OT: Interesting USF incoming freshman facts

[Apis Bull]

 

 

Good for USF.

NWIH woulld I get in nowadays...

Yeah you would. Because a 4.0 is the new 2.0 gpa.

Sadly, this is accurate...although usually only at privileged schools who can afford to offer more AP courses. Some might be shocked to know that AP courses are now often on a six-point scale, so getting a C is equivalent to a 4.0. Honors are often on a 5 point scale. So this incoming class could potentially have a lot of Bs and Cs in their GPAs.

Sad to see the privilege gap continue to widen in education.

 

 

It doesn't matter what scale the HS uses, USF and the other state universities use their own scale.  The GPA that USF reports is lower, sometimes by a lot, than what the HS awards.

[Apis Bull]

 

Competition for space in the freshman class is rigorous. High school GPAs for the middle 50 percent of freshman admitted in Fall 2013 were between 3.75-4.20.

 

For determining admissibility to USF, we will recalculate your high school GPA based on grades earned in high school only in core academic subject areas, as well as specified AP and IB fine and performing arts courses. USF will add the quality points outlined below for approved AP, IB, AICE, Honors and Dual Enrollment courses provided you earn a "C" or better.

 

Course Type Additional Quality Point

 

Advanced Placement 1.0

International Baccalaureate 1.0

Dual Enrollment 1.0

AICE 1.0

Honors 0.5

 

Taking weighted courses can have a positive impact on your recalculated GPA as long as you are reasonably successful in these advanced-level courses.

 

http://usfweb2.usf.edu/admissions/gpa-requirements.html

[Apis Bull]

Also, if your child takes a lot of AP classes and does well, but doesn't participate in any extracurricular activities he or she will have a tougher time getting in.

[wagers]

Great story Trujillo. That example should be shared with a bunch other people.

[Apis Bull]

 

and if anyone has a child "ENROLLED" in an AP class remember this. The school is only interested in that number.

 

That's not entirely true:

 

 

Strength of Curriculum

Your high school coursework serves to prepare you for the rigors of college courses, particularly at a research institution like USF. We strongly encourage you to challenge yourself by taking coursework at the highest levels in which you can be successful, including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), AICE and dual enrollment courses. In addition, we expect that you will complete additional academic coursework beyond minimum state requirements, particularly in the areas of math, science and foreign language. We want you to be successful academically once you enroll in college, not just competitive for admission to USF.

 

http://usfweb2.usf.edu/admissions/other-admission-factors.html

[Apis Bull]

Trujillo,

 

 

That's the same rout I went.  Got my AA from HCC first.  Although, I didn't go through what you did.  Mine was more a cost saving measure and since I went to college after the Navy, I wanted to ease myself back into school.

[raptorcj]

i dropped (well, flunked) out of junior year of HS, and that was after spending most of freshman year in ISS, sophomore year truant two or more days a week, and junior year taking sophomore classes on the "fast track" to the slow 5 year + summer school graduation plan. **** that. never took ACT, never took SAT, never graduated. GED = Good Enough Diploma.

 

i only got into USF (back in '05) because of the 2 + 2 plan that guarantees admission to a FL public University with the completion of an AA/AS at a Florida 2-year college.

 

my grades from CC unquestionably justified my admission-- i got my AA with a 3.8 and graduated USF with an institutional 4.0 (some old F's from my first semester at CC pissed my graduating GPA to around 3.7 but anyway)....

 

the point is if my admission to USF or ANY academic institution were dependent on ANYTHING related to my High School experience, from grades to discipline, i would have been screwed.

 

i love seeing the selectivity of USF increase along with the average scores and GPA of incoming freshmen BUT... i want to see some studies on how successful USF graduates are once they enter the workforce; rate of employment, average annual salary, the industries in which they work, etc. i don't think we would be disappointed. my BA from USF got me a job right after graduation, and has led to opportunities living and working internationally.

 

when it comes to a University, i think the more important thing is what comes OUT with a cap, gown and tassel rather than what comes in. USF (along with the 2 years at SCF) turned a drop out flunky with disciplinary issues at 3 high schools all over his record into a teacher with international experience.

 

Know you're not looking for a pat on the back, but well done!

