Summer, believe it or not, is finally fast approaching. Many students have big plans to make best use of the last summer before their senior year. With AP currently going on, I know it is almost impossible to think about anything else. Besides the activities I mentioned in my April 8th’s posting, quite a few juniors will be going to summer school in their last attempt to improve/maintain their rank/GPA since the official rank for college application will be calculated at the very end of August. Many others are going to summer school to make/catch up the credit(s) they need for graduation....
Summer is near!!!
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A few weeks ago, a student of mine asked me a couple of questions for a class project via email regarding different rigor among high schools resulting higher/lower GPA as well as ranking. I thought they were very good questions but I was so busy at the point that I just could not give him the well-thought, deserving answers right then, but I did promise him I would work on them later and post them on my blog when finished.
ReplyDeleteHere are specifically the questions,
1. Do you think there is a difference in competition/school work/difficulty at Clements than other schools? If so, please explain the differences.
2. Do you feel that Clements students have more of a disadvantage than other students of FBISD when applying into the same colleges?
(ex: how a student from elkins with a lower gpa can be a higher rank than a clements student with the same gpa).
Here is how I see this. There is no secret that there is a difference in terms of levels of expectation, resources, ability, experience, load, desire, achievement, discipline, determination and drive among students, teachers and parents in different high schools. Even within the same school and same subject with the same level, you often hear comments like, such and such is "easy", and so and so is "tough". I am not saying this is the way it is supposed to be, I am simply pointing out the reality. The really tough question to answer is our CHS students have more of a disadvantage when it comes to applying to the same college.
(Continue from yesterday)
ReplyDeleteThe simple answer to the question is yes, if you only look at a student's rank, especially when the top 10% rule is still in effect. BUT, to the vast majority, the remaining 90% of the students, the answer is may be not. Keep in mind rank is only part of a puzzle in the over all process of admission though it is an important part, it is not the only part. We all know we learn more with a "tough" teacher. So many times when I speak to students from various high schools in various parts of the country during my numerous trips to visit numerous college campuses, I am told about the same thing over and over again. Many students comment that college is pretty easy when one's high school is hard; while as college is tough when high school is "a walk in the park". Those cannot make it to their sophomore year are usually due to lack of "college readiness" terms of academic foundation, and study/time management skills/habits. They are just not prepared.
Another major part of the college admission is the standardized testing results. In other words if one’s teacher/high school is “tough”, he probably learns more and consequently, at least theoretically, he would score better in them. Of course, letters of recommendation, extra-curricula activities, leadership, community services, and the reputation of the school all play a role.
The point is again, don’t feel you are short-changed because you go to a more competitive school. Even with the top 10% rule, there is this new amendment applying to UT about which you can read on my February 3, 2010 posting for Juniors.
I hope this helps a little.
My son's Junior Fall Schedule included a "College Now Students" dual credit class in U.S. History 1301. We have completed the application process and he has been accepted by Wharton County Junior College. The next step is to register him in the course and pay the corresponding fees. For your information the fees for this course is $360.00. If he takes this course will there be an additional course in U.S. History for the Spring semester? Would this also have to be a dual credit class or could it be an AP course?
ReplyDeleteWhat academic advantage is there in taking a dual credit class over and AP class? I understand that some colleges will not accept the dual credit course and the AP course counts as an Honors class which is preferred by most colleges and universities. If this is the case, could he sign up for the AP course in U.S. History and cancel out the dual credit class.? He would prefer the AP U.S. History course.
Great points! The first thing I want to talk about it is the cost. Nowadays attending college is very expensive, as we already know. A single college credit hour can cost up to $500.00 for public institution and $1,000.00 for private. That is why gaining college credits via other/non-traditional ways has become more and more of a norm. Ways like AP, dual-credit, credit by exam, to name a few, are becoming more and more popular. So up to 3 ~ 6 credit hours a shot is a bargain for dual credit, AP or CBE if you compare the cost between the two, let alone say, you may even gain tax advantage.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff! May I ask what tax advantage you are talking about?
ReplyDelete