Switching High Schools Senior Year

MomPhD
Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:59:14 +0000

I second the recommendation to have your GC at the private school write a college recommendation letter and mail a transcript. The GPA and rank considered in college admissions are the ones at the end of your junior year. The senior midyear grades are submitted to confirm the prior impression of high achievement within a rigorous course load. Since all of your academic work through junior year was done in your former school, your GPA/rank/course selection should be presented in the context of your private school. Your former GC would be the most credible source of this verification (not you public school GC)–make sure he or she mails your private school’s profile and any grade weighting and grade distributions statistics, as well as the course offerings at your school. Since some privates actually offer fewer opportunities for AP, or consider all of their courses to be honors level, your courses through junior year should be examined in that context, not that of your public school’s courses. This is especially important because you think target colleges are not that familiar with your private school.

Make sure the recommendation and transcript from the old school are put in your college application files at the new school. But, DO NOT assume the public GC will handle any explanation of the differences between the two schools, or remember to include the old school’s profile etc. with your transcript mailings. They may simply merge your grades from your old school onto the public school’s transcript with little explanation, which would diminish your accomplishments.

Be prepared–there is typically a vast difference between the GC services in a private school like your old one and a public school. Public school counselors handle many more students, are not as expert in or focused on college admissions, and are often working heavily with special needs students, at risk kids, etc. Rely as much as you are able on your old school’s counselor. You might want to get your applications out early just in case documents get lost in the shuffle–check that everything each school mails is received by the admissions offices. Hopefully your old school is cooperative. Good luck!