"A" in Robotics = Lower GPA?

[Jay O'Donnell]

Originally Posted by smurfgirl

I would not worry about this. Most universities are looking at the full picture of who the applicants are as people, what makes them tick, what they might contribute to the campus, and whether they would be able to thrive at the school. It is not just a question of who has the highest combination of GPA and SAT/ACT score, and schools do recognize how different weighting systems can effect weighted GPAs.

I would focus your energy on taking classes that interest and challenge you at a level that is manageable to you. Make the most of the opportunities and resources you have available to you.

If you are interested in going into the STEM fields, having hands-on experience like robotics will reflect well on you when you apply to college, scholarships, internships, and careers. Don't worry about it's effect on your weighted GPA.

I want to believe this, but I find it difficult to do so. There isn't much that I remember from college applications that would allow colleges to collect that information to get to know a student beyond their grades. The essay is just about it, which is painfully short and usually highly edited by English teachers. The only other thing is you can list clubs and sports, but I know plenty of kids who put down clubs on their applications that they only were a part of for one meeting.