My freshman year is over celebration (grades)

[Bobmuhthol]

5 credit courses:

English 9 Honors:
Final Exam A-
Final Grade B+

History of the World I Honors:
Final Exam C
Final Grade B-

Advanced Geometry Honors:
Final Exam B+
Final Grade B-

French II Honors:
Final Exam B
Final Grade B+

Earth Science Honors:
Final Exam C+
Final Grade B-

Programming in BASIC:
Final Exam B+
Final Grade A-


2.5 credit courses:

Fitness:
Final Exam A-
Final Grade A-

YTD Attempted Credits:
32.5

YTD Quality Points:
112.25

YTD GPA:
3.454

YTD Rank:
65 out of 344

[SpunGirl]

Good job Bob!

-K

[Jolena]

I don't think I've ever known/seen anyone so meticulous about their grades and the record-keeping of those statistic in 9th grade.

anyhow, nice job.

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
History of the World I Honors:
Final Exam C
Final Grade B-


How can you get a B-? Didn't you watch the movie?

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004CJ82.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[Back]

Nice work.

Code Red for Bob -->:2beers:<-- Beer for Backlash

[DeV]

Nice grades.

[Skirmisher]

Excellent grades Bob.

[Bobmuhthol]

Schedule for sophomore year:

5 credit courses:

Honors Biology
English 10 Honors
Pre-Calculus Honors
US History 1 Honors
French III Honors

2.5 credit courses:

Digital Imaging

1.25 credit courses:

Physical Education
Health Dynamics

[Brattt8525]

Nice to see a teen proud of his grades, keep it up Bob.

[SpunGirl]

Do you have to take Fizz Ed every year in your district, Bob?

-K

[Bobmuhthol]

Semester of Fitness, quarter of Physical Education, quarter of Health Dynamics. It takes 2 years, then it becomes an elective.

[Vesi]

Nice going!


Vesi

[HarmNone]

Great work, Bob! Congratulations, hon! You have every reason to be bursting with pride. :clap:

[Leetahkin]

Woohoo, congrats Bob!

[Bobmuhthol]

omgthxeveryone

[Edaarin]

Less than a 3.5 and you're in the top 20% of your class? Is your school really hard or really dumb (serious question)?

[theotherjohn]

Originally posted by Wezas

How can you get a B-? Didn't you watch the movie?



Final Exam C

I think he did watch the movie

More important to me than your grades is that you care and actually know what you did in school.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Less than a 3.5 and you're in the top 20% of your class? Is your school really hard or really dumb (serious question)?>>

3.45 is close enough to 3.5 for it to not be such a huge surprise that I'm in the top 20%.

I guess you could call it really dumb, but we must have different standards. I don't expect 1 out of 5 freshmen to have a 3.5+ GPA.

[Skirmisher]

Oh Edaarin, not everyone goes to uber high school like you did is all.

His grades look pretty good to me, no need to needle him from what he posted here as there are plenty of threads where he may be deserving it and thus you have numerous oppotunities in those.

[Edaarin]

Is that average for high schools?

My high school is an anomaly (average was a bit over a 3.7 my last year), but even my base high school had an average GPA of 3.3

Maybe there's just rampant grade inflation in Northern Virginia...

[Skirmisher]

If your school had a 3.7something average thats just nuts....a good education i'm sure...but still crazy.

[Edaarin]

The education they gave us is overrated. It's just that all the students were really smart.

They actually have a program similar to Kaplan for middle school students to study to take the entrance test to get in to my high school.

[Bobmuhthol]

In support of the 'my school is dumb' speculation:

(20:17:01) ViscountStCroix: GPA: 3.1000
(20:17:07) ViscountStCroix: Rank: 101/344

Your grades kinda suck Bob, you are smart enuough to do better.

[Bobmuhthol]

That requires putting effort into school.

Though I can pretty much guarantee an improvement in career GPA and rank next year.

[Edaarin]

Class rank isn't everything. Find an activity you love and get involved as hell in it. Years 2 and 3 are the best times to boost your resume for college.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Find an activity you love and get involved as hell in it.>>

Yeah that's not happening. I go to school at 6:40, I get home from school at 2:20. The end.

[Soulpieced]

No activities = no good college. Sorry. All you need is 1 activity for 3 or 4 years and you're fine, no activities means more rejection letters, no matter what your grades are.

[Bobmuhthol]

I don't even know wtf I could do that would count.

[Latrinsorm]

Bowling.
Haxx0ring.
Bo staff.

