A prospective client asked me a question this morning about comparing GPAs across high schools. He asked how college admissions officers compare a the GPA of a student at very low performing high school with a very high performing high school.
We didn’t get into a discussion about how one really measures high vs. low performance at different high schools. But our assumption seemed to be related to performance on state tests mandated by No Child Left Behind.
The answer to the question is “it depends.” If we are talking about a public institution, then depending on the state, the context of a students’ GPA gets very little attention. So for some state institutions it may make no difference in the admissions process whether a student was in a high or low performing school. Keep in mind, however, that not all state-financed institutions are the same (admissions standards and practices at William and Mary are very different from those at Christopher Newport, for example).
How Do Colleges Compare GPAs?
However, when a college or university has a “holistic” admissions process, they will look at the student in the context of where that student went to school. Admissions staff will take into account the strength of the student’s curriculum, the profile of the school that he attended (the percentage of students attend college, for example), and other tangibles and intangibles.
Admissions is not a scientific process. I try to counsel my clients to stay focused on getting a good education. Learn as much as possible, and find subjects and ideas that excite them. If a student can dwell on the learning and not the GPA, everything else will fall into place.
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
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