Quote:
Originally Posted by aephi alum
^ So, if you took AP classes during your senior year, you wouldn't know your definitive final HS GPA until AP grades were sent out in July?
How did your HS determine class rank? Did they just go by your GPA as of the end of junior year, appropriately weighted if you'd taken any AP classes during your sophomore and junior years? (That's what my HS did. Class rank was based on your GPA as of the end of junior year - and, as I mentioned earlier, GPA was completely unweighted. I could have completely blown off my senior year and gotten straight F's and I would still have been valedictorian.)
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Yes, the weight was so small though, less than a tenth and only if you scored 4 or 5. (In San Diego, it seems it's at least a tenth and has a bigger impact.) I want to say we had our test scores before mid-June when we graduated, because I was over the moon to have done better on the test than my class grades would have indicated.
When it came to class rank, our upper tier students were so neck and neck that you would think that the bump would make a bigger difference. We sure as heck knew where each other landed on the list and what classes everyone was taking. The truth was though that since they were taking the same classes and getting similar grades they'd get the same scores too. So it was a wash.
Actually, my senior year there was DRAMA, because a girl returned to our school that year, after having been in Boston for 9th-11th grade. She had gone to VB schools through Junior High so she was well known. Based on GPA she was #2, but everyone pointed out that her grades were "easier". The girl who was edged out of the honor was eventually allowed to give a speech at graduation as an "honorary" salutatorian.
Googling again, it looks like now they weight based on your class grade instead of your test score. I'm not sure how I feel about that though, now everyone who passes those classes gets a bump. That would make it more impactful.
Here's what VA Beach has for weighting:
After the grade point average of the student has been determined, bonus credit will be added for advanced placement courses and specifically approved courses such as international baccalaureate and magnet courses. The Department of Teaching and Learning will determine which courses are to receive bonus credit. Bonus credit will be awarded as follows for year courses: (A, A-) =.0488, (B+, B, B-) =.0366, (C+, C, C-) =.0244, (D+, D) =.0122, E=O. Bonus credit will be awarded as follows for semester courses: (A , A-) = .0244; (B+, B, B-) = .0183; (C+, C, C-) = .0122; (D+, D) = .0061; and E = 0.
