Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA

[Walnut3]

I am a high school junior and I want to go to West Point, but I am concerned about my class rank and GPA. I attend a very rigorous New England boarding school, where 99% of students go on to attend a 4-year college and the average GPA (unweighted) is 87 for the entire school. My school both does not weight GPA for AP or Honors courses, and it does not weight for class rank. It also does not do a standard 4.0 scale; it gives you your average out of 100 at the end of each semester. My GPA is 88 for my 2.5 years combined and I have taken 3 AP classes and 8 honors. My unweighted GPA is not much to be desired when I use the online calculator at https://gpacalculator.net/high-school-gpa-calculator/ (just 3.4) but weighted it is 3.9. I know WP focuses on class rank a lot, but my rank just isn't that high because it is calculated unweighted; I doubt I am even top 35% of my class (rank isn't available until graduation). Do you think WP will take the rigor of my school into consideration when they see an undesirable class rank, and also will they take into account the classes I have taken when looking at my GPA? Also, my SAT is 1360 right now. I split 710 rw/650 math, though I plan on getting a tutor to get my math score up to at least a 690 for a 1400 super score. Thank you very much for the answers.

 

[okboomer]

I believe Admissions does consider not only the overall school competitiveness but also the courses you took and the resulting grades made. Good start on the SAT. Keep working

 

[MidCakePa]

Don’t sweat the GPA stuff. SAs base your academic achievement mainly on two things: a detailed review of your transcript plus your school profile. Their questions are: did you take the hardest classes your school has to offer and did you excel at them? Your SAT/ACT then helps round out your profile.

 

[EEBTTF]

+1 - you are doing fine. Keep grinding away, study hard and stay out of trouble. Good job on the SAT!

 

[obsessedcadet]

Don't worry about it. Do you absolute best to perform at the highest level.

I have about a dozen close friends/colleagues at Phillips Exeter, where everyone is a top dog. Grade deflation is real; however, they're top dogs, and they do well for themselves in college admissions, including academy admissions.

I had a friend from a school in my area with around a 3.4 (B student with a few As). His SAT wasn't anything to write home about either. But he had some decent ECs and blew the doors off the Congressional Nomination interview. He won the Principal Nomination and that was the golden ticket: he's currently a Cow at West Point.

Put in the work and it'll happen. You're not at a disadvantage.

 

[ldrship]

Suggest you focus on getting your SATs up above 1400, which is the average in my area if you eliminate recruited athletes and prep school candidates. And make math the priority because it counts much more.