<p>If someone is getting all As and taking all IB/AP classes in junior and senior year, should they look to take online too in order to boost the GPA? In other words, if taking the maximum load at the school with straight As only gets a class rank of 3 or 4 because others are taking online classes, how do college admissions look at that? I have heavy extracurricular and don’t really want to take additional online classes but might consider it.</p>
<p>I have taken and am now taking college classes online, and I can tell you that the online classes are usually HARDER than being in class physically. </p>
<p>In an online class, you are playing roles as both the teacher AND the student. You need to read the material twice: once as a teacher, who will try to learn the material; and a second time, as a student, trying to absorb the material. This is vastly different than sitting in a classroom and being a passive listener. </p>
<p>I would never suggest taking an online college class during a school year. Take it over the summer, and be prepared to work!</p>
<p>By the way, your college transcripts have no indication that you took an online class, it looks the same as when you actually sit in a seat in a building. The only difference may be if you took a long-distance online class. I have taken several from well-known, 4-year universities, and if anything, it makes my application look more impressive, not less.</p>
<p>But I am going to warn you a second time, online classes are really tough. Very few younger students can handle them. It require a lot of maturity to push yourself to do the work.</p>
<p>Thanks. I guessed that they would take self discipline. To be specific, I’m talking about high school situation with college admissions in the future. So are you saying that online classes on a high school transcript would look identical to the classes taken at the high school? If someone takes the harder classes and gets the best possible grades but is downgraded because of others taking online classes, how do college admissions weigh that?</p>
<p>No, I am not saying that–the complete opposite. You would take the online college classes (and obviously, pay for them yourself) as “personal enrichment”. You would receive a grade through the college. It would NOT go on your high school transcript (from your high school), but it would be figured into your GPA by the college (s) to which you are applying. [You just have to remember to request a transcript be sent from your online school to your prospective college(s).]</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there is no easy way to compare a “hard” high school AP class with an “easy” online college class. As you are probably aware, some AP classes are not rigorous. I know of one school–a Title 1 school!–that automatically placed freshman into AP World History. This was to increase the AP enrollment rates at the school for a variety of reasons. The AP classes were “dumbed down” to accommodate the average student. There was a big outcry over this, as you can imagine. </p>
<p>Your last sentence shows that you do not fully understand online classes. You say " if someone takes the harder classes and gets the best possible grades…because of others taking online classes, how do college admissions weigh that"? </p>
<p>The college admissions DON’T weigh that, simple because they don’t know the college classes are online. Honestly, if I were an admissions rep and I saw that so-and-so took AP World History, averaged a C, and didn’t pass the exam, and compared that to a student who earned an A in a World Civ class at generic-state-U, I would tend to rate the generic-U student a bit higher, wouldn’t you? It really doesn’t matter if it were online or not…the fact that the AP student didn’t pass the exam AND earned only a C tells me the AP student wasn’t mastering the material, or applying himself, or both. </p>
<p>I have read over and over again that taking challenging classes is a plus, in the eyes of college admissions; but so, too, is having the ability to discern when to moderate your course schedule, when to focus on your strengths, and when to accept your weaknesses. There is some maturity in being honest with oneself.</p>
<p>It depends on the situation. If you take the online classes through a college, then it’s very unlikely that the grades will go on a transcript. However, if you take the classes from an online high school, then they will. For example, I’m currently taking DC Stats, AP Macro/Micro Econ and AP Psych online through Idaho Digital Learning Academy. It’s a state run online school, and the grades go on my transcript.</p>
<p>I’m figuring out I need to understand more about the specifics of the situation. What I know is that I take a full load of 6 pt classes as a junior and will as a senior and have As but am not ranked at the top. The guidance counselor said that if I really care about GPA and ranking, I would need to augment with “online classes”. I heard that last year the valedictorian got it by taking online classes but I obviously don’t know much about this. I assumed they meant college level classes either online or during summers but it makes sense that those would not figure into the high school transcript. I agree with all the comments about working towards one strengths and moderating things which has always been my philosophy. I’m just trying to figure out whether to pursue a higher GPA - it goes against my grain so I don’t know.</p>
<p>You will have to take additional AP classes online to raise your rank. I took an unweighted Latin I class (I’m fond of languages) my sophomore year and it actually lowered my rank (salutatorian–>7) because it was UW. </p>
<p>If you can’t handle more advanced classes because of your ECs and your rank will be very high regardless, why take more classes?</p>
<p>You will have to take additional AP classes online to raise your rank. I took an unweighted Latin I class (I’m fond of languages) my sophomore year and it actually lowered my rank (salutatorian–>7) because it was UW. </p>
<p>If you can’t handle more advanced classes because of your ECs and your rank will be very high regardless, why take more classes?</p>
<p>So if the others at the very top of the class take an extra online class and fail to get an A in a single class, due to overwork, then do you move up in rank by essentially doing less work perfectly?</p>
<p>Your counselor wasn’t saying online COLLEGE classes but rather, online HIGH SCHOOL classes. There is a big difference. </p>
<p>Your state probably has on online virtual HIGH school (most states do, and usually they are free) that allow you to taken additional classes for high school credit. These classes are added to your high school transcript. Then, there are private online high schools, like Keystone, which are accredited and offer classes which can be added to your high school transcript. </p>
