In recent years, I’ve had many versions of the same conversation with parents, and it goes something like this: “Danny is on the varsity basketball team, he’s also active in robotics and has a GPA of 4.2. He hasn’t taken the SAT or ACT yet, but our school list includes Duke, Penn, Michigan, and schools like that. What do you think?”
I feel like the proverbial storm cloud at the pool party when I rain on their parade. I know that I have to manage their expectations by placing Danny’s GPA in context, and I understand parents’ confusion, because it wasn’t long ago that a 4.0 was a really big deal. Today, the truth is that straight As don’t mean what they used to mean. Gone are the days when a 4.0 (or better) really distinguished you from the pack.
Grade inflation is a national epidemic; the number of students with all or mostly all As in high schools across the country has skyrocketed. In a recent article, Jed Applerouth of Applerouth.com addressed this topic, the reasons for it, and its implications. I can’t do Jed’s research justice, so I highly encourage you to read his article, which can be found here: https://www.applerouth.com/blog/the-ongoing-high-cost-of-grade-inflation. While the reasons for this phenomenon can be discussed elsewhere, the consequences include a loss of distinction in the application pool and lack of predictive power regarding success in college.
It’s no great secret that colleges are bringing back standardized testing requirements, and grade inflation is no small reason why. In essence, having all As doesn’t tell colleges much about students’ actual academic abilities (which, according to studies, have been falling while grades have been rising!). Colleges need another metric, and standardized tests are one such metric. Furthermore, the tests seem to better predict actual success in college than do high school GPAs.
Personally, I don’t believe we are doing students any favors by handing out As like party favors. It confuses them about their true knowledge of a subject and ill-prepares them for the academic rigor of college. Most importantly for the purposes of this blog, it doesn’t lower college application pressure! Now, students have to find even more ways to distinguish themselves. While having As might not be the golden ticket, not having them looks worse than ever (since they’re easier to come by), so getting excellent grades in AP classes is de rigueur. Tests are back, so students had better do well on them too. And, finally, students really need to get creative and industrious about their work, volunteer, and extracurricular activities. Phew - that’s a lot!
I work hard with students to come up with outside activities that can help distinguish them from their peers. Yet, I also encourage them to remain true to themselves - don’t just take on an activity because you think it will look good - do it because you are actually interested in it! In addition, I remind students of the importance of discernment: learning what you don’t want to do is critical, so use time out of school wisely to explore potential interests. Activities don’t need to be school-sponsored, either. With a little ingenuity and grit, students can carve out activities that complement their skill and interest sets. Not everyone should start a nonprofit, just as not everyone should play a team sport. There is no tried and true recipe - that’s the bad and the good news here.
Finally, parents and students need to manage their expectations appropriately. There really is a school for every student, so keep an open mind and look beyond the “usual suspects.” It’s more competitive than ever out there, despite the deluge of As raining down on students, so make sure to think of your application preparation holistically. A 4.2 GPA may allow you to join the conversation, but the entirety of your application will get you invited to the party.
