Hi! I’m currently applying to college and I found out the highschool I graduated from has only pass/fail despite us getting ‘graded’ by teachers throughout the year. My transcript is literally just credit earned. No grades. I literally don’t have a GPA and I have no idea what to do. I want to get into CSULB which is highly competitive. It says i should have a GPA on my transcript but its just… not there. Unless I’m just so stressed I’m not seeing it which is totally possible.
They said they usually just make the pass/fail grades an 85 and that since its a transfer school you’re meant to take your previous grades for a GPA, but I don’t have access to that and its nowhere on my transcript and my school doesn’t have it. I also went to an IB school prior to transferring and got terrible grades I’m pretty sure. I was banking on my pristine record at my new school to get me in. I literally have a perfect record there and glowing reviews from my internships I did, but CSULB only takes the transcript and your ACT or SAT scores. I haven’t taken the ACT or SAT yet and I’m hedging my bets on that since I test well, but I have no idea what to do. Literally all I can think to do is study my ass off and get the highest ACT or SAT score possible and hope they don’t ask for a GPA. How else would I find a GPA or at the very least what ACT or SAT score would get me in regardless of my GPA?
The school will send a school profile to colleges along with your transcript. It will explain they don’t give grades. Colleges won’t penalyze you, but it does mean test scores and letters of recommendation become all that much more important.
Your situation is unusual, but not unheard of. There are schools out there where there is detailed commentary from each teacher in lieu of grades. You might speak with your guidance counselor about their system has impacted students applying to college in previous years. It might reassure you.
I would also ask which colleges have strong relationships with your high school. The guidance counselors know which colleges they can easily and comfortably call with questions and they know who is recruiting at their high school year after year. They may even be on first name basis with some of those admissions reps. Because your high school operates so differently, it would probably be beneficial to apply to one of those relational colleges that is a safety or match to your transcript - in addition to other colleges of choice.
The Cal states will not be using any test scores for admissions this application cycle according to the Cal State Apply website and have never used essays or LOR’s.
Eligibility for the Cal states will be dependent upon a CSU capped weighted GPA so I would contact CSULB and ask admissions how they will handle your situation. Here is the Cal state admission information below. Hopefully all campuses will clarify their requirements and especially for the impacted campuses like CSULB.
** * California residents and graduates of California high schools will be eligible for admission by earning a 2.50 or greater “a-g" GPA.
- Any California high school graduate or resident of California earning a GPA between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum “a-g" requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the campus admission decision. Each CSU campus will determine the supplemental factors used with GPA to determine eligibility in these cases and communicate these criteria publicly for prospective students.
Campuses and programs designated as impacted may utilize higher “a-g" GPA thresholds for applicants, as well as identify supplemental criteria and their relative weights, in making admission decisions. However, in no case will standardized test scores be utilized in making admissions decisions for applicants during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Non-California residents may be eligible for admission to the CSU by earning a 3.00 or greater “a-g" GPA along with other supplemental factors utilized by the individual campus, including those outlined by impacted campuses and programs.
https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/CSU-to-Suspend-Standardized-Testing-Requirement-for-Upcoming-Admission-Cycles.aspx
" I also went to an IB school prior to transferring and got terrible grades I’m pretty sure."
Why can’t you get a copy of that transcript? Contact the school and ask for one.