Post by SwattieGalo on Jan 11, 2016 13:01:12 GMT -6
Academics
Many students enter high school not knowing how high school works or how to take maximum advantage of academic opportunities offered in high school. Because high school years are crucial to a person's future success, it is important that everybody has access to the following information.First things first, there are many benefits to doing your absolute best in high school. The first obvious reason is college. The better you perform in high school, the higher the chances are of getting into a better college/university, which usually leads to better financial aid, which leads to a higher chance of graduating from college, which usually leads to greater financial and personal benefits later in life.
I highly recommend you take care of your GPA, because it is the greatest indicator of your future success.
GPA
GPA (Grade Point Average) is the most relevant indicator of academic success in high school and used for class ranking calculations.
There are two types of GPA's:
Unweighted GPA: In unweighted GPA calculations, all of your classes are weighted equally in a 4.0 letter grade scale. This GPA is usually not calculated by the school.
Weighted GPA: In weighted GPA calculations, each class is weighted differently on a point scale that reflects the difficulty of the class. This GPA is calculated and used for rankings.
PS = Point Scale
| Numerical Average | Letter Grade | Regular PS | Quality PS | Modified PS |
| 90-100 | A | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 80-89 | B | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 75-79 | C | 2 | 3 | 1.5 |
| 70-74 | D | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 0-70 | F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Your GPA is your Grade Point Average. To calculate your weighted GPA you translate all of your SEMESTER numerical averages to letter grades and then translate all of those letter grades to points on their respective point scales. In unweighted GPA calculation, ALL of your classes are weighted on the regular scale.
Regular classes are all of those that are not quality classes or modified classes. Quality classes are comprised Pre-AP, AP, IB, Honors, and dual credit classes. I don't know what the heck are modified classes but for as long as I've attended Eastwood, I haven't heard of one before...
To find out what your official GPA is, you can check it through Naviance.com or by asking your counselor for it. You can also request your transcript through the Eastwood website. Ask your counselor for access to Naviance.com .
To raise your GPA as high as you can, you not only need to achieve the highest possible letter grade in all of your courses but you must also take the greatest possible amount of Quality Point classes. Taking all regular classes and having an "A" letter grade average in them is just as good as having a "B" average in Quality classes. I highly recommend taking all the Pre-AP classes you can, as they are usually just as "easy" as the regular classes. What you gotta be careful with are AP and IB classes. Eastwood doesn't offer IB classes, so I am not even going to talk about that. But Eastwood does offer AP classes... many of them
AP
AP (Advanced Placement) courses are a high school version of college classes (they are supposed to be the most academically intense classes offered in High School). AP courses culminate in the taking of an AP exam. AP exams are administered every year during May and scored during the summer. Getting a passing score on an AP exam will most likely let you claim college credits for a college class depending on the AP policies of the college you will be attending. Claiming credits could allow you to graduate early from college and/or skip introductory college classes of subjects you've already taken in High School, which could save you lots of money.
AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 through 5. A 3 is considered a passing score. These scores mean:
- No recommendation
- Possibly Qualified
- Qualified
- Possibly Qualified
- Extremely Well Qualified
Colleges and Universities not only use AP classes to give credits for college classes but also to measure the academic strength of an applicant. Succeeding in an AP class shows that you are qualified and that you have what it takes to do well in college. Having a good grade on an AP class and a passing score on an AP exam shows that you are competitive. The greater the number of AP classes you take and succeed in, the more competitive your college application looks. College Admissions Officers recognize the rigorousness of AP classes and trust the accuracy of AP scores. Scores of 4 and 5 can be quiet impressive... and having many of them can make you stand out from other applicants.
SAT/ACT
The SAT and the ACT are two different college admissions tests. The scores you get on either of the tests factor into the college application process. The higher your score, the more qualified and competitive you are considered, which betters your chances of getting into the college of your choice.
Your SAT/ACT scores give meaning to your GPA. Your GPA measures your academic strength in the context of your high school, but your ACT/SAT scores measure your academic strength in a national context. Standardized tests provide college admissions officers a way of comparing your academic strength with that of applicants from other high schools.
Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are necessary in a country where the academic experience of each student varies from high school to high school. For example, having a 4.2 GPA at Debakey High School is a completely different thing to having a 4.2 GPA at Austin High School. Because the ACT and SAT test skills and subjects that are supposed to be taught in High School a high GPA with a low SAT/ACT score could signal “grade inflation” and a high ACT/SAT score with a low GPA could signal “grade deflation.” But there are usually exceptions to this norm.
Most colleges require for you to send either your ACT and/or SAT scores to them. All Eastwood students are required to take the SAT during their junior year (But it can be taken in any grade). Some students decide to take the ACT too, just to see if they perform better on that test. Not one test is harder or better than the other. Given that you have the choice of taking both tests, here are the major differences between the two:
For more information about the SAT or ACT, visit their respective “Preparation” threads.
SAT II
The CollegeBoard's definition of SAT subject tests says pretty much everything you need to know about them:
Some colleges recommend you take these tests, other colleges go as far as to require you to take some of them.
The SAT and the ACT are two different college admissions tests. The scores you get on either of the tests factor into the college application process. The higher your score, the more qualified and competitive you are considered, which betters your chances of getting into the college of your choice.
Your SAT/ACT scores give meaning to your GPA. Your GPA measures your academic strength in the context of your high school, but your ACT/SAT scores measure your academic strength in a national context. Standardized tests provide college admissions officers a way of comparing your academic strength with that of applicants from other high schools.
Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are necessary in a country where the academic experience of each student varies from high school to high school. For example, having a 4.2 GPA at Debakey High School is a completely different thing to having a 4.2 GPA at Austin High School. Because the ACT and SAT test skills and subjects that are supposed to be taught in High School a high GPA with a low SAT/ACT score could signal “grade inflation” and a high ACT/SAT score with a low GPA could signal “grade deflation.” But there are usually exceptions to this norm.
Most colleges require for you to send either your ACT and/or SAT scores to them. All Eastwood students are required to take the SAT during their junior year (But it can be taken in any grade). Some students decide to take the ACT too, just to see if they perform better on that test. Not one test is harder or better than the other. Given that you have the choice of taking both tests, here are the major differences between the two:
| SAT | Both | ACT |
| Math and Reading sections | Last about 4 hours | Math, Reading, Science and English sections. |
| 50 min optional writing section (essay) | Same price, fee waivers available. | 30 min optional writing section (essay) |
| Focused more on critical thinking | Test same math concepts | Focused on academic achievement |
| Scored on a scale ranging from 400-1600 | No penalties for wrong answers | Scored on a scale ranging from 1-36 |
| Complex multiple choice questions | Offered 6-7 times a year | Straightforward multiple choice questions |
| Writing sect. focused on comprehension. | Accepted by all colleges | Writing sect. focused on analysis of issues. |
For more information about the SAT or ACT, visit their respective “Preparation” threads.
SAT II
The CollegeBoard's definition of SAT subject tests says pretty much everything you need to know about them:
"Subject Tests are hour-long, content-based tests that allow you to showcase achievement in specific subject areas where you excel. These are the only national admission tests where you choose the tests that best showcase your achievements and interests.
SAT Subject Tests allow you to differentiate yourself in the college admission process or send a strong message regarding your readiness to study specific majors or programs in college. In conjunction with your other admission credentials (your high school record, SAT scores, teacher recommendations, etc.), they provide a more complete picture of your academic background and interests.
Some colleges also use Subject Tests to place students into the appropriate courses. Based on your performance on the test(s), you could potentially fulfill basic requirements or receive credit for introductory-level courses.
There are 20 SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English, history, languages, mathematics and science."
SAT Subject Tests allow you to differentiate yourself in the college admission process or send a strong message regarding your readiness to study specific majors or programs in college. In conjunction with your other admission credentials (your high school record, SAT scores, teacher recommendations, etc.), they provide a more complete picture of your academic background and interests.
Some colleges also use Subject Tests to place students into the appropriate courses. Based on your performance on the test(s), you could potentially fulfill basic requirements or receive credit for introductory-level courses.
There are 20 SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English, history, languages, mathematics and science."
