<p>In my school, there are 3 types of classes that are weighted differently: level 2, level 1, and honors/AP. During the summer after my freshman year, many of my friends took a summer course at a community college that allowed them to skip a level 2 C++ class and take a level 1 Java class the following year. However, I chose to attend a piano festival in shanghai instead.</p>
<p>Basically, my overall GPA is not as high as it could have been, and my weighted GPA is lower sophomore year than it is freshman year or junior year, even though I received better grades sophomore year. Do you guys think this is worth explaining in the "Additional Information" box on the common app?</p>
<p>um, i wouldnt say so. i would assume you are going to include something about your piano festival, thats good enough. basically your going to seem as if your complaining about picking pian over taking an OPTIONAL community college course over the summer. anyways i think its better if you pick the piano instead of an oppurtunity to boost your gpa, right?</p>
<p>Well, I was thinking about explaining why the GPA dropped, not complaining about piano... it's not something I regret - if I had the choice again, I would still pick piano.</p>
<p>but i thinkkkkkk the colleges see how classes are weighted in your school report/transcript. and plus they see what classes you took, so they can put the pieces together. it can't be that big of a drop anyways, right?</p>
<p>I'm not an expert on the matter, but I'm working on that question right now as well and have decided to write about a similar topic (more or less how my overall GPA is skewed because of a slow start at my new high school, etc.). </p>
<p>It's really hard, because they don't give you any direction at all with the topic. Technically you don't even have to fill it out.</p>