I do not think that I missing the point.
This is why each high school should have a well written school profile, which speaks to their demographics, what is offered, graduation rates, where students attend college.
I have seen some crappy AP classes and I have seen some really rigorous, evidence based regular classes.
@sybbie… by the way, in post 18 you aren’t quoting me correctly, you are quoting Thumper quote me. What i said in post 15…
Every AO from the more selective schools that has visited our HS (public Fairfield Co., CT) over the years has preached the “there better be a high number AP courses” on the transcript mantra.
I was speaking about my/our school. Obviously if a student can’t take a level of course if it is not offered.
My comment to you stands. The discussion was about colleges recalculating GPA. Your post made it sound like the colleges that recalculate GPA all take AP courses into consideration…and weigh them. My point…this is not true.
As @sybbie719 pointed out…tjese selective schools have tons of competitive applicants…tons. They are looking for students who took a challenging courseload in HS. So IF your school offers a lot of AP courses and you don’t take them…that would not work in your favor. OTOH…if your school doesn’t offer AP courses…you will not be penalized in the application process.
But really…this has nothing at all to do with colleges recalculating GPA…nothing.
The OP was about scholarships, not admissions.
LOL. wow, tough tread.
However you want to spin it, chop it recalc or not… admissions and merit scholarships at most of the more selective schools (that distribute merit $) are tied to the same criteria. Usualy it is the same application. Please take note of my qualifying “most and usually”.
“Every AO from the more selective schools that has visited our HS (public Fairfield Co., CT) over the years has preached the “there better be a high number AP courses” on the transcript mantra.”
Well sure, IF your HS offers lots of AP classes then students FROM that HS will be evaluated in the context of what THAT school offers.
But for merit scholarships , which usually goes to tip top students that a college has already decided to accept, will be based on Standardized tests scores, LORs , the rigor of the classes taken in the context of the school, grades[ however they end up being weighted by the admission office], choice of major[ sometimes] EC’s, and finally on how much they want a student to attend.
Yes, I basically said that in post 19.
Yes, they both use gpa and scores, but they may not have the same cut offs. To get into Alabama, I think many students do it without a 3.5/32 ACT. To get the highest scholarship, that’s what you need.
The student who has a 3.49999 unweighted is going to hope his high school calculates honors classes or AP with a bonus, raising the weighted gpa to 3.6 or 3.9. If not, the student still gets to go to Alabama, just doesn’t get the highest scholarship. Admissions often uses more than just the statistics while scholarships are often automatic with the right statistics. You can overcome the 3.49999 for admissions but not for the scholarship.
My daughter’s scholarship was based entirely on the gpa/ACT, and they do not round up. If the gpa is 3.4999, you will get a different amount that 3.5. If your ACT is 25, you will get a different amount than a 26. Any combination of those will get you into the school.