Air Force Academy Calculated GPA

scdad

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Does anyone know how the Air Force Academy calculates GPA's. My son has a 4.88 weighted and a 3.78 unweighted GPA at his school. He is ranked 19 out of 477 and has taken AP and Honors classes yet the Air Force Academy calculated his GPA as a 3.41. Thoughts?
 
Wow, that can't be right. I don't even know how they could have gotten that, even on the extreme side. I always thought that they calculated it just about the same way most schools, giving weight to honors, AP, and college, and going from there. I really don't know much other than that though, sorry.

Good Luck
 
I don't remember what my daughters AFA GPA was calculated at. I know it was above 3.0 and think it was around 3.75. That said they have a system they work with that takes many factors into consideration, not just the weighted/unweighted HS scores.

Fleiger might be able to better address this, but I dont think the 3.45 is anything to get worried about yet.
 
It depends on the courses. Your school might weight honors at 5.0, and they weight it at 4.5, and an AP at 5.0 I am betting on that because DS's uw remained the same.
 
Son's GPA ended up staying the close to the same. He did get an email asking for course descriptions, since the abbreviations were hard to figure out for the computer classes and language classes. Then told that they give credit for language classes but not the computer classes. Maybe some non-core classes are dropped so that all kids are scaled similar without having them inflated from non-core classes. Just my opinion.
 
I think you are correct, classes like Gym, Art, Music are removed from their weight. It would probably explain why DS's did not change because NC only reqs 1 yr PE, and his electives he chose were classes like Architecture, Drafting and additional foreign languages (like latin) on top of his foreign language to fulfill hs reqs. He had no art, music, gym, teen living on his transcript.
 
I think you are correct, classes like Gym, Art, Music are removed from their weight. It would probably explain why DS's did not change because NC only reqs 1 yr PE, and his electives he chose were classes like Architecture, Drafting and additional foreign languages (like latin) on top of his foreign language to fulfill hs reqs. He had no art, music, gym, teen living on his transcript.

god, i wish we could get rid of art at our school. We are required to take art, 1 year of gym, 2 years of language, and 1 year of computers. It gets hard to fit everything into our schedules; especially when they fire teachers left and right.
 
We really had no idea what our boys' GPA's were from high school since they were a smathering of cyber (online), home-school, community college, local university (and not so local U too). Their PE, required by Pennsylvania for 4 years, was... duh, fencing, and while music was also required, since they all played an instrument, it was never a problem.

What the heck is a class in teen living? (This sounds like a reason we homeschooled!)
 
Teen living in NC is 9th grade health, i.e., get a baby that has a computer chip and you must feed it diaper it, hold it, etc, carry an egg around, make a budget on welfare, etc. It exists to lower teen pregnancy, and I 1000% support it. It was a pain in the A$$ when DD did it, but man she quickly realized I wasn't going to feed, or diaper it, and after 2 nights of no sleep she wanted to chuck it in the garbage can...after her 2 nights, the "Father" got the baby and he got it too. Our school also did a lesson on what te father would be responisble for financially. Also some schools, like VA have the girl wear a pregnancy suit and must go to school, stores, malls and restaurants to experience the looks/stares. IMHO it is the best program out there, it makes them really rethink being sexually active.
 
Part of the calculation is based on the school profile. That's why they ask for that. They look at the difficulty of the classes; what colleges the students from you high school went to, etc... All colleges take this into consideration. I can't tell you however if the adjusted gpa is accurate or not. My son's school doesn't weight any classes. Which for some kids who take ALL IB/AP classes; it could be lower than the student taking a lot of shop type classes. However, those two sets of students probably aren't applying to the same type of Post-High school. FWIW; my son's no weighted GPA was exactly the same as what the academy assessed it as.

