GPA, Course Rigor, and Class Rank

Many factors influence admissions decisions, including essays, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation and interviews. But the student’s transcript is the most vital. It gives admissions officers an understanding of a student’s academic experience to date, as well as their potential to succeed in college. The specific process used to evaluate transcripts may differ slightly from one college to another. At selective colleges, it is a highly individualized process. The admissions staff carefully examines a student’s academic record, year by year and class by class. They make note of trends (upward and downward) in the academic performance and look to see whether the student is choosing challenging courses. They examine the high school’s profile to see the kind of academic program it offers.

What follows are a few insider tips on transcript evaluation, and how to present yourself as a competitive candidate.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), a student's high school record is the most important factor in college admission decisions. Data in NACAC’s State of College Admission report shows students’ grades and the academic rigor of their course loads weigh more heavily in decisions to admit than standardized test scores or demonstrated interest in attending. 

Important note: A “B” grade is considered above average, and qualifies as a “good grade” for college admission purposes. For more on this – please read on!

• Avoid being a “GPA protector.” Don’t play it safe by enrolling in classes that are easy for you. Students should consider enrolling in courses that are appropriate for them, challenging them to learn more about the subject while also allowing for enough time to participate in extracurricular activities and spend time with family and friends. An effortless “A” is not as impressive as a hard-earned “B.” Taking challenging classes throughout high school — including senior year — shows the people reading your application that you’re serious about your education and that you’re ready to thrive in college.
• Plan ahead. Come up with a long-term plan to meet your college goals. Choices you make early in your high school career may affect your ability to enroll in classes later on that could make you a stronger candidate for college admissions.
• Ask questions. As soon as you have decided where you want to apply, get in touch with the admissions offices and find out exactly what types of courses they value most. For most, it will be 4 years of English, math, science, language, and history, but some — particularly those with a specialized focus like music — may place greater emphasis on high school performing arts classes.
• Don’t be deterred by one low grade. Colleges understand if you have one grade that’s not reflective of your usual ability. They also understand that grades may decline as a result of circumstances in a student's life. Refocus and work hard. What’s important is that you’re able to demonstrate that you’re getting back on track. There are places within a college application where a student will be able to explain special circumstances. 

There is no real consistency from one school system to the next, and as college admissions offices receive applications from all over the United States and the world, trying to compare applicants by their GPAs is like comparing apples to oranges. Thus, many colleges will recompute GPAs according to their own formulas to level the playing field for the students in their applicant pool, like the University of California. Some will take out all weights.  Some will only factor in "core" classes to include math, science, English, social studies, and world language.  Others will not conduct any computations at all, but rather evaluate the transcript holistically, looking at the level of classes a student took and the grades they received in those classes.

• Remember, every high school is different. They may seem similar, but the curricula of high schools vary widely. Some have a very rigid class structure, while others may not even offer honors or AP classes. Not to worry. You won’t be penalized. College admissions officers will take the time to understand the curriculum of your school.
• Colleges evaluate students within the context of their high school, taking into account differences in grading scales, class size, course offerings, and historical data. Beware of “urban legends.” As alluded to above, it’s dangerous to compare yourself to others in different high schools who have a similar GPA and assume you’ll get accepted or denied based on their experiences. 

At OPHS we use Naviance which allows students to compare their GPAs with the GPAs of past students (no identifying information is given) who applied to a specific college or university.  Because the data is restricted to one school, this is a like-to-like comparison using the same GPA computation.  Thus, it can give a student a realistic idea of how they might stack up based on past years’ admission data for their school.  However, even this needs a word of caution, as the rigor of the classes will not be reflected in this one data point.  Thus, a student can have a really high GPA but not necessarily be competitive depending on their class choices, or a student from your school can have a slightly lower GPA than the average for a particular college but still be a strong candidate because of the rigorous classes they took. The OPHS admission statistics in Naviance also do not account for students' essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and other factors that are important in the admission process.

It’s important to remember that the high school transcript isn’t simply a listing of courses taken and grades received. It tells a detailed story about a student’s high school career and the choices they’ve made. It’s a story that’s required reading for admissions officers. The best advice for students and families may be to focus a little bit less on the GPA and encourage students to take the most challenging and rigorous courses they can manage successfully within the context of their entire life, and strive to get A’s and B's in those classes. That, in and of itself, is the best formula for the beginnings of a strong college admissions profile.