<p>I know I already asked a similar question a while back, but garnered no responses. After doing a search on CC, I still haven't found a definite answer, so I'm reposting my original question: When colleges recalculate GPA, will they use the year end grades to do it, or will they add the first and second semesters together and then divide by 2? My school reports first semester, second semester, and final year grades on its transcript. </p>
<p>My current situation is like this: I'm expecting my first semester unweighted GPA to be somewhere around a 3.5, but with a bunch of borderline grades. Assuming I can get solid A's second semester and bump them all up to A's for the final grade, will colleges take the 3.5 and 4.0, averaging them to yield a 3.75, or will they just take the A's as the final grades and calculate them as a 4.0? I know everything that shows up on the transcript is considered, but I want to know which grades colleges ultimately use in recalculating prospective students' GPA's. </p>
<p>Thanks! :)</p>
<p>im not 100% sure but, i think you’re out of luck. I’m pretty sure they look at each semester seperately.</p>
<p>This is probably different from school to school, but the two (one public, one private) high school transcripts I have seen only show the final grade for the year. I always request a copy of the transcript so that I can see what they send out.</p>
<p>^ Thanks! Any more opinions? I know this is the type of question not many people have the answers to, and I could very well be pessimistic when predicting a 3.5 UW since I haven’t even received my report card yet, but I’m just expecting the worst lol. </p>
<p>Ah well. Either way, a 3.75 isn’t abysmal :D</p>
<p>@ MD Mom: Oh, wow. I wish my school’s transcript was like that. 
Mine shows both semesters along with the final year grade, however, so I’m confused as to which grades colleges will use when recalculating my GPA…</p>
<p>I think it depends on the college - they all have different ways of doing it.</p>
<p>fledgling, if its any comfort, colleges are going to be impressed when they see that you brought your grades but from a 3.5 to a 4, and in this case, im pretty sure they wouldnt mind completely discount beause you had a 3.75 instead of a 4</p>
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<p>Oh, I see. 
What about for the more selective schools though (think Ivies and Stanford)?</p>
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<p>Haha, I certainly hope so! In fact, I’m in a completely new school this year, and basically moved around the world to get here (old school was in Singapore). I am also no longer living with my parents, so that was quite an… adjustment, lol. I worked really hard despite all these circumstances, though, so I don’t think they’re worth mentioning in terms of a grade drop (or should I mention them anyway?). Besides, I don’t think I have anything lower than a B+.</p>
<p>Ivies probably look at each semester separately; most selective schools generally just use A=4, B=3, C=2 with no half points. Every school has its own system, and not all disclose their GPA methodology.</p>
<p>An upward trend will be noticed, so keep up the good work!</p>
<p>fledgling, what colleges are you looking at? ill chance you</p>
<p>@ pqrrrqjjjqq (very eccentric username, by the way. Love it!): I don’t actually know. I’m still a junior, and I’m only starting to put together an actual list of colleges, but I probably won’t make a chance thread anytime soon. In fact, I probably won’t even make one at all. :)</p>
<p>Think about it this way, fledgling: the fewer numbers an admissions counselor has to crunch to re-calculate, the better. If some schools only include final grades, how can they average semester and final grades? I think that you are worrying too much about something you cannot control.</p>
<p>@ MD Mom: Ah, that makes sense. I’m assuming that implies that only the final grades will be used in the calculation (correct me if I’m wrong)… but you’re absolutely right in that I should quit stressing out about this. Sigh, I wish the admissions process wouldn’t be so hard on the applicants. Then again, it’s also hard on the adcoms’ side, so neither side is better off haha</p>
<p>I would think only final grades would be included. Re-calculating is crazy enough with the numerous scales. Your essays will also reflect the fact that you have attended school abroad and have had to adjust to moving back to the U.S. without your parents. I think that your applications will be very interesting and will show things that the average over-achiever’s application does not show. You have plenty of time.</p>