So Much Love, So Few Spots

Detail
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:18:28 +0000

My second question: (My apologies if this is in the wrong string) If you don’t recalculate GPA…how do you account for the difference in “differential” for AP/Honors courses for students from different schools? For example: our town gives a .3 for AP/Honors courses and rarely gives As as grades in these courses per policy. Two towns over they give a 1.3 and kids can graduate with a 5.3. How can a 4.0 compete with a 5.3 without recalculating? The school profile sent with the transcript does not explain these policies at all and I am sure that as admissions officers, you don’t have time to deal with these nuances? I have been curious about this for the last four years and would be thrilled to learn how you figure this all out?

The school profile should at least contain how GPA is calculated and how many AP/honor courses are offered.

Adcoms can’t really do anything about grade inflation in certain high schools. That’s why there are SAT scores and essays to weed out those who clearly didn’t deserve their GPA.



How easy is it to discern fact from fiction in these apps when there is so much love and so few spots? If you take the high road in the application process, are you at a disadvantage?

Depends… If you’ve done something spectacular in high school adcoms expect you to elaborate on it. Someone fabricating their credentials probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish that very well.