[Bobmuhthol]

So I can go bowling and a college will accept me?

[Back]

Soul is right. Get some activity on your resumé. Even if it means the Chess Club, its going to work for your benefit.

[Bobmuhthol]

I still don't know how to even go about doing anything like that.

[Brattt8525]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
I still don't know how to even go about doing anything like that.

Go ask your guidance counsler.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
So I can go bowling and a college will accept me? Well not you. Let's not kid ourselves here.

[Edaarin]

Chess Club
It's Academic
Model UN
Forensics/Debating (you should like this one, make other people look stupid)
Volunteer
Get a part time job

When you get into NHS, run for President or an officer position and do shit with it.

[Artha]

There are more people in your grade than in my entire school. Good job.

[Bobmuhthol]

There are officers for every class.

Fuck running.


<<Volunteer>>

I volunteered for the senior scholarship drive and collected a bunch of money. Please tell me that counts.

[Soulpieced]

No, you need a constant activity that lasts for (months) out of the year. I'm assuming you aren't an athlete, so you should explore the club possibilities.

[DeV]

National Honor Society, which you can join as a Sopohmore, I believe. They don't require much for membership from what I remember. It looks good on your college applications and resume.

[Bobmuhthol]

dfjlgsdjklghklsdfgksdf what a fucking waste of my time.

[DeV]

You'd barely have to waste any.

[Back]

You could start a Ninja Club.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<National Honor Society, which you can join as a Sopohmore, I believe.>>

NHS isn't in my school.

[DeV]

Ahh, ok.

[Artha]

create a club that you can do during lunch or something. Sure, it cuts out your lunch, but you can put it on your applications and you don't stay after school.

[OreoElf]

Nice job Bob... Hope your parents reward you for good grades ;) mine did.



Originally posted by Jolena
I don't think I've ever known/seen anyone so meticulous about their grades and the record-keeping of those statistic in 9th grade.

anyhow, nice job.

You didn't know me then lol!

[Fengus]

Surprised to see BASIC is still taught, that sucks. Please tell its Visual BASIC as least.



Originally posted by Edaarin
Less than a 3.5 and you're in the top 20% of your class? Is your school really hard or really dumb (serious question)?

Did you go to a public school? These are kids that are forced to go to school and their parents don't pay for that. Anyway a C student would be in the top fourth or third. I was.





Originally posted by Jolena
I don't think I've ever known/seen anyone so meticulous about their grades and the record-keeping of those statistic in 9th grade.

Yeah, uhh, he'll be your kid's boss.

[Bobmuhthol]

No, it's BASIC.

[Edaarin]

Went to a public school. Only money my parents had to shell out was $60 for the entrance exam to get in. There were some crazy smart people there. Some news from 2004-2005 school year:

Four Jefferson Students Named To U.S. Physics Team (May 19, 2005) -- My note: there are 5 people selected nationwide for this.

TJ Wins National Science Bowl 4th Year in a Row (May 6, 2005)

Twenty-nine students from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) have been awarded $2,500 National Merit Scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Twenty-one of this year's honorees are from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

11 students qualify for USA Math Olympiad (Apr 21, 2005)

The College Board released their Advanced Placement Report to the Nation, announcing that among similar-sized schools, TJHSST had the highest performing AP Biology, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP French Language, AP Government and Politics: U.S., AP Psychology and AP U.S. History courses in the world.

National Merit Semifinalists (Sep 21, 2004)

Congratulations to all students at TJHSST who were qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. This year 153 students were named, the highest number for a school in the nation.

EDIT: C students in high schools will be flipping burgers. C students in college will be managing the A students 10 years from now.

[Edited on 6-24-2005 by Edaarin]

[Skeeter]

Bob check out stuff like yearbook, photography club, Chem club, French club, debate or other similar shit. The extra hour or 2 you miss from GS will be replaced with better college and PHAT lewt!$!$$!!

[longshot]

Bob, in terms of activities, it doesn't matter what you do.

In fact, a lot of campuses and elite colleges are looking for truly unique people to make up their student bodies. It's a common misconception that you have to be yearbook editor or something...

In fact, the last thing colleges want is a bunch of cookie-cutter applicants.

Whatever it is you do, you need to show a consistant passion for it, and demonstrate leadership. That's it.

If that means starting the yo-yo club, and being president for two years, then do it. I'm sure you will be able to write a hell of a lot better of an essay than the 5,000 yearbook editors that apply to wherever the hell you apply to.

