GPA Calculation

<p>I go to a Canadian school, so I am not very familiar with GPA calculation. I tried to search it on the internet, but the results were very confusing. </p>

<p>First of all, I’m just confirming that anything above 85 is a 4.0, right? </p>

<p>Secondly, do Grade 9 and 10 marks count? I did not do very well in those years because Canadian universities don’t care about those marks. </p>

<p>And last question, does MIT care about Grade 9 and 10 marks? I mean, I didn’t totally flunk it, but they weren’t that great.</p>

<p>yes grades from 9 and 10 count. and yes MIT does care about grades 9 and 10. </p>

<p>and for a lot of people on here, one to even 3 or so classes from grades 7 and 8 will count too because they were advanced high school classes taken in middle school.</p>

<p>pretty much anything on ur transcript counts, and like i said, my algebra and geometry classes from middle school shows up on my transcript, and for a lot of people biology does too from middle school.</p>

<p>and if u “weren’t that great” in 9 and 10, u better hope u had a great 11 and taking a hectic curriculum in 12 and have great extra curriculars. or u will be in deep trouble about getting into MIT, especially because ur an international. here is some admission statistics from MIT on the class of '12. [MIT</a> Admissions: Admissions Statistics](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml]MIT”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml)</p>

<p>and im almost certain an 85 would never give u a 4.0 in the U.S.A. it will be more like a 3.0 if anything.</p>

<p>but the thing is its really difficult to convert a percentage to a 4 point grading system, and the way its calculated varies from high school to high school in the usa. and i think u can put on almost any application ur grade as well as the scale it is in. so u can say its a 90 on a 100 scale. thats the best way to do it and every admission place i believe recomends that. and i think ur counselor or whatever it is in canada has to state the grading system anyways so it doesn’t matter.</p>

<p>but if u do have to convert it: use this if anything [url=<a href=“http://faculty.cascadia.edu/dwhittaker/percent2gpa.htm]Percent*to*GPA*conversion*chart[/url”>http://faculty.cascadia.edu/dwhittaker/percent2gpa.htm]PercenttoGPAconversionchart[/url</a>]</p>

<p>but again, the best bet is to state the percentage and state the 100 scale. i think a lot of high schools use it and i have seen a lot of people in the forums here state it in a percentage.</p>

<p>So I’m looking at the application now, and I can’t even actually find where it asks for your GPA. Do they just get it off your transcript, or am I totally crazy?</p>

<p>In any case, lots of schools have GPAs not based on a 4 point scale. (MIT itself is actually on a 5.0 scale.) My high school GPA was out of 100, and I definitely just listed it that way. They’re very used to different schools have different grading systems. Also, they will receive a copy of your transcript, which will clearly show the grading system, and your guidance counselor is also asked to fill out a description of the school’s grading system. So don’t even bother worrying about the conversion.</p>

<p>As stated above by LauraN, you do not personally submit your GPA to MIT. That will be handled by your GC. BUT should you be interested in calculating your GPA in order to compare yourself to the applicant pool (I would want to), then there are ways that you can calculate it. The chart that Naughtygravy gave you is not my first choice chart. The problem that I see with it is that on it a 4.0 = 100. Typically a 4.0 is equal to an A which is a 93 or above. I believe that that chart will give a lower GPA that would usually be calculated (at least for top students). This chart from another thread is more typical:</p>

<p>a 4.0 scale will be evaluated as follows:</p>

<p>A= 4.0 (93 and above)
A-=3.7 (or 3.66) (90 - 92)
B+=3.3 (87 - 89)
B=3.0 (83 - 86)
B-=2.7 (or 2.66) (80 - 82)
C+=2.3 (77 - 79)
C=2.0 (73 - 76)
C-=1.7 (or 1.66) (70 - 72)
D+=1.3 (67 - 69)
D=1.0 (63 - 66)
D+ = .7 (60 - 62)
F= 0 (59 and below)</p>

<p>Using that chart you will convert EACH INDIVIDUAL grade to the 4.0 scale. Add them up and then divide by the number of courses. That is your GPA on a 4.0. Of course if some of your courses are not equal to 1 course then you have to adjust accordingly.</p>

<p>You will note that an 85 or a B is equal to a 3.0 not a 4.0.</p>

<p>Lastly, doing poorly on 9 and 10 because “I did not do very well in those years because Canadian universities don’t care about those marks” does not bode well. That means you are not willing to push yourself. That would be frowned upon by any top college.</p>

<p>But bascially, my GPA doesn’t matter as long as I’m in the top 10%, right?</p>

<p>hap34 - Naughtygravy gave you a wonderful link that would answer that question. Here is a cut and paste from that link to admissions statistics:</p>

<p>Percentage of Those Ranked who were:</p>

<pre><code> Applicants Admits Admit rate
</code></pre>

<p>in Top 5% 4,328 726 17%
in Top 6-10% 841 42 5%
in Top 11-20% 626 21 3%
below top 20% 427 0 0%</p>

<p>From that data you can see that yes top 10% does still get in but at a much different rate than those in the top 5%. S (4 years ago when things were somewhat easier) was top 5%, eagle scout etc and did not even get waitlisted. Your percentile will matter but it will be your whole package that will determine if you are accepted.</p>

<p>Hopefully, your 11th and 12th grade curriculum rigor and grades are stellar and make up for your 9th and 10th grade years that you believe were not good. Of course, I also wonder what “weren’t that great” means. On CC, many of the kids think that an A- is horrible. It doesn’t always reflect reality.</p>

<p>opps - double post. CC is acting a little funky. It told me that the first post did not do through and that I must wait and try again. Sorry! :)</p>

<p>Just a question related to low grades, so I might as well post here:</p>

<p>Let’s just say I got low grades in Grades 9/10 as a result of an extra course load. Should I try to explain my low grades in a separate essay, or could I assume the admissions committee would figure that out themselves by looking at the dates at when I took those courses on my transcript?</p>

<p>And in the US, the class average for a regular class would normally be a B (i.e., 80-89), and for honors/ accelerated/ AP it would normally be an A (i.e., 90-100)?</p>