As far as taking gym classes, art, etc... Personally, they need to require MORE of them. I know many people don't like that, however; too many kids are fat and out of shape; and too many kids are just taking the brain classes. The academy is a prime example of a school that wants a well-rounded student. They DON'T WANT someone who is just taking academic type classes. Even if they have a 4.0. They don't want them. They want students who are physically fit; are well rounded in the arts, world history, social exposure, etc... And there's a lot of students, because of their school, aren't the varsity sport all star. Gym classes are definitely important. When I was in school; stone age; we had gym classes EVERY DAY. Math, Gym, English, history, and science were required classes every semester of every year. There were options such as chemistry, physics, biology, earth science, etc... As well as different levels of difficulty and interest in history, math, etc... But it was a requirement. I wish they'd do that more today.
 
Exactly! My son is taking 4 years PE...includes football. 4 Years Orchestra. and wishes he could take 4 years of Chinese. New school doesn't offer it so he's been taking summer immersion to make up for that. Now, I think it's great that the USAFA pulls out certain classes to get a semi- even gpa to judge the kids on. Makes for a more level playing field when the score comes through.

This second school that son is in lets the kids take some classes pass/fail so it doesn't hurt their gpa. My son hasn't had that opportunity so he's at a disadvantage when his rank is calculated. I guess it all comes out even in the end...and somehow these kids end up where they are supposed to be!:smile:
 
I agree because DS got an edge since he had 8 classes that were honors, APs, or college, (with jump start sr yr he took 10...4 at hs, 6 at Comm College ). He would not be able to do that here in VA because PE is mandated for all 4 yrs
 
AF GPA

If your son asks his adm counselor they will explain it. If I remember right some classes are "double-weighted" I think math and science, others are taken out- mostly electives.

EMCS
 
Part of the calculation is based on the school profile. That's why they ask for that. They look at the difficulty of the classes; what colleges the students from you high school went to, etc... All colleges take this into consideration. I can't tell you however if the adjusted gpa is accurate or not. My son's school doesn't weight any classes. Which for some kids who take ALL IB/AP classes; it could be lower than the student taking a lot of shop type classes. However, those two sets of students probably aren't applying to the same type of Post-High school. FWIW; my son's no weighted GPA was exactly the same as what the academy assessed it as.

As far as taking gym classes, art, etc... Personally, they need to require MORE of them. I know many people don't like that, however; too many kids are fat and out of shape; and too many kids are just taking the brain classes. The academy is a prime example of a school that wants a well-rounded student. They DON'T WANT someone who is just taking academic type classes. Even if they have a 4.0. They don't want them. They want students who are physically fit; are well rounded in the arts, world history, social exposure, etc... And there's a lot of students, because of their school, aren't the varsity sport all star. Gym classes are definitely important. When I was in school; stone age; we had gym classes EVERY DAY. Math, Gym, English, history, and science were required classes every semester of every year. There were options such as chemistry, physics, biology, earth science, etc... As well as different levels of difficulty and interest in history, math, etc... But it was a requirement. I wish they'd do that more today.

i agree with you there; we do need to require more P.E. type classes. the only problem is that the school require so many other credits now, that there is no way to fit in 4 years of P.E. anymore :frown:
 
You could fit it, but than your gpa would drop from not taking another AP and you wouldn't be competitive :rolleyes:
 
You could fit it, but than your gpa would drop from not taking another AP and you wouldn't be competitive :rolleyes:

I disagree. Our son took every AP class available to him, and also had PE every year. He worked his backside off in school in order to take everything that he needed. He took some classes over the summer through a larger neighboring school district, and came out with a very high GPA. He will be starting his third year at the Academy next week.

You do not have to sacrifice academics for PE if you are willing to work hard, and that is what the Academy is looking for. Work with your scheduling counselor to see what can be done to take everything.


Stealth_81
 
Stealth,

I have a few issues with that theory from personal experience.

1. Many schools will not allow students to do that, i.e. even with Jump start (1/2 day hs 1/2 day at community college) at both of our last hs's you need permission to take more credits than is traditional, and only allowed 9 credits at te community college.

2. Except for when we were at Ft. Bragg, the neighboring hs's in other districts were at least a 30 minute drive each way. Plus, none of the schools offer summer programs that you could take to get ahead like Foreign Language or AP anything.