So, from here, you can say that your interest that started in your freshman year in ______ led you to establish/start the __________ .

I wish somone would have told me this when I was 14, so I hope you listen, and I hope this helps you.

[Fengus]

Originally posted by Edaarin
EDIT: C students in high schools will be flipping burgers. C students in college will be managing the A students 10 years from now.


Bit of a generalization, I took all AP or Colege Prep classes. My HS activities included smoking pot and fucking easy girls when possible. I didn't put that on my college applications but I got in all that I applied, from I assume just my SAT scores (Which were great ~1200, but who knows the scale nowadays). Although a C in AP Physics and Calc holds more weight than an A in Intro to Calc. Although as far as GPA is concerned they are similar.

People often forget that Universities are also a buisness.

[Divinity]

Hmm, I'd take leadership class. You do a TON of different activities and you get to spend some of your class time in there too. I was in it during high school and it was a total blast.

Every HS has it. Look into that.

Also, it's a year around school thing and will last you the next 3 years. Looks GREAT on college resumes.

[Killer Kitten]

Gads, high school has gotten complicated. Different courses having different numbers of credits....????

We needed 16 credits. 4 had to be in English and 4 in Phys Ed, although participating in sports could waive a phys ed requirement and let you take that credit in something else.

I took Sophmore English the summer after 9th grade and was able to skip that grade, entering my high school as a junior instead of as a sophmore. (Back in prehistoric times schools ran k-6, 7-9, 10-12, but your 9th grade classes counted towards HS credits.) I made up phys ed credits by being on the swimming and synchronized swimming teams every year I attended.

It was fun graduating at 16 and going away to college a week after my 17th birthday.

[Brattt8525]

>>>It was fun graduating at 16 and going away to college a week after my 17th birthday. <<<


Both of my kids will also graduate when they are 16 and turn 17 a couple of months later. The cool part for me <not sure if they will think so> they both will be able to go to the Naval academy without having to be nominated to go <or is it appointed> Since their father graduated from there his kids are able to go as long as their grades are up to par.

[Artha]

We need 32 credits. Sounds like a lot, but basically it means you have to pass all of your classes every year. Considering how slack my school is, this is no problem at all for 99% of the students. The other 1% failed out freshman or sophomore year.

[DeV]

Originally posted by Killer Kitten
It was fun graduating at 16 and going away to college a week after my 17th birthday. Ahhh, memories. I graduated exactly one month and a half after turning 16 and it was the greatest thing getting out of school at that age. Though, if I had to do it all over again I would have opted to stay another 2 years. It's always good to get a headstart which is what I learned in the long run, but I still wonder what those other two years would have done for me socially and academically. Everything seems to be turning out well for me now and that's what matters.

[Fission]

If you get your grades high enough, and most importantly, do well on the SAT or whichever test your school gives, the activites won't matter much at all.

The only activity I had in school was signing up for NHS, which I went to all of one meeting. Still got accepted by every college I applied to.

[Jazuela]

Let's not forget that Bob didn't take "just" English class, or "just" science class, or "just" whatever. All those courses on the top of his grade list were HONORS classes. That means you have to be better than the vast majority of the rest of the school to even get into these courses, and that getting a B in one of those is equal to getting an A in one of those "just another class" classes.

Weigh that and you can see why he made it into the top 5%. He was already smarter to begin with. And yeah I hope his parents gave him some kind of major party for it. Or at least - home made chocolate chip cookies!

Congrats Bob, you did great!

[Artha]

All you have to do to get into honors classes is have a B average in non-honors. Considering those classes are geared towards idiots, it's not that hard. I don't know about his school, but even honors isn't that much faster than non-honors. Until CC classes in 11th grade, the only difference is that you move faster because there aren't stupid people asking stupid questions every 15 minutes.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Jazuela
Let's not forget that Bob didn't take "just" English class, or "just" science class, or "just" whatever. All those courses on the top of his grade list were HONORS classes. That means you have to be better than the vast majority of the rest of the school to even get into these courses, and that getting a B in one of those is equal to getting an A in one of those "just another class" classes.

Weigh that and you can see why he made it into the top 5%. He was already smarter to begin with. And yeah I hope his parents gave him some kind of major party for it. Or at least - home made chocolate chip cookies!

Congrats Bob, you did great!

I didn't think those grade were all that impressive.. given Bob's obvious intelligence. If I were his parents, I would be having a sit down discussion with him on how we could better improve his performance next semester.

Maybe I am a bad parent.. but it does work.

