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GPA Question

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:22 pm
by CottonHarvest
Why does LSAC weight college courses taken as a high schooler the same as those taken in college?

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:23 pm
by grades??
because both are college courses, duh

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:40 pm
by cavalier1138
grades?? wrote:because both are college courses, duh

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:14 pm
by 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.

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:18 pm
by 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?

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:24 pm
by guynourmin
UVA2B wrote: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+)

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:25 pm
by A. Nony Mouse
guybourdin wrote: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. :D

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:27 pm
by cavalier1138
super12345chess wrote: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.

Re: GPA Question

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:32 pm
by 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.