<p>I know of a high school guidance counselor who made her daughter take an online high school class every summer to increase her GPA. She made certain her daughter did NOT take the AP, but the Honors course, which, when weighted, added a .5 if she got an A (and her mom made darn sure she got an A!). It was something academic but fairly easy, such as English (high school level) or Spanish. You could also take an AP course, but in order for it to raise your GPA you will have to get an A, and that will put additional stress on you. Like glassesarechic said, why push yourself any higher, with the risk of imploding and lowering your GPA? </p>
<p>LoremIpsum pointed out a good question in all of this: does one take fewer classes in order to maintain a high GPA? </p>
<p>Ideally, what a student does is take the hardest classes (AP) in those subjects in which they are strongest and take easier (Honors, regular) classes in their weakest area. Ultimately this will yield the highest GPA. Will a college frown on it? Probably not, because the colleges want to see a student who challenges him/herself, yet is honest (and mature enough) to know his/her own weaknesses. </p>
<p>Student X took all AP classes her Senior year because her guidance counselor told her it would look good. She wanted to go to her state’s flagship school and major in film. Her SAT scores were in the high 500/low 600s. So, based upon her guidance counselor’s suggestion, she signed up for AP Physics, AP Computer Science, AP Macroeconomics, AP Biology, AP Art History, AP Lang and Lit. etc. etc.–you get the picture. She failed Physics and Macro, earned C’s in Bio and Comp Science. The only courses she did well in were those that she had a solid background and/or interest in–the English and ArtHistory classes. </p>
<p>Her guidance counselor had totally MISguided her, because this girl did not need AP Physics, AP Bio, or AP Macro to go into film. Her energy would have been better spent sticking with the her strengths–the AP Art History and English Lit, and taking Honors (or even regular courses) in such areas as Journalism, Photo Studio, and an advanced foreign language class or an internship. In doing so, she would have had a higher GPA and she would have had a stronger overall application as a student with a sense of direction and accomplishment. As it turned out, she was rejected from the Film concentration because she hadn’t developed a decent portfolio due to time constraints, what with all her spare time spent on tutoring for AP classes. She was accepted provisionally into the state school, but there were so many conditions attached: summer school in see if she could hack the work, fall semester with a remedial “student skills class”, academic probation…Already she was starting off on the wrong foot. </p>
<p>If you know for a fact that you are NOT going to apply to an Ivy, you have NO desire to go into the pure sciences, and you are pretty darn certain you would like to pursue, say Literature or History, then diluting your GPA with inappropriate APs is not a good idea. Take the APs in your stronger areas, and Honors classes in those areas you do not wish to pursue. Your GPA will be higher and you will be a better-performing, less-stressed student. </p>
<p>It really makes me sad to see all these high-school students loading up on AP courses, stressing out over their low GPAs, when their intention is to attend their local state college or a “meh” private school.</p>
<p>Your counselor wasn’t saying online COLLEGE classes but rather, online HIGH SCHOOL classes. There is a big difference. </p>
<p>Your state probably as on online virtual HIGH school (most states do, and usually they are free) that allow you to taken additional classes for high school credit. These classes are added to your high school transcript. Then, there are private online high schools, like Keystone, which are accredited and offer classes which can be added to your high school transcript. </p>
<p>I know of a high school guidance counselor who made her daughter take an online high school class every summer to increase her GPA. She made certain her daughter did NOT take the AP or Honors course, just the regular course. It was usually something academic but easy, such as Marine Science (high school level) or Global Studies. You could also take an AP course, but in order for it to raise your GPA you will have to get an A, and that will put additional stress on you. </p>
<p>LoremIpsum pointed out the fallacy in all: does one take fewer classes in order to maintain a high GPA? </p>
<p>Ideally, what a student does is take the hardest classes (AP) in those subjects in which they are strongest and take easier (Honors, regular) classes in their weakest area. Ultimately this will yield the highest GPA. Will a college frown on it? Probably not, because the colleges want to see a student who challenges him/herself, yet is honest (and mature enough) to know his/her own weaknesses. </p>
<p>Student X took all AP classes her Senior year because her guidance counselor told her it would look good. She wanted to go to her state’s flagship school and major in film. Her SAT scores were all in the high 500s. So, based upon her guidance counselors suggestion, she signed up for AP Physics, AP Computer Science, AP Macroeconomics, AP Biology, AP Art History, AP Lang and Lit. etc. etc.–you get the picture. She failed Physics and Macro, earned C’s in Bio and Comp Science. The only courses she did well in were those that she had a solid background and/or interest in–the English and ArtHistory classes. </p>
<p>Her guidance counselor had totally MISguided her, because this girl did not need AP Physics, AP Bio, or AP Macro to go into film. Her energy would have been better spent sticking with the her strengths–the AP Art History and English Lit, and taking Honors (or even regular courses) in such areas as Journalism, Photo Studio, and an advanced foreign language class or an internship. In doing so, she would have had a higher GPA and she would have had a stronger overall application as a student with a sense of direction and accomplishment. As it turned out, she was rejected from the Film concentration because she hadn’t developed a decent portfolio due to time constraints, what with all her spare time spent on tutoring for AP classes.</p>
<p>My daughter took an on-line college class through Cal State Dominguez Hills, I don’t know as of yet (she just finished it) if it will appear on her HS transcript but she received HS credit for the course equivalent to a to a year course course although it was only one college semester.</p>