My youngest daughter came home mid-year and had all A's except a B in Social Studies. I told her how proud I was of her and asked her what happened in SS. We sat down and talked about how she could improve that grade before the end of the year and that I would help her study for all of her tests on the subject. By year's end, she had straight A's.

[longshot]

Originally posted by Parkbandit

Maybe I am a bad parent.. but it does work.



It's downright horrible that you teach your kid that hard work and determination actually gets results.

You should teach them to whine and fingerpoint!

Bob, Jazuela has a free apple pie waiting for you with a big gold star on it. Maybe she even will throw in a Star Wars toy...?

You lucky dog you!

[Bobmuhthol]

I'm not in the top 5% of my class. I'm in the top 1/5. Something like 18.9%.

There will be no skipping a grade, graduating early, etc. It just does not happen in my school.

You need 100 credits to graduate. Every quarter of a class is worth 1.25 credits (a full year for one class is worth 5). You must take 20 credits of classes senior year.

I refuse to be in the leadership class.

My grades were not impressive. They were in all honors classes (sans programming/fitness), however, which most people aren't qualified to do to begin with. I ended the year with at least an 80% average in every class, ensuring further entry into honors classes. That is impressive. I don't need an A in an honors class to be happy. Just because I can do it doesn't mean I'm going to push myself. I pass by, but I do it well enough for my efforts to be mentionable at worst. It satisfies me.

If it makes any difference in my future high school endeavors, I plan on seriously applying to two colleges: Harvard Business (knowing that there's a very good chance that I will not be accepted) and Bentley (the best in-state business college alternative). Maybe business schools are more lenient with respect to extracurricular activities?

[Bobmuhthol]

p.s. I'll be getting a part-time job junior/senior year as well.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
I'm not in the top 5% of my class. I'm in the top 1/5. Something like 18.9%.

There will be no skipping a grade, graduating early, etc. It just does not happen in my school.

You need 100 credits to graduate. Every quarter of a class is worth 1.25 credits (a full year for one class is worth 5). You must take 20 credits of classes senior year.

I refuse to be in the leadership class.

My grades were not impressive. They were in all honors classes (sans programming/fitness), however, which most people aren't qualified to do to begin with. I ended the year with at least an 80% average in every class, ensuring further entry into honors classes. That is impressive. I don't need an A in an honors class to be happy. Just because I can do it doesn't mean I'm going to push myself. I pass by, but I do it well enough for my efforts to be mentionable at worst. It satisfies me.

If it makes any difference in my future high school endeavors, I plan on seriously applying to two colleges: Harvard Business (knowing that there's a very good chance that I will not be accepted) and Bentley (the best in-state business college alternative). Maybe business schools are more lenient with respect to extracurricular activities?

I can only judge you from what you have posted here Bob... and to me you seem like a classic underachiever. Doing just enough to barely get by.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Doing just enough to barely get by.>>

And at the same time surpassing over 80% of my competitors.

edit: I just checked the program of studies book. 3.454 GPA, with college prep courses, is an A- in every subject. It's a B in every subject with honors classes.

[Edited on 6-25-2005 by Bobmuhthol]

[Edaarin]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
If it makes any difference in my future high school endeavors, I plan on seriously applying to two colleges: Harvard Business (knowing that there's a very good chance that I will not be accepted) and Bentley (the best in-state business college alternative). Maybe business schools are more lenient with respect to extracurricular activities?

Harvard is in its own class. They reject hundreds of valedictorians/perfect SAT scores every year. There's no shame in being rejected from there.

If you're looking at business programs, you may want to check out a few other schools. I've heard nothing but good things about Ann Arbor except for the shitty weather, and (shameless plug) U. Va's got a very well connected business program as well. Wharton of course, but almost as hard to get into that program as Harvard.

You definitely don't want to limit yourself to just two schools.

[Bobmuhthol]

I don't see myself going out of state under any circumstances.

It's all riding on Bentley. Failing that.. UMass?

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
<<Doing just enough to barely get by.>>

And at the same time surpassing over 80% of my competitors.

edit: I just checked the program of studies book. 3.454 GPA, with college prep courses, is an A- in every subject. It's a B in every subject with honors classes.



That reminds me of Chris Rock's standup act..

'I aint never been in jail'

Chris rock 'What the fuck do you want a cookie? You low expectation having mother fucker. You ain't SUPPOSED to go to jail.

You come across here as a very intelligent 15 year old Bob. Freakishly intelligent.

I guess I am either reading too much behind your posts.. or you are barely trying in high school. Which is it?

