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DEL.ICIO.USThe Bonus Points Conundrum
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Over the weekend, my colleague Laura Diamond wrote about a topic I get calls on all the time: how some districts add more bonus points on advanced class grades than others. For example, if a student takes an Advanced Placement course in Fulton County, she gets 7 points added to her average (An 87 miraculously becomes a 94). But the Gwinnett County student taking the same course gets 10 points added. Her 87 becomes a 97! Parents and students want to know: HOW IS THAT FAIR?
Well, Georgia gives school districts as much autonomy to set policies as possible, and many a battle has been waged over how far so-called local control should go. The state Department of Education has hinted that it might make a run at setting a standardized grading scale. Meanwhile, some colleges say they strip away those bonus points when they get the students’ transcripts anyway and urge parents and kids not to get so worked up over it.
Why the bonus points? Because school officials fear students would opt for the easier courses where getting an A is a given. Also, some say students should be rewarded for the additional time and effort that goes into an Advanced Placement course. (Some districts also weight honors courses leading up to AP courses, International Baccalaureate courses and Joint Enrollment courses taken at local colleges.)
Everyone seems to agree that college admissions should be fair. With competition so intense, admission can depend on a whisker’s difference on the GPA. But getting past local school boards’ desire for “local control” is a toughie in Georgia. What do you think?
Contest Update: I’ve only gotten one entry. It’s a good one, but the race for the darkly humorous “Peterson’s Parent’s Guide to the SAT & ACT” is still wide open. E-mail me your best eduspeak word ASAP. The window for entries closes Friday at 5 p.m. Today, I heard a good one: Vertical Teaming. It’s when teachers of the same subject but for different grades get together and plan so their lessons fit together. Great concept, lousy term IMHO.
Comments
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By Jennifer
January 25, 2005 10:35 AM | Link to this
You are right about the reason points are added to AP and other advanced level classes. It is to encourage more students to take honors and advanced level classes. However, many students do not realize colleges often unweight the weighted grades on the transcripts received.
The other reason I think it is done is for class rank. Although in our system, only AP classes are weighted and it is only 5 points. 7 to 10 points added is quite excessive. Many students in our system opt to take comprehensive level classes and get As rather than Honors level classes with the chance of getting a B since there is no incentive to taking the honors classes. Except, of course, the cache of saying they are in honors. At the school I teach at, several students are upset the students that took easier classes are ranked in the 10% pushing out students that have worked hard, taking difficult courses. Since honor graduates are recognized at graduation and sit in the front row, many of them feel slighted.
I do not think there is a good solution to this issue. When I was in school, class grades were weighted, this is not an uncommon issue. I do think parents need to realize that a B in an honors or advanced class is much better than an A in a comprehensive class. I have taught both levels and my expectations for my honors students are MUCH higher than the comprehensive level since the comprehensive level contains all levels of learning including special education students. We are forced to lower our standards in comprehensive level classes because of this. The more talented students in the comprehensive classes take advantage of this since all students within a class are expected to do the same level of work.
By chuck
January 26, 2005 08:32 AM | Link to this
I definitely think that students who take more difficult classes should get bonus points, but I also think that it should be standardized throughout the country. Maybe SACS or some other organization like the college and university presidents could get together and set up a national standard for adding points.
By Shira
January 26, 2005 10:57 AM | Link to this
I went to a highly ranked high school where most of my classmates went to ivy league schools. Very competitive, and most kids took some form of AP and/or honors courses. NO points were EVER added to GPAs - but the colleges understood that when they looked at transcripts. I understand that it’s more competitive than ever these days, but really, is Harvard, or even Emory NOT looking at the courses one took? If anyone thinks that something like Home Ec is the same as AP Math, they are crazy…