<p>I go to one of the most robotic, working 24/7 academic high schools int he country and I tried my absolute best, but because I am not a robot I could only get a 3.5 or so will uc santa barbara especialy and all the other uc’s know about that because I know friends of mine who go to other schools all day and they just party and have fun and have 4.0’s and I used to do alot bettter than them in middle school</p>
<p>thanks unfair,
how is it my fault I was stuck in a school like this</p>
<p>also I wont complain about learning I love learning, but my school was all memorizing and I am scared I c it ruining my chances where as if I would have gone to any other school I would be at UCSB by now</p>
<p>Will other out of states colleges consider California API as well? API in my current high was 100 more points than my old designated one. My parents and I still decide to move here three years ago. Over there I can bump up my GPA at least 0.3 but now I only have unweighted 3.6 ( weighted just barely above 4 ), it seems under current system I am penalized for choosing a much better school.</p>
<p>In all honesty, the bump from API probably won't factor in much. Maybe a ~.1 or .2 difference could be forgiven, but if that were the case, the difference would most likely be reflected in higher test scores and such anyways (you WOULD be more prepared)</p>
<p>Admissions counselors have been at this for a long time. They know fully well which high schools repeatedly send them well prepared students. They can also look at the disparity between SAT scores and GPA's. It is quite apparent when you have many students from a given high school with 4.0 + GPA's and SAT scores that average in the 1700 range. It becomes clear that there is a serious problem with grade inflation going on. Other schools will have kids in who average in the 1900 range with GPA's that average in the unweighted 3.4's. Don't think for a moment they are fooled by schools who inflate grades. I know several folks who recruit and or have worked in admissions and they all say the same thing. The admissions offices of colleges know where the good high schools are.</p>
<p>At least in California UC, adcom put SAT and Honor/AP weighted GPA to assign total academic points, but nothing with API weight unless it's too low.
But collegemom likely is correct that many adcom know different schools well. Are they mostly public or private colleges?</p>
<p>If you are from a low performing high school the low API will count for something IF you have achieved well in that school. A low API and low achievement do nothing for you. If you are at a low performing school and you have met UC eligibility by the course work and GPA you earned you are at least eligible to attend UCR or UCM. Students from low API schools who achieve in the top of their classes actually get an extra bump in admissions. </p>
<p>As to the adcoms knowing the schools, this is for both public and private. It is their business to know and they do. Adcoms are aware of the high performing publics and privates that regularly send students to Ivy League and other prestigious schools. They look at your application within the context of the school you attend, what courses were available to you and what you did with your learning opportunities.</p>