[Bobmuhthol]

I'm barely trying, but that doesn't mean I'm doing poorly.

I'm also 14 for the next 8 days.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
I'm barely trying, but that doesn't mean I'm doing poorly.

I'm also 14 for the next 8 days.

Thus.. my classic underachiever point.

I'm not saying spend the next 3 years working your ass off to get a 4.0.. I'm just saying put forth more than "barely" and you would be surprised how easy the higher grades will come.

And for you.. I think you are doing poorly. Your grades are not consistant with your intelligence. Your grades ARE consistant with your effort though.

[Edaarin]

If your school offers them, strongly consider taking AP courses.

You can't imagine how much better off you are suffering through shit like economics in high school compared to college.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<I'm not saying spend the next 3 years working your ass off to get a 4.0>>

You should be. By the time I graduate, my career GPA should be over 4.0.

<<I'm just saying put forth more than "barely" and you would be surprised how easy the higher grades will come.>>

I put in the effort that I'm comfortable putting in. The things I miss out on for grades are basically the "Do this stupid fucking assignment that in no way reflects your intellect or ability to function in life but instead show that you obey me because I am king" scenarios that I have no interest in wasting my time doing.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<If your school offers them, strongly consider taking AP courses.>>

Junior year I'll be taking AP Calculus, which happens to be the highest level math class offered at the school. Hooray for not having the option to take a better class senior year.


<<Your grades are not consistant with your intelligence.>>

See previous post. Grades inherently do not reflect intelligence. The frustration of knowing this leads to a lack of effort.

[Jazuela]

Heh just remember Bob, once you're out in the "real world" you'll have to do those "do what I say because I'm king" tasks anyway. This is a perfect time for you to practice doing it SO well that the king bows down and bestows "student of the year" on your underachieving head :)

Nothing "wrong" with being an underachiever. But the more you limit yourself by not going full speed ahead, the less opportunity you'll have to succeed when you're ready to enter the working world.

Have you given any thought to Boston University? Boston College even? Or UMass-Amherst?

All solid schools with business administration curriculae.

[Bobmuhthol]

Boston University/College isn't a bad idea. UMass Amherst.. possibly.

[Gan]

Originally posted by Edaarin
If your school offers them, strongly consider taking AP courses.

You can't imagine how much better off you are suffering through shit like economics in high school compared to college.


:(

Some of us liked economics enough to get a degree in it.


I understand your frustration at the BS assignments and why the effort applied coorelates with your interpretation of the logic of the task; however, as you'll find once you graduate college that in most cases employers just want to see that you had the temarity to finish a degree plan. I had that same attitude in high school and I have regrets that I did not push myself harder in order to open up more opportunites. That is unless you plan on specializing your college degree in something such as accounting (CPA). The weight of having a degree vs. not having a degree is huge. The weight of the type of degree for an entry level position is not so huge unless the barrier to entry is a specialization or certification.

[Back]

God I hated High School. So much pressure.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<That is unless you plan on specializing your college degree in something such as accounting (CPA).>>

That is exactly what I planned on doing, actually. MBA and CPA certification.

[Edaarin]

Originally posted by Ganalon
:(

Some of us liked economics enough to get a degree in it.


That is unless you plan on specializing your college degree in something such as accounting (CPA). The weight of having a degree vs. not having a degree is huge. The weight of the type of degree for an entry level position is not so huge unless the barrier to entry is a specialization or certification.

I meant the introductory econ courses (which you would get AP credit for), which were incredibly slow and boring. I'm getting a minor in economics myself.

Wanted to add that just because your major is accounting doesn't mean you can automatically sit for the CPA exam and get certified. It varies by state, but all the states that don't have the following requirements are moving towards it (Virginia being one of them)

Complete a 5 year accounting program (or 150 undergraduate credits), which include:
-- 30 credits of accounting, of which
XXX amount must be in litigation
XXX amount must be in tax
XXX amount must be in audit
-- 27 credits of other business courses

Then you sit for a 3 part exam (which can be taken one part at a time now, thank god). Assuming you pass with a score of 75 (again, this varies by state), you're eligible to become certified. The score isn't a percentile, or percent correct; it's pretty ambiguous and according to my career mentor each state has a set number of people they want to certify every year and adjust the score accordingly.

XXX number of hours (I think it's generally 400) working in audit.

There are also some states where it's next to impossible to get certified (read: Florida...I'm guessing because so many people freaking retire here and there are so many loopholes you need to be an expert on).