Williams college

<p>Would a 40+ in IB and a 2000 in SAT run me a fulls scholarship? My mom says it doesnt matter where i get my undergrad so I should just go to UF but still, I dont think thats as "wow" as williams, what do you think?</p>

<p>I am a little confused- where do you live? In my daughter’s HS, students do not know how many points they have earned and whether they have actually earned the diploma until AFTER they graduate and have already been accepted to colleges. At graduation they are considered " IB candidates." They find out whether they receive the diploma in July after they are finished with HS. The IB points have a separate transcript and are not factored into the GPA. Only the actual grade that is earned in class ( ie A, A+, B etc) is factored into the GPA and that grade is given by the teacher. Are you in the US?</p>

<p>I wanted to add that IB tests that are taken in the spring of senior year are not returned until July ( after you graduate) so it is impossible to know how many points you have earned when you apply to schools.</p>

<p>Well I just found out today I have a 3.8 gpa in IB, but im saying from my grades and looking at the rubrics from last year i got a 41 this progress report, but i know it changes by a few % each year but that wont affect me too bad, Im in another country for IB now but I live in florida, born there</p>

<p>Ok the fact that you live in another country for IB explains things. In the US students take at least 3 or 4 out of their 6 tests at the end of senior year. It is possible to earn 14 points during the summer after junior year ( 2 SL tests) and a few extra points by doing papers, but nowhere near 40. Most points are known after the student graduates. For example, if a student takes 4 HL classes and earns a 7 on each, that student will have earned 28 points but will not know this until after graduation. Our school suggests 3 HL and will not allow more than 4. You will need to check the college website to see if your 3.8 GPA and SAT score of 2000 will qualify for merit aid. Colleges in the US use GPA; they do not use IB points towards merit aid.</p>

<p>It is possible ( although highly unlikely) to have a 4.0 GPA and not earn enough points for the diploma. There are two separate transcripts: the first transcript has your grades, and these grades are factored into your GPA. This is the transcript that guidance sends to colleges. This transcript does not include IB points. The second transcript has IB info such as points earned from tests and papers. Our high school does not have the IB transcript. It is the student’s responsibility to contact IB and have that transcript sent if they are interested in earning college credit.</p>

<p>Do you mean THE Williams College? Your financial award there is completely independent of your application (i.e., predicted scores and/or SAT have no weight for financial aid). If you’re asking if the scores alone will get you in: there’s no possible way. Selective schools like Williams have the luxury of picking from some of the best applicant pools in the nation; test scores alone won’t cut it. If you’re strong enough in IB to get a 41 predicted, you’re strong enough to throw down great application essays. However, keep in mind that small schools (especially LACs) have more of a responsibility to sift through applicant pools for the “right” community; having strong grades and scores is only the first hurdle. This isn’t to say it’s impossible to get in by any means, but it’s just not as simple (test-heavy) as an average bystander would say it is.</p>

<p>Schools do not look at IB points when they give out merit aid. It is impossible as students in the US do not know how many points they have earned until AFTER they graduate. If a school gives college credit for IB classes it is possible that you need a certain score to get the credit ( like AP), but colleges do not care if you earned 35 points or 45 points towards the diploma. They care about your GPA and your test scores. By the time a student knows how many points he or she has earned, they have already graduated and most likely know the college they will be attending.</p>

<p>This is why seniors are called “IB diploma candidates” at graduation. They do not know whether they have earned the diploma until the summer, when their scores come back. Schools outside of the US may have a different system.</p>

<p>@twogirls I think you missed the point: Williams doesn’t offer merit aid at all. You won’t get a “full scholarship” regardless of how accomplished you are; you get it based on what your family is expected to be able to pay. Predicteds may help in admissions like AP scores, but even then they play a limited role.</p>

<p>so a lot of full scholarships are based on like tax returns and what not?</p>

<p>Yes you are right- there is no merit aid at Williams. I just wanted the poster to also understand how IB works in this country in terms of admissions and scholarships just in case he is looking elsewhere as well.</p>