<p>So I live in Utah where we only have 3 year High Schools. I am well aware that being in a 3 year high school is not a big deal but the thing is the High School I am currently attending is out of my district. This being said the Middle School I went to was different than the Middle School that 98% of the rest of the student body went to. The grading system was significantly harder at my middle school than the one the rest of the students at my high school went to.</p>
<p>Would Harvard take this into account when looking at my overall composite at the end of junior year and my class rank?</p>
<p>Furthermore My G.P.A. puts me at maybe the top 15%-20% at the moment (not sure about how next year will work out) because I received a 2.1 2nd quarter of Freshman year due to being out of school that quarter for about 30 days. Long story short, I ended up making up all the work only to find out that the school wouldn't let the teachers go back and change my permanent record.</p>
<p>Would these 2 factors play a large role when Harvard (and other top tier schools that DO take freshman grades into account) looks at GPA and class ranking?</p>
<p>And I do realize that my title is misleading because I have presented you with not only two rather large questions but a third is coming up.</p>
<p>Back to the Class rank, Sophomore year every single Class I took was Honors save for AP American History and Debate/Men's Choir. Next year I'm taking 6 AP's. My school does NOT weight GPA and the school is notorious for having multiple Valedictorians as well as a majority of the top 10% being kids who took regular classes that were easy A's in order to maintain a 4.0.</p>
<p>Talk to your GC and see if he or she is going to mention anything about weighted grades, class rank, etc. in the GC recommendation.</p>
<p>Also, just get good test scores, good grades, explain why you missed a month of school, write good, interesting essays, be involved in the school community, be involved outside of the school community, etc. and you will be fine.</p>
<p>P.S.</p>
<p>By "fine," I mean that you will have a realistic shot at getting into Harvard not that it's for sure--getting into Harvard is not a for sure thing for most normal smart kids.</p>
<p>My Guidance Counselor isn't the sharpest tool in the bunch.</p>
<p>He was a Middle School Counselor up until a year ago, he's not very into his job as a counselor seeing as how he doubles over as the volleyball coach (he takes his job as the coach a lot more seriously than his job as a counselor and subsequently it seems like he doesn't even take being a GB very seriously). How much of a factor does the Guidance Counselor's recommendation count for?</p>
<p>And is it advisable for me to talk to him prior to his writing my recommendation and talking to him about reasons for a lower gpa?</p>
<p>H Admissions does an excellent job of looking at everything, taking unusual factors into account, and leveling the playing field for applicants. Having a GC who's not up to speed can be a problem, but schools are generally sensitive to that as well. You'll want to offer him some "guidance" in your process and talk with him about the process for the schools at which you're applying. The Admissions process at selective schools is more involved than at many of the public schools to which GCs send most of their grads.</p>
<p>All you can do in this case is be proactive and talk to your GC about your concerns. Make sure you do not go too far though and come off as obessive, rude, condescending, etc. Just be polite and show your GC that you care.</p>
<p>P.S.</p>
<p>Definitely avoid getting your parents involved. Schools are starting to ask GCs about the level of parental involvement so that they can find the kids who got where they are simply because of "helicopter parents."</p>