High School Grades Matter More Than You Think
As a test prep tutor and college consultant, I personally work with dozens of students every year to improve their college applications. For some of my students, I help them shore up shaky resumes and make a four-year university a reality. For others, I aid their already tremendous applications by refining their essays and interviews and helping them find the best schools for their selected fields.
Yet, one thing remains constant for every student I work with regardless of his or her dream: High School grades matter. A lot.
To start, I've helped dozens of students over the years get into college on the basis of grades alone. Arizona State, University of Kansas, and University of New Mexico are just three examples of schools where all you need is a 3.0 Core GPA and a smile! Most students don't realize that for students who select these colleges, the SAT and ACT are significanlty less important. Instead these universities put the focus on grades, a proven indicator of college aptitude.
In fact, recent studies have confirmed that high school grades are more predictive than the SAT or ACT, meaning that grades almost always matter more than standardized test scores. As I noted in an earlier post, colleges are becoming more and more aware that SAT and ACT scores are not indicative of future succes. That realization has prompted people like Richard C. Atkinson, president emeritus of the University of California, to continually call into question the value of the tests to the college admissions process while simultaneously reaffirming the usefulness of high school grades:
The most intriguing aspect of this research, however, is not what it says about tests but what it says about that old-fashioned admissions criterion, high-school grades. The studies concluded that a student's performance over four years of high school remains the fairest and most meaningful measure of his or her accomplishments and the most reliable indicator of future success in college.
- Forbes, "Beyond the SAT"
As more and more schools like Wake Forest turn to testing-optional programs, students are going to see colleges intensify the focus already placed on high school grades.
This shift is happening at all levels, but will have the greatest effect at highly selective universities. ASU, KU, and UNM may admit students solely on the basis of grades, but highly selective schools (like the Ivies) are starting to prioritize grades in a time where the smallest differences between applications matters tremendously.
And there's no sign of slowing in the increase of applications or the decrease in test score relevance. I predict that the (Freshman) Class of 2012 will face a very different college admissions reality than today's Seniors.
So keep that GPA up to at least a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Take classes that are challenging and earn A's and B's by doing the work and learning the subject. Hire a trained academic tutor if you need one. Colleges do like to see an upward trend in grades throughout high school, but they like to see A's from day one even more!
In short, make your high school grades are an asset instead of a liablity. You'll thank me when it comes time to apply to college.
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