Stop Protecting Your GPA

Everyone has heard the story of the kid who got into an Ivy League college by taking easy classes and getting straight A's. It’s a story that is usually told with an air of jealousy or resentment. The student avoided challenging courses and demanding teachers in favor of an easier route that ensured very high grades. This practice is known as GPA protection.

The truth is that this story is likely false, or at least more complicated than it seems.

Students who get into highly selective colleges are often doing coursework outside of school, and that work is not apparent to their peers. College Spy students who get accepted to Ivy League and similarly selective colleges are intellectually curious students who pursue their interests in ways that do not land on the transcript. (They do land on the application; we make sure of it!)

Here's what you need to know about grades and academic rigor.

Grades matter. Rigor matters more.

A student who earns a B in a harder course may be making a stronger academic choice than a student who earns an A in an easier one simply to protect their GPA. Colleges want to see that students are challenging themselves and taking advantage of the academic opportunities available to them.

Of course, a course that represents an appropriate academic challenge for one student may not be the right choice for another. For some students, academic rigor means taking AP, IB, dual enrollment or honors courses. However, rigor is not limited to courses with those labels. It can also mean continuing with a third year of a foreign language when only two are required, taking science senior year or choosing an elective that genuinely interests the student instead of taking a study hall, leaving school early or coming in late.

Colleges also have different expectations for applicants. Harvard and Stanford, for example, expect students to take highly rigorous courses, especially when their high schools make those courses available. Colleges with very high acceptance rates do not expect students to pursue the same level of academic rigor.

Colleges often say that they evaluate students in the context of the opportunities available at their high schools. And they do. A student cannot take AP Physics if their school doesn't offer it, and colleges won’t penalize an applicant for not taking that course. However, in our experience, students who are especially intellectually curious often find ways to continue challenging themselves beyond what is available in their regular high school schedule. They may take a course at a local college, enroll in an online class or pursue an academic interest independently. These opportunities can allow students who have exhausted the options at their high school to continue learning and give students the chance to explore subjects that genuinely interest them.

Of course, not every student needs to do this. But for students applying to highly selective colleges, looking beyond the high school curriculum is one more way to demonstrate both academic rigor and intellectual curiosity.

Our Advice on Course Selection

Students should consider the level of academic challenge they will encounter at the colleges on their list, particularly their reach colleges, and take courses that will prepare them to meet that challenge. They should also factor in their other commitments and the amount of stress they are already under. Academic rigor is important, but it isn't worth sacrificing a student's well-being.

At the same time, students shouldn't make academic decisions based solely on protecting their GPA. Before dropping a course, avoiding a challenging teacher or choosing the easier option, they should consider whether a slightly lower grade might be worth more than a perfect transcript that doesn't show they were willing to stretch themselves academically.

How The College Spy Can Help

For more admissions insights, college planning tips, and invitations to upcoming webinars, be sure to subscribe to The College Spy's newsletter.

We would love to help your student understand the current admissions landscape, build a college list and write their college essays. Check out our packages for individuals and group workshops on our website: www.thecollegespy.com

Double-click to edit...