3. Many kids work during summer, which would make it impossible to go to school and work. DS was a lifeguard since he was 16, during the summer he worked 40 hrs a week and his hours/days rotated, he would not be able to work and go to school.

Finally, for me, personally, I also have a problem with how some of these kids feel to be competitive they must do things like that. Their resumes are out the door amazing with classes, sports, volunteerism, and working. When we went to college 20 +yrs ago, nobody I knew had 9 AP's, 300 hrs of volunteering, 3 or 4 sports, class leadership positions and worked too. The kid in our hs that got accepted MIT, had regular Physics, because we did not have AP Physics,. That is true, because he sat next to me in PSSC Physics and he was not valedictorian or salutorian, he wasn't even class president or president of NHS.. The guy who got accepted to USMA, played 1 sport (football) and did not take AP Calc, which I know for a fact because we only had 1 AP Calc class and I was in it, he wasn't. We are burning these kids out at a very young age by the stress we put on them to push themselves harder at a younger age. They are no longer kids being kids, all they are are kids busting their hump to get into their choice college, where they start taking SAT prep classes in 8th grade.

What I would say is in our current hs in NoVa it is a requirement to take gym all 4 yrs, but you theortically could take all AP's if you were deemd TAG all the way back when you were in elementary school, because by 8th grade you were taking hs level courses. DS started foreign language is 7th grade, by 8th he was in geometry. Also in our current school you can take AP/IB or ICSCE science if you test out of honors or have GC support. DD took all of the AP Eng/Lit/Psych/USH/Govt. she is weak in Math/Science so she took only Honors, but if she was strong, she would be graduating with every AP they offer, never have to take summer school and still have PE.
My personal opinion and now you can throw it in the circular filing cabinet.:wink:
 
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Pima, I highly recommend reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Perhaps the best way to draw ourselves out of our educational slump in the world is through more schooling and activity, not less. Letting kids be kids may be more fun, but in the end may hurt them. Just my $0.02.

Also, having been one of those crazy workers, AP classes to the extreme, etc. etc. I wouldn't have traded my experience for the world. Teaching TKD, working, taking AP chem, etc. was far more rewarding to me than going to the park everyday to play for a few hours. :wink:

Though, I will add, I am not a fan of summer school. Never took it, never will.
 
hornet, I think you know DS graduated with 6 APs, 15 college credits, Black Belt TKD instructor, Lifeguard, and all of the other stuff. My point wasn't let the kids go play in the park. My point was having kids starting at 14/15 go yr round (and not like European yr round...which I 100% support) placing the pressure on them to an insane amount is not where I want to be as a parent. There is enough time in your life to live under stress, you will do it for the next 50+ yrs after hs graduation.

I am sure I am standing alone here, but that is okay, because my kids are kids, but at the same time they know what is demanded of them from us. They are all NHS students, and all will graduate with 6+ APs (in core courses) and also attend jump start, and they will do it with a class rank of top 10%, however, they will not be going full time yr round, working a job and playing a sport at the same time. HS IMHO is the last time they can just be a kid.

FWIW, it is also very difficult to have your children attend yr round at a neighboring hs if both parents work, bc in some states you don't get a license until 17, or basically your rising sr yr before they can drive to summer courses.

I do not want anybody to interpret as I think it is horrible, I am just stating there could be a 1000 reasons why other kids don't do this, and none of them make the kids look like slackers or not being driven.
 
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Pima, sorry, didn't mean to make the park comment sounds derogratory. But, I think we both agree, but say it differently. I really want to go to grad school in the UK for the UK/European school year vs. ours. I think it is more efficient and better for academic studies.

I think its funny. A big reason we have a long summer break was for farmers. While that segment of society is by far a minority, we refuse to revise our school year to a more efficient system because everyone feels "entitiled" to that long summer break where you should be acting like Huck Finn. No need for summer school if the break isn't long enough at a time to do it!
 
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