<p>Here is something that has been puzzling me for awhile. Colleges require you to submit your high school transcript for 9th grade through 1st semester of 12th grade, right? However, since most high schools use weighted GPA to calculate class rank, can't a student's class rank after first semester of senior year be different than the student's final class rank when he or she graduates?</p>
<p>Let me give you an example: Say my high school adds .1 to my cumulative GPA for every AP/Honors class that I take. At the conclusion of first semester of senior year, I have an unweighted cumulative GPA of 4.0, a weighted cumulative GPA of 4.65, and a class rank of 35/500. This is the class rank that my colleges will see. However, at the end of my senior year, I will have a cumulative unweighted GPA of 4.0, a cumulative weighted GPA of 4.75, and a class rank of 1/500 because of an additional AP class that I will be taking second semester of senior year. </p>
<p>So to recap, colleges will only see that I have a class rank of 35/500 to make an admissions decision because that is what is posted on my first semester transcript. However, at the end of my senior year, my class rank will be 1/500 which is much more impressive.</p>
<p>:/ Would you rather they waited until the end of your senior year to make decisions? It's just not possible for colleges to use info that won't be available until the summer to make decisions. </p>
<p>Besides, who ever said college admissions was 100% fair? And many colleges don't even take into account rank.</p>
<p>Kansan: frankly the colleges feel that the first 3.5 years of your HS career are indicative enough of your ability and they need to inform the applicants of their decisions and FA packages so that they can decide. Live needs to move on, you know.</p>
<p>Why do you think you're a special case? Your movement in your class rank doesn't really matter that much (#1 or #31) frankly. They want to see that you've stretched yourself and your transcript will show that -- not some final numerical ranking. And it's not as if they've newly adopted this policy. Don't worry about your final standing. Enjoy the few months you have left and then have a great last summer before leaving ot college. </p>
<p>I was somewhere ranked 10-15 (never figured out the actual number, didn't care) and was admitted at all my schools, choosing a top Ivy at the end.</p>
<p>Kansan, the grade inflation in your school is pretty stacked. 35 people, 7 percent of your class, has a GPA ober 4.65. Wow. Also, you still rank in the top ten percent, and you clearly perform well in the most difficult classes available to you. To a degree I know how you feel. This semester, when it doesn't matter, my grades are actually going up. However, it isn't that big a deal. How are you so sure that your rank is going to go up 35 places?</p>
<p>Actually, I think that's an awesome system for GPA, even if it's no longer a true "average". It negates the penalties for taking unweighted electives like art or music classes.</p>