GPA Significance in Top High School

milee30
Sun, 20 May 2018 14:08:46 +0000

No way to answer without knowing more about the high school itself, its relationship to colleges and its history of students being accepted to selective colleges. If the high school is known to top colleges as being rigorous, that’s helpful to you since they will know that a 95% at your HS may be a stronger achievement than a 98% at a less rigorous HS.

Many high schools - especially the very competitive ones - are no longer reporting class rank to colleges. If your HS doesn’t report class rank, that will also be helpful to you since your A average will stand on its own without showing you’re in the bottom half of the class.

Being at a competitive HS cuts both ways in that if it has a relationship and history of sending students to top selectives that can be an advantage for you. But… when colleges are making their decisions, they are comparing students with students using various metrics - one of the metrics being location and background. Obviously your location will be the same as those other students in your graduating class and to the extent you have similar experiences, ECs, LORs and outlooks, colleges are going to compare you to those other students from your school which might not help you. If your grades are not going to be at the top of the competitive pool from your school (which could be just fine if it’s one of the top rigorous HS), you can help yourself to be a more attractive candidate if you start to consciously seek out experiences, ECs and pathways that are different than the others at your HS.

Bottom line - you’re getting As at a competitive school. This is good. Don’t let your grades go below an A average. Instead of spending an extra 10-20 hours a week to bring a 95% to a 98%, spend that time doing interesting and unique (unique compared to your classmates) ECs and projects.