GED Score Conversion to Highschool GPA

(by Sachin Sangamnerkar on 1st May, 2024: National College Decision Day)

“Path to College Education as a Freshman year GED Applicant” #Equal-Education-Opportunity-for-GED-Applicants

Background – GED (Graduate Equivalent Degree) is formally considered as equivalent to “High-School Graduation” degree. Actually at least in IL state, it’s considered as “High School Diploma” per Public Act 102-1100 law signed by Governor JB Pritzker On June 24, 2022. It’s taken by those who did not attend high-school or dropped out of high-school due to one reason or another as part of life story. This is the minimum requirement for many Job applications (or moving to promotional Managerial roles at workplace). It’