<p>I need the <em>exact</em> details on how the UF re-calculates a GPA. I know how to assign numbers to grades (e.g., A=4,B=3, etc.), that UF adds 1.0 for AP/IB and 0.5, and that they count only "academic" classes (defined as math, English, foreign language, social studies, and science). Here's what I don't know:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Does UF "chop off" the plusses and minuses? E.g., do B+/B/B- all count as a 3.0 (3.5 for honors, 4.0 for AP)? Or do they use 2.7/3.3 for B-/B+? There is an old thread suggesting that they do "chop off" the plusses/minuses, but I can't confirm this on UF's web site.</p></li>
<li><p>Do electives in academic departments count as academic classes, or do they literally count only the very traditional classes? Obviously "American History" and "Chemistry" count, but how about "economics"? How about "public speaking" (listed as an English course). How about "genetics" (listed as a science course)?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>A-4 B-3 C-2 D-1 <em>(only whole numbers)</em>
add 0.5 if class was honors
add 1.0 if class was DE, AP or IB</p>
<p>Example</p>
<p>Alg 2 Honors…got a B so worth 3.5(3 for B and 0.5 for Honors)
AP Biology got an A…so worth 5.0(4.0 for A and 1.0 for AP)
Spanish 2 got B…so worth 3.0 because no Honors</p>
<p>So I would add up 3.5+5.0+3.0 and divide by 3 (because there are 3 classes)
11.5 /3 =3.83…that would be the UF GPA</p>
<p>So do that for all the classes you have taken even the ones from middle school that you received High School credit</p>
<p>Thanks, 2013Cheer. This is exactly the information that I was looking for. I didn’t expect there to be anything as complete as this.</p>
<p>What I think I forgot to mention is that my daughter is OOS from Florida. It seems that the list of core courses in this book is highly formalized. Does Florida use standardized course names and numbers that all high schools comply with? If so, I have to wonder how they would evaluate a transcript from another state.</p>
<p>By the way, I’m curious: Do Florida high schools have massive grade inflation? The 25-75%-ile of UF admittees is a 4.0-4.4. At the high school in my NJ town, if someone got a 4.4 they would probably be actively recruited by most top private colleges, including the Ivys. Anyone with a weighted 4.0 would have their pick of almost any school other than the Ivys. I can’t help but wonder how UF will evaluate my daughter’s OOS transcript.</p>
<p>UF is the hardest school to be accepted in the state of Florida and that is why the stats are so high:
2013 Freshman profile:</p>
<p>28,834 applicants
Average ACT 30
Average GPA 4.3
average SAT 1967</p>
<p>My GPA is a 3.93 unweighted and a 4.41 weighted(only 2 B’s)</p>
<p>Many many do not even bother applying in state for they know they do not really have a chance of acceptance</p>
<p>UCF
Average ACT 27
Weighted GPA 3.8</p>
<p>just to show a comparison</p>
<p>As far as the courses, it is really just the normal math, english, science, foreign language, social studies. electives are okay in these categories like psychology, extra science classes, ect.</p>
<p>Any remedial classes do not count. For example in Florida if you do not get certain scores on standardized tests then you might have to take a extra reading class.</p>
<p>Also, Uf looks at how many academic classes you have taken and like at least 24(that is what they told us on tour)</p>
<p>Yes, I understand it’s the hardest school in Florida. What I’m saying is that the GPA numbers of UF’s entering class are higher than the Ivys. I suspect (but can’t seem to confirm) that what is going on is that an “A” in a Florida high school doesn’t mean the same thing as an “A” in a high school from NJ, NY, Mass., etc. I mean no disrespect to Florida high school students, or to UF - your record is truly impressive. I’m just saying that at the high school in our NJ town, a person who had a 4.41 GPA wouldn’t be considered just an above average candidate for a flagship state university. He or she would almost certainly be the valedictorian of his or her high school.</p>
<p>What I’m trying to figure out is: Does UF really only take valedictorians? Or is a 4.4 easier to get in Florida than elsewhere? Again, I’m not trying to belittle Florida schools or students or your personal achievement. I’m just trying to figure out, on my daughter’s behalf, how the UF admissions office would look at her out-of-state grades that might have been earned under different standards.</p>
<p>I do know that people have been accepted into Ivy schools and rejected from UF
you see threads of this happening and people upset
Valevictorians do not always get into UF</p>
<p>It can be frustrating</p>
<p>but in Florida an A is 4.0 like most other places and you get quality points for honors and AP…Do they do it differently in other states? I do not know</p>
<p>I am ranked in the top 3% at my school, most of my friends are still waiting to hear from school because their GPA is less…they have been deferred from FSU and UCF…they did not even apply to UF because they knew they would not be accepted</p>
<p>Many many many students have low GPA’s in Florida…but Florida is a very large state with a lot of students to choose from</p>
<p>My D is presently attending UF, she graduated 2012 @ 1%, 3/4436, GPA weighted 4.57, unw 3.987, note IB. If there was grade inflation than why would UF indicated that she earned 45 semester credits prior to going to UF. Note a (Parent829) a 4.41 at her public HS in IB would be in the top 3%.
