Which are core classes for GPA and are Pre-AP classes considered Honors Classes

Applying to College
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<p>Okay, I'm emailing GC this same question, but thought I'd get some extra input. We're hot and heavy into making the college list w/safeties, matches and reaches. Digging into the details several schools state they re-figure GPA's by stripping out the weighted points and re-calculating with core classes only. What are the core classes?</p>

<p>I'm assuming English, Math and Lab Sciences for sure. </p>

<p>How about Foreign Language, core or not. </p>

<p>Art and athletic a no and I'm assuming a class like theology, no,</p>

<p>World History, AP US History, Government, Economics, Psychology/Sociology (these last two would be dual credit college level classes taught at the high school)</p>

<p>Then I'm guessing no electives such as debate, journalism, current events etc or not considered core. </p>

<p>3 years of computer science/programming no? how about AP Computer Science, core or not.
How about a science like A&P?</p>

<p>Okay, then some of the college say they then go back and add .5 for each honors class. AP classes are honors classes, correct? How about Pre-AP classes. Their purpose is to prepare you for the AP class, so my first thought was yes. But then: at our school, all students take Pre-AP English I & II, no choice, all foreign language classes are Pre-AP, all history classes are Pre-AP, again not a choice. We can choose Pre-AP Biology or Biology, Pre-AP chemistry or Chemistry, physics is Pre-AP only and has other prerequisites. You can't take the AP class if you didn't take the Pre-AP class. Math is either Pre-AP 4 years, Algebra I, II, Geometry and Pre-AP Pre-Cal, leading to 5th year AP Calculus or non Pre-AP leading to 4 or 5 years of math. You can go from Pre-AP down, but can't move back up and if you start with non Pre-AP math classes you can't move up either. So are all those Pre-AP classes considered honors classes, and if they're not what determines which ones are. We don't weight anything but AP classes, so no points to remove. They are noted as Pre-AP or not on the transcript. thanks</p>

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<p>Bump i would also love to know this…</p>

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<p>This is a great question! Especially in reguards to the computer programming class. I’d love to know the answer.</p>

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<p>Also interested in answer. Did you ever get a reply from the GC?</p>

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<p>Core classes are Math, Engligh, Science, history/social studies, & foreign language. </p>

<p>Colleges each have their own criteria of 'required & ‘recommended’. Some schools within the university will have additional requirements or recommendations. A good example of this is the engineering schools. </p>

<p>The sooner in high school you know what possible target schools require the better. Better to find out early that university xyz wants 5 years of a language bafore you are planning for your sr year and have already dropped Spanish after the third year. Keep in mind some schools want a different numbers of lab sciences. Earth Science will not fulfill this requirement. Knowing before your student is scheduled in high school (yes, 8th grade) and asking for biology can save a year. </p>

<p>Schools will recalculculate your grades in any number of ways. Some do not at all, relying on class rank and the grading scale to determine the students placement. Without knowing the individual school it is hard to give an answer. </p>

<p>Your class choices sound very much like ours. Pre AP are required before classes like AP Chem, but not for AP physics (but you better hold on to your seat on that one!). Some preAP are weighted in the jr and sr year. Fres/soph they generally are not, but are pre req.'s for APs so you have to take them. Only one true AP ine Soph yr. </p>

<p>The admissions reps are very familiar with the different schools, what their requirements are and what their limitations are. You need to pick the mosr rigoros schedule available, while resonably maintaining a high gpa. Grade inflation does you no good at a school that strips your AP bumps. Keep a close watch on your unweighted gpa.</p>

<p>They are aware of the schools that have a 2yr health/PE req, leaving you with one elective. Pick something you think you’ll stick with. If you have been in orchestra, stay with music. Drama, stick with it and be involved as an EC. Comp Sci and Programming are considered academic electives and do look good even if the don’t count in your recalculated gap. </p>

<p>I don’t know if I’ve helped at all. This Ipad is terrible with typos and hard to go back to edit so I apologize in advance.</p>

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<p>I don’t think that there’s a recipe for what all colleges do with the GPA and with the transcript they get from your high school. They each look at it in a unique way. They must quantify how internally, and I expect that even that changes from year to year.</p>

<p>What courses are offered, how courses are graded and/or weighed also varies widely from high school to high school. So colleges admission committees take that into account – certainly for the high schools they know and where they can compare the applicant with students that they have accepted in the past. They also take into consideration the “rigor” of your transcript compared to what the school offers.</p>

<p>Insofar as what is “core” and what are “electives”, there are the five major categories for core: english, math, foreign language, lab-based sciences, and history. Within these categories some courses would be considered more core than others. So for history US History, World History, AP History etc. are surely core. And variants in sociology etc. are probably electives.</p>

<p>Whether or not 3 years of computer science is viewed as a major achievement would depend on the college, and on the trade off made to achieve that. So for example if the computer science course was taken in place of physics that’s typically not the best tradeoff.</p>

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<p>I missed the dual enrollment, always respected. Also, when choosing your APs go with your strengths. Some students are cut out for APs in all core classes (in schools where they’re offered). Do not do this to the detriment of your grades. Pick the APs that are going to get you the most mileage. Some may disagree, and I respect this, however I would argue an AP in a core class is more valuable than AP Psyc, or Art History. You may love the class but the time involved in the class is not going to pay off in the long run vs an AP in science or Engligh. </p>

<p>I think I missed this but pre AP is noted on the transcripts. </p>

<p>I am crossing posts with fogcity, but they are very correct, you are only judged by what was offered at your school. If you had 10 APs offered and took 5, that’s not nearly as impressive as the student who had 6 offered and took 5. You are looked at with your peers who had the same opportunities, in the same learning environment. </p>

<p>Feel free to PM me if you don’t get anywhere with you GC. I have a child from the class of '09, one in ‘11’ and one in '14. Our schools sound very similar.</p>