http://myusearchblog.com/senior-year-scholar-or-slacker?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=senior-year-scholar-or-slacker Honest college information -- choose, apply, get into and pay for college. Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:01:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://myusearchblog.com/senior-year-scholar-or-slacker/comment-page-1#comment-8736 Brady Norvall Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:43:46 +0000 http://myusearchblog.com/senior-year-scholar-or-slacker#comment-8736 Bobby, First of all, good question. Getting "over a 4.0" first semester would be fantastic and could really help your chances if you can send out your updated transcript to each of your schools quickly. Note that it will not make it there in time for any of your early action or early decision schools, because those are typically filed in Nov./Dec. and the responses return by the time you have your first semester transcript in hand. Also, remember that most colleges don't count a GPA which is over a 4.0 as anything other than a 4.0 (or lower, depending on the way it's weighted). In fact, most universities will recalculate your GPA in order to take out any of the various weighted factors that certain schools use, enabling the university to have a more streamlined understanding of true GPAs. In other words, some schools give a "B" for an "Honor's" class 4 points (an "A" would be 5), so that would be recalculated to actually be a regular 3 point value for most universities. It's really critical to remember that a GPA is important, but nothing is as critical as your strength of curriculum. In essence, you don't get extra points for taking classes that are "Honor's" or "AP" or "IB" or "Cambridge" level because that's really what you're expected to take. These are the college preparation courses that all kids take. To offer 5 points or 6 points out of 4 possible just because students challenge themselves with the rigorous curriculum they should, just doesn't make a lot of sense. Hope that this makes some sense! Bobby,
First of all, good question.
Getting “over a 4.0″ first semester would be fantastic and could really help your chances if you can send out your updated transcript to each of your schools quickly. Note that it will not make it there in time for any of your early action or early decision schools, because those are typically filed in Nov./Dec. and the responses return by the time you have your first semester transcript in hand. Also, remember that most colleges don’t count a GPA which is over a 4.0 as anything other than a 4.0 (or lower, depending on the way it’s weighted). In fact, most universities will recalculate your GPA in order to take out any of the various weighted factors that certain schools use, enabling the university to have a more streamlined understanding of true GPAs. In other words, some schools give a “B” for an “Honor’s” class 4 points (an “A” would be 5), so that would be recalculated to actually be a regular 3 point value for most universities.
It’s really critical to remember that a GPA is important, but nothing is as critical as your strength of curriculum. In essence, you don’t get extra points for taking classes that are “Honor’s” or “AP” or “IB” or “Cambridge” level because that’s really what you’re expected to take. These are the college preparation courses that all kids take. To offer 5 points or 6 points out of 4 possible just because students challenge themselves with the rigorous curriculum they should, just doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Hope that this makes some sense!

]]> http://myusearchblog.com/senior-year-scholar-or-slacker/comment-page-1#comment-8707 Bobby Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:13:48 +0000 http://myusearchblog.com/senior-year-scholar-or-slacker#comment-8707 Let's say I have a 3.0 by the end of junior year. If I get over a 4.0 first semester of next/senior year it counts for college admission? Let’s say I have a 3.0 by the end of junior year. If I get over a 4.0 first semester of next/senior year it counts for college admission?

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