I’m a rising senior. My school’s transcripts displays class average, highest, and our own GPA in our transcripts. It does not provide class rank, quartiles, or any comparative data other than the above.
Over the course of one semester, the unweighted highest GPA in class jumped from 3.9 to 4.0. Clearly, it’s not mathematically possible for an UW GPA to go from 3.9 to 4.0. (The weighted also jumped nearly 0.3 points) So it means that the perfect GPA of a new student entering in the 11th grade has been added into the calculation of the highest GPA in class.
I have talked to the school about this, but they haven’t responded yet. From your experience, am I justified in raising this point or is this typical of most schools? Any suggestions for what to do?
It’s not possible that there was an error in the original number?
It sounds to me as though this is a fluid thing-- as though the number could conceivably change after the next marking period. Why does this matter? Isn’t it your own GPA that is the prime concern?
The main concern I have is for the weighted GPA – it’s not possible for a student who has been enrolled since 9th grade even if s/he got straight A’s and took all available AP classes. The school is rather small – in fact, I know the student whose GPA led to the jump. It is most definitely not a calculation error as a few of my previous transcripts show consistent numbers
Even if a student with a 4.0 GPA transferred to your school and the highest GPA is now 4.0, your GPA remains unchanged, right? I take it the highest GPA used to be yours and now it’s not. There’s not anything you can do about that. If you have a 3.9 GPA, that’s very good. Concentrate on your own app and don’t worry about what’s in the record of other students.
Most schools don’t announce the GPA of their valedictorian until during the graduation ceremony. You’re lucky to have some advance notice that you need to step up your game.
I was val, but a student transferred in with a higher GPA in the middle of junior year. There’s nothing you can do about that. You may be feeling a little bitter but you’ll get over it. One difference in rank doesn’t mean much. It won’t define your character, change people’s perceptions of you, or be the difference in college admissions. What will affect you and others’ thoughts of you is if you complain and remain obsessed with numbers. Just relax and do your best on what you have control over.
@austinmshauri@agentaquastar I’m not sure if I explained this clearly enough. I could care less if I were only dropping by 1 or a few ranks. My school literally displays the GPA of the valedictorian on everyone’s transcripts without any other ranking information, which, to me at least, seems to screw over everyone in my class by skewing the grades to the left.
Anyway, if it is typical of most high schools to print the highest GPA of the valedictorian on the transcript, I have no complaints. But honestly, it seems rather unusual, and I’d just like to know if it’s typical for high schools to have similar policies.
Sorry I guess I misunderstood you, but I’m glad you are unperturbed by rankings. For my school at least, it’s not typical to have the Val’s GPA printed. But we’re all close enough to ask and tell each other our gpas, so pretty much everyone knows the top ten’s grades.
But as long as the val doesn’t mind it, I don’t think it’s a problem…?
Really, you “could” care less? Or you mean, “couldn’t?”
Ever looked at all the parts of the Common App? The School Report the GC sends includes your gpa as well as the highest in the class. So the same info is intended to be visible when you apply. And the same (the highest or the ranges) is often reported in a high school’s self description in the SR.
Miles to go, lots to learn. What are you really worried about? I don’t think this is a social justice issue.
Whether other high schools display it or not, your guidance counselor will give indications regarding grades and ranks in the school profile sent to colleges. That information will be there. That’s how it is. What would you have, that a transfer student’s previous grades don’t count at all and is unranked?
If you’re ranked 10th in a class of 50 and one student with a higher GPA enrolls in your school, your rank would change to 11th of 51. What makes you think you’re dropping more than “a few ranks”?
The district can’t put the highest GPA in your district is a 3.9 then list this student’s GPA as 4.0 because it doesn’t make sense. If their GPA is 4.0, it’s the highest in your grade. What do you suggest they put on this student’s transcript?
If you press the issue with your district you won’t seem “insane,” you’ll seem petty. Whether or not the new student’s GPA affects you, and I don’t believe it does, it’s a 4.0 and they deserve to have it reported accurately.
@lookingforward I have looked at all student-accessible parts as far as I know; I was not aware that students could look at the counselor form. Anyway, I am not aware that all HSs send the highest GPA. Unrelated – it seems like the idiomatic usage of “couldn’t/could care less” is a subject of debate, but thanks for pointing that out.
@MYOS1634@austinmshauri I didn’t say I think I would drop “more than a few ranks.” I wouldn’t care if my school calculated class rank. I suppose it would be more appropriate to put the highest of 4-year students with a note indicating it’s only for 4-year students – I don’t see how anyone would be disadvantaged by this, val included.
Edit: Anyway, thank you for the insights but I don’t think this conversation will lead anywhere productive, so I’ll first wait to see what my school has to say.
@bjkmom I also know of no school that only sends the highest GPA without providing quartiles, etc. Kindergarten example is invalid because there aren’t Pre-AP and AP classes – perhaps I haven’t mentioned this earlier, but it’s not even possible for a 4-year student to get such a high unweighted even if s/he got perfect grades in the most difficult classes that one can take. Essentially students are being penalized for entering earlier. Please enlighten me as to how the val would be disadvantaged by outperforming the 4-year highest GPA.
Anyway, I recognize that I should probably stop futilely complaining here and communicate with the school instead.