GPA Question Forum

[CottonHarvest]

Why does LSAC weight college courses taken as a high schooler the same as those taken in college?

[grades??]

because both are college courses, duh

[cavalier1138]

because both are college courses, duh

[super12345chess]

I think it's a legitimate question.

As an extreme case, I took a college class while in middle school. I happened to get an A in it, so it hasn't negatively affected me, but the idea that the grade from a class I started when I was 13 would be evaluated equally to a course I took while in college doesn't make sense. A middle schooler is a middle schooler, and a high school student is a high school student. People do all sorts of odd things when they're younger. Law Schools don't incorporate high school grades, and I would argue they shouldn't include college classes while enrolled in high school either.

[UVA2B]

It's simple though. The decision whether to include that sort of grade is too fact-specific, so LSAC just counts them all to make the process as fair as possible to the thousands of applicants they're processing every year. It might not seem fair to you in your specific instance, but do you realize what would happen if LSAC had to look into every course and when it was taken and what circumstances it was taken in?

[guynourmin]

It's simple though

it really is simple. if you have a problem with the whole thing, your problem should be with the fact that GPA matters as much as it does. There's no problem with the way GPAs are calculated (except, maybe, the 4.3/A+)

[A. Nony Mouse]

if you have a problem with the whole thing, your problem should be with the fact that GPA matters as much as it does.

Nah.

[cavalier1138]

I think it's a legitimate question.

As an extreme case, I took a college class while in middle school. I happened to get an A in it, so it hasn't negatively affected me, but the idea that the grade from a class I started when I was 13 would be evaluated equally to a course I took while in college doesn't make sense. A middle schooler is a middle schooler, and a high school student is a high school student. People do all sorts of odd things when they're younger. Law Schools don't incorporate high school grades, and I would argue they shouldn't include college classes while enrolled in high school either.

Ok. So should colleges stop counting them for credit, especially if they fulfill general course requirements?

The whole reason that a student takes a college course in high school (or middle school, apparently...) is to get college credit and/or challenge themselves. It's not like you have a bunch of slack-jawed idiots taking these courses as a way to cut school. If you take a college course, even at age 13, you should be well aware that you're taking it for college credit.

[LSRAT]

An inclusive policy seems appropriate because it's too case specific. For me, I didn't think it was appropriate to count college courses I took in high school because it was forever ago and my performance during university is much more indicative of, well, anything important really. But I know applicants who are graduating after two years in university becuase of how many college courses they took in high school. Makes sense to me that their credits be counted. I guess a system that counts credits that are applied to the degree would make more sense.