AHS Moves to 5.0 Scale for IB Classes

Seniors have been confused about what to put as their GPA scale on their current college applications. On July 1st 2013, the AHS administration put International Baccalaureate classes on a 5.0 weighted system when they were previously on a 4.2 weighted system.

Most schools with the IB program in Colorado partake in the weighted grades and it was mainly inserted because administration did not want AHS students to have a disadvantage when applying to college. However, there is the question of what to record as the scale when adding a GPA onto a resume.

“A 4.46 is the highest GPA in the 2014 graduating class,” IB Coordinator Ian Wagner said.

This senior, who must remain anonymous to keep the valedictorian a surprise in the spring, has been enrolled in IB classes since he/she was an underclassman, which is unusual for the average AHS student. The typical student takes seven in order to be eligible for an IB Diploma and the high achieving senior has taken over eight.

But what if a student is not an IB diploma candidate and only wants to be involved in several IB courses? Senior Leigh Sandbach, who takes five IB courses, is unsure what her GPA will look like to colleges.

“Will a 4.017 look bad on a 4.4 scale? And am I really on that scale?” Sandbach asked.

College Counselor Kathleen Klug says not to call it a “scale”. It is a 5.0 system or a bonus system. This means that the entire student body within AHS is based within a 4.0 scale and the extra 1.0 added to the IB classes is just a rewarded bonus.

“We want to reward students who take rigorous courses,” Principal Kim Martin explained.

Martin also spoke with the college admissions representative for CU Boulder while in the process of determining the grade point system. She came to an understanding that the representative would immediately change the AHS students’ GPAs so that their IB classes would be weighted a 5.0 as to not confuse the people who read the applications. They would otherwise automatically assume that AHS’ IB classes were weighted a 5.0 anyway.

“Colleges are fast they don’t have time to recalculate grades,” Martin said.

Besides the concern from students, Wagner is a bit worried about students losing interest in the depth of the courses.

“I hope students don’t value grades over the amazing chance to learn. If you work hard and you get decent grades, there will be something out there for you,” Wagner said.

The IB program was introduced to AHS in the hopes that students would get the preparation they need to succeed in whatever activities they partake in after high school. Wagner hopes students enroll in these classes in order to get the skills and preparation they need for college with the boosted GPA as a side note.

Klug however believes this will not be a problem.

“IB is too hard to take for the wrong reasons,” Klug said.

Even though there has been a change in the grade point average method, the courses are intended to push students the same as they always have.

Wagner said, “IB is something that gives students the skills and preparation they need to succeed after high school.”