order here. </p>
<p>I recognize how difficult it is to compare apples and oranges with grading systems and academic rigor between schools, so I don't mean to talk badly of the reply I received. </p>
<p>And if the entire formula was divulged publically, it could lead to "gaming" the system in course selection by prospective students.</p>
<p>Muffy -- The average snowfall in Syracuse, which is on the fringe of the snowbelt, is a little over 110 inches per year. Oswego gets significantly more snow -- probably 150+ inches. Oswego has had some truly epic snowstorms, some in excess of 100 inches over 48 hours. Doesn't happen every winter of course. The snowbelt storms can be very localized. I went to grad school at Syracuse's Maxwell School. I recall several times setting out from my apartment in Syracuse in brilliant sunshine to visit my sister, who went to Oswego. By the time I was 5 miles north of Syracuse snow was falling at a rate of 2" per hour. By the time I got to Fulton it was coming down at a rate of 4" per hour. By the time I reached the northern limits of Fulton it was really snowing hard and I had to turn back and wait for another day. In those days I thought driving in a white out was fun. Glad I don't have to do that anymore but there are thousands of students at Oswego who don't bat an eye when a foot of snow falls while they're sitting through Bio 101.</p>
<p>goaliedad: I suppose that as long as they "unweight" everyone's grades and really scrutinize those transcripts it can work. Guidance counselors, when sending transcripts, have to explain their school's grading system, whether or not weighting is used, etc. Since admissions might not be familiar with your high school as you are an out-of-stater, keeping in touch with them probably isn't a bad idea.
P.S. Oswego has a great hockey team (D.3 champs last year) and a gorgeous new arena. Oh, sexist me-just assuming you have a son! They brought back the women's team last year after a long hiatus and brought in the Cornell women's coach.</p>
<p>I would suspect that since they are dealing with multiple grading systems, defined by multiple governing bodies (from individual school, to district, to state organizations), it would be quite inequitable to some applicants to apply an arbitrary conversion without considering the source of the grading. Comparing a 3.5 at a highly selective boarding school to a 3.5 at an impoverished rural school on a par level is not a way to identify your best applicants. So, I would bet that there is some professional judgement going on (probably on the upgrade side) for students taking a heavy honors/AP load at more rigorous schools.</p>
<p>IIRC there is a mention in the FAQs encouraging applicants in the top 10 - 15% of their classes to apply because of their potential eligiblity for these scholarships - the point being that there is some variability in grading toughness between schools, but that top students from their schools would get consideration for merit awards.</p>
<p>As to the hockey, I'm sure if you've researched my posting history, you discovered that my goalie is a girl. And you are correct Oswego's women's team is in their 2nd year under NCAA regulation. I believe past women's teams were registered with one of the "club" organizations, as I cannot find any previous history of an Oswego women's team presenece in NCAA statistics going back before then.</p>
<p>While it is a bit early to forecast my daughter's hockey future (she's only a HS sophomore), I know that the earlier you start your research about the entirety of women's college hockey opportunities (there will be 82 teams as of the '08-'09 season) the better prepared we will be come application and decision time.</p>
<p>And as far as D3 schools for women's hockey go, the schools that give the best financial committment (both program $ and merit/need-based aid) tend to be the most competitive year-in year-out, because if you are not going to play D1, (and sometimes the case in D1 as well!) money does matter.</p>
<p>But actually the curiosity about Oswego that brought me to this section was more generated by the fact that my father went to Oswego.</p>
<p>I go to Oswego now and it is pretty solid. The winters can be brutal because of the wind (I'm used to all that because I have grown up with lake effect my entire life) and the summers are REALLY hot. Really nice place though. Bonfires right on the lake are really fun.</p>