Get Going Workshops

by Joanne Levy-Prewitt

Quality Of The Transcript Is An Important Admissions Factor

Recently the father of a high school senior asked me whether I thought his son would have more college options if he had attended a less rigorous high school and gotten a higher GPA. It was a loaded question, but essentially, he was implying that in the realm of high school academics and college admissions, the playing field is not fair. In a subtle way, he was accusing lower-achieving high schools of grade inflation, while simultaneously accusing his son's highly regarded public high school of making students work disproportionately hard for their high grades.

The father's concern about GPA was valid, though. Marc McGee, director of admissions at University of the Pacific (UOP), says that at UOP, GPA is the most important factor when evaluating applicants because "it is the best predictor of success" in college. He told me that research correlates the high GPAs of college freshmen with strong high school GPAs. Yet he disagrees with the idea that there is grade inflation at the high school level and hasn't seen a "rampant rise in GPAs of applicants in recent years."

McGee also says that GPA alone is not as important as the courses taken in high school. Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are popular among many high school students. Some students take them because they are genuinely interested in the challenge of high-level coursework, but others take them only for the boost in GPA they can provide. (When calculating GPA, honors, AP and college-level courses are awarded 5 points for an A, while a typical high school course awards 4 points for an A.)

"GPA tells me little," says McGee. "I have to see what makes up the GPA, and I also like to look at grade trends from freshman to junior year. I want to see students who challenge themselves, even if they have a lower GPA."

McGee's emphasis on the strength of the transcript might alleviate some pressure on students; regardless of the high school or the GPA, students who take tough classes impress admission officers.

McGee believes that while the purpose of high school "is to best prepare for post-high school life," he is also sensitive to the fact that not all high schools offer multiple honors or AP classes, and that some high schools are cutting or eliminating advanced courses completely. "We know where cuts have been made. High schools and students let us know."

Although UOP has not seen an appreciable rise in applicant GPAs, UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute concluded that nationally, GPAs are on the rise. In 2003, 46.6 percent of college freshmen reported a high school GPA of 4.0, while only 17.6 percent of students reported a perfect 4.0 in 1968. To be fair, greater numbers of students are enrolling in AP and honors courses today, and these courses have the effect of raising students' GPAs.

The term "grade inflation" has several connotations. It implies lower standards for high grades; it hints at poor or inconsistent grading practices; and it insinuates that some high schools succumb to pressure from parents or students for higher, undeserved grades necessary for admission to competitive colleges.

However, the real issue with the question of grade inflation shouldn't be with college admission; instead, families and high schools should be concerned with the quality of education. As McGee said, colleges want to be sure that students are prepared for college-level work, and that they do not shy away from challenges. Despite the grading practices or reputation of the high school, parents, students and teachers should be ensuring that the quality of the coursework, not the grades, is preparing students for college, and life.

COPYRIGHT 2007 JOANNE LEVY-PREWITT