The reason that UF is as stringent as the ivy’s is due to 1) Bright Futures which presently takes care of 50% of tuition 2) Tuition is very reasonable even without merit scholarship 3) 26K applicants with 6400 admitted and attending . Per the 2012 convocation, 4.2 was the class average.</p>
<p>I don’t really get the at least 24 academic classes thing. In Miami-Dade County, there are 6 periods in a day x 4 years is 24 classes. If you took 2 high school classes in 8th grade (which most people do, algebra 1 and earth science), you’d have 26 TOTAL classes in high school. Since you’re required to take a fine art and PE, both non-academic classes, the MOST academic classes anyone could take is 24 unless they either took their foreign language (or Geometry) in middle school (Really a tiny number of kids) or went to night school to take more classes. Yet numerous people from Miami-Dade County do get in. So I’m not really getting this AT LEAST stuff (My daughter did actually take 24 academic classes, but I doubt everyone who got in did).</p>
<p>Actually UM is the most competitive school in Florida according to Barrons. It only admits 38% of applicants and is rated Most Competitive. UF is the most competitive school that doesn’t cost $40K per year, though;)</p>
<p>UF doesn’t only admit 6,400. They admit more but, of course, some people go elsewhere.</p>
<p>You can take Florida Virtual school for extra classes
Some take DE which can give you extra</p>
<p>My HS had 7 periods a day, so all my electives were academic
Jr year I took AP Chem and Honors Physics
Sr year AP physics and Honors Anat and pays
(so I have 7 sciences all together)</p>
<p>I’m not saying that it’s not possible to have more than 24 classes. I’m just saying that since the most populated county in the state only has a 6-period day (and there are PLENTY of people from that county getting in), they can’t require it. The most academic classes you could take during school in Miami-Dade County (if you took Algebra and Geometry, Earth Science, and two foreign languages in middle school) would be 27. And that’s if you’re working toward getting into UF in 6th grade. Few people do that, and plenty of people who didn’t do that got in.</p>
<p>And virtual school is a joke. My daughter took two classes in virtual school, one because her school required it and one to bring up a math grade. Basically, if you hand in all the work in virtual school, you get an A. And you have an almost unlimited amount of time in which to do it (even the deadlines they set are artificial and can be extended). AND you can REDO a test to get a better grade. And you can look up all the answers on Wikipedia, which everyone does (and a lot of people who take the class during school also cheat off one-another). If they are going to start favoring people who took tons of virtual school classes over people who did well in actual school, I weep for the future.</p>
<p>I agree with the Florida Virtual School
In my county you are required to take one FVS class before graduation starting with my sister who is 2 years younger than me.</p>
<p>But on the tour they said they preferred you have at least 24 academic classes. It is not a requirement.
If you look at the freshman profile, the people with more academic classes have a higher percentage of getting accepted.</p>
<p>Once again, there are always exceptions, I would not have been surprised if I was not accepted. My test score were my weakness, I did not even submit a SAT. My highest ACT was a few points below the average</p>