 

It's probably better we don't all know what each other does (avoids bias), but I'd also love to know what people have done after graduation.

[charsibb]

i dropped (well, flunked) out of junior year of HS, and that was after spending most of freshman year in ISS, sophomore year truant two or more days a week, and junior year taking sophomore classes on the "fast track" to the slow 5 year + summer school graduation plan. **** that. never took ACT, never took SAT, never graduated. GED = Good Enough Diploma.

 

i only got into USF (back in '05) because of the 2 + 2 plan that guarantees admission to a FL public University with the completion of an AA/AS at a Florida 2-year college.

 

my grades from CC unquestionably justified my admission-- i got my AA with a 3.8 and graduated USF with an institutional 4.0 (some old F's from my first semester at CC pissed my graduating GPA to around 3.7 but anyway)....

 

the point is if my admission to USF or ANY academic institution were dependent on ANYTHING related to my High School experience, from grades to discipline, i would have been screwed.

 

i love seeing the selectivity of USF increase along with the average scores and GPA of incoming freshmen BUT... i want to see some studies on how successful USF graduates are once they enter the workforce; rate of employment, average annual salary, the industries in which they work, etc. i don't think we would be disappointed. my BA from USF got me a job right after graduation, and has led to opportunities living and working internationally.

 

when it comes to a University, i think the more important thing is what comes OUT with a cap, gown and tassel rather than what comes in. USF (along with the 2 years at SCF) turned a drop out flunky with disciplinary issues at 3 high schools all over his record into a teacher with international experience.

 

 

 

 

Not so very different from my own story. Graduating from USF was a life-changing expereince. From a dead-end road to an 18-lane superhiway.

 

Go Bulls!!

[hbryan]

Trujillo,

 

 

That's the same rout I went.  Got my AA from HCC first.  Although, I didn't go through what you did.  Mine was more a cost saving measure and since I went to college after the Navy, I wanted to ease myself back into school.

 

 

Very similar, did just ok in high school with about a 2.5 GPA because I NEVER had to study.  Went to college on athletic scholarship but screwed off instead of going to class.  Joined the Navy and after six years, went to HCC and finished there with a 4.0 GPA because USF wouldn't let me matriculate my hours without the AA and then graduated USF with 3.87 GPA as an ME.   The Navy wanted me stay in the enlisted commissioning program where they pay for your schooling and you owe them six years afterwards, but my wife said hell no.  I've had my own business(es) now since 1999.  Like charsibb said........"from dead-end.. to the super highway"!!

 

P.S. I'm pretty relentless on my son who has a near 3.7 GPA unweighted and nearly 5.5 GPA weighted.  My way was the hard way, I'd like to see him take a different path than I did.

Edited April 18, 2014 by hbryan

[charsibb]

 

Trujillo,

 

 

That's the same rout I went.  Got my AA from HCC first.  Although, I didn't go through what you did.  Mine was more a cost saving measure and since I went to college after the Navy, I wanted to ease myself back into school.

 

 

Very similar, did just ok in high school with about a 2.5 GPA because I NEVER had to study.  Went to college on athletic scholarship but screwed off instead of going to class.  Joined the Navy and after six years, went to HCC and finished there with a 4.0 GPA because USF wouldn't let me matriculate my hours without the AA and then graduated USF with 3.87 GPA as an ME.   The Navy wanted me stay in the enlisted commissioning program where they pay for your schooling and you owe them six years afterwards, but my wife said hell no.  I've had my own business(es) now since 1999.  Like charsibb said........"from dead-end.. to the super highway"!!

 

P.S. I'm pretty relentless on my son who has a near 3.7 GPA unweighted and nearly 5.5 GPA weighted.  My way was the hard way, I'd like to see him take a different path than I did.

 

 

 

Very much of two minds on this.

 

Had I not gotten "off-road" I'd have likely gone to UF or MIT and been a rocket scientist for NASA.

 

But I wouldn't have had any of the fascinating experiences I've had in between. 

 

Even if offered the chance, I I don't think I'd do it all over differently.

 

Kids breaking bones, eating dirt, and getting in trouble, are all part of the "inoculation" process of growing up. If you don't get inoculated as a kid, you often get it much worse as an adult.

 

I think I'd want my kids to be hellraisers...