Haddon Township High School Grading Scale Weighting GPA

Haddon Township High School Grading Scale Weighting / GPA / Rank NHS

Discussions with directors and deans of admissions This year, schools included: • • Rutgers University, New Brunswick TCNJ West Chester University of Delaware Franklin & Marshall College Bucknell University Swarthmore College • • • Muhlenberg College Gettysburg College University of Pennsylvania (2 x) NYU – other source Princeton University – other source Syracuse University – other source

Questions asked 1. Does school profile matter to the admissions office at ______________ College/University?

Questions asked 2. How do you view/reconcile the variation among schools’ grading scales? Are you seeing any trends in these?

Questions asked 3. How do you compare the rank of a student from one school to the rank of a student from any/every other?

Questions asked 4. Do you care how any given school weights its honors/AP classes? Does the GPA scale matter in any way to you or your institution?

Questions asked 5. How important is NHS in the admissions/scholarship process? What happens when a school does not belong to NHS?

Questions asked 6. What should our parents/students be most concerned about when applying to your school?

School Profile Unanimous: “Yes, it definitely matters…it offers great insight…very helpful…for all the reasons you would expect – context! Of course, no way for us to know anything about your school if we aren’t familiar with your profile. ”

Grading Scale • Consensus: Great variation in grading scales across the country. (NOTE: especially in NJ) • No significant trends noted. • The 10 -point scale is not the norm.

Comparative Grading Scales of Local Schools • • • Haddonfield - 93 -100 (8 -pt. scale) Bishop Eustace - 93 -100 (8 -pt. scale) Paul VI - 93 -100 (8 -pt. scale) Camden Catholic - 93 -100 (8 -pt. scale) Gloucester Catholic - 93 -100 (8 -pt. scale)

Comparative Grading Scales of Local Schools • • • Eastern - 92 -100 (9 -pt. scale) NOTE: 64 and below = F Audubon - 92 -100 (9 -pt. scale) NOTE: 64 and below = F Collingswood - 92 -100 (9 -pt. scale) NOTE: 64 and below = F Lindenwold - 92 -100 (9 -pt. scale) NOTE: 64 and below = F W. Deptford - 92 -100 (9 -pt. scale) NOTE: 64 and below = F

Comparative Grading Scales of Local Schools • Gateway - 93 -100 (A), 83 -92 (B), 73 -82 (C), 65 -72 (D), 64 and below = F (Scale: 8, 10, 8) • Haddon Hts. - 93 -100 (A), 83 -92 (B), 73 -82 (C), 65 -72 (D), 64 and below = F (Scale: 8, 10, 8)

Comparative Grading Scales of Local Schools • Cherry Hill East/West 90 -100 (10 -pt. scale) NOTE: 59 and below = F • Paulsboro - 90 -100 (A), 80 -89 (B), 70 -79 (C), 65 -69 (D), 64 and below = F (Scale: 11, 10, 6)

Comparative Grading Scales of Local Schools • *Pitman - 93 -100 (A), 85 -92 (B), 75 -84 (C), 70 -74 (D), 69 and below = F (Scale: 8, 8, 10, 5) *Only school with same DFG as HTHS

Weight / GPA / Rank

Key Terms Grade Points (GP): A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0 Quality Points (QP): (Grade Points)(Number of Credits) Ex. 1 - Student earns a 'B' in a 5 credit course: (3)(5) = 15 Quality Points Ex. 2 - Student earns an 'A' in a 5 credit course: (4)(5) = 20 Quality Points So, as Grade Points increase by 1, Quality Points increase by the number of credits.

Ex: Regular 5 cr. Courses - 10 A's, 13 B's Weighted 5 cr. Courses - 2 A's, 3 B's, 1 C QP's: (12)(5)(4) + (16)(5)(3) + (1)(5)(2) = 490 Tot. Credits: 145 Total Non-A Weighted Credits: 20 Total Weighted A Credits: 10 490 + 20 145 + 10 150 = 3. 5839

Weighted GPA Formula (broken down): Unweighted QP's raised for Non. GPA A weighted courses This can never exceed 4. 0 GPA raised for A's in weighted courses A fixed denominator is used to encourage students to take courses of interest.

Our system Other systems • In other systems, students put themselves at an advantage by increasing their weighted credits and decreasing their total credits. • In our system, students are encouraged to take courses of interest since the left side of the expression cannot exceed 4. 0 and all weighted A’s have a constant factor applied.

Student 1: End of senior year All 5 cr. courses Our system: Student 1 Student 2 Other systems: Student 2: End of senior year All 5 cr. courses Non-Weighted Grades- 14 A’s Weighted Grades- 12 A’s, 3 B’s Non-Weighted Grades- 16 A’s Weighted Grades- 12 A’s (26)(5)(4) + (3)(5)(3) + 15 145 (28)(5)(4) 140 Student 1 Student 2 + 60 150 = 4. 40 (26)(5)(4) + (3)(5)(3) + 75 145 (28)(5)(4) + 60 140 = 4. 4138 = 4. 4286

Weight / GPA / Rank Consensus • Colleges/Universities do not care how we weight our classes. • Do/can not compare rank of students in school A to rank of students in school B. “Decisions never come down to simple numbers. ” (NJ: 4. 0 - 13. 0) e. g. Florida, Lake Wobegone

NHS • Not important! “We don’t even look at it at all anymore. ” “It’s just a point of distinction for the students and parents to be proud of…. no money on or off the table because of it. ” “Nothing to do with our decision-making process. ” “We don’t even think about it – I’ve never worked in a school that did. ” • 3 schools professed to give automatic scholarship money for NHS: Union College (Nebraska), Albright College, and Washington College (Md. ). Washington is the only one that still honors this $15, 000/year. NOTE: Will honor HTHS as a replacement! Great news…more inclusive (2 x-3 x).

NHS Some schools our students have been accepted to since dropping NHS at HTHS: o o o o Bryn Mawr College NYU Georgetown University of the Arts Johns Hopkins University Muhlenberg College George Washington University Franklin & Marshall o o o o Bucknell University of Notre Dame Vassar College University of Pennsylvania American University Gettysburg College Haverford College

What should our parents/students be most concerned about when applying to your school? • “Course selection… much less focused on numbers. ” • “Working hard in school… being cooperative and good citizens. Be true to values (i. e. authentic). ” • “Take the most challenging curriculum in which you can be successful. ” • “Consistent effort in rigorous programs. Growth mindset… adaptable/coachable. ” • “Appropriate, rigor and balance. Do two or three things well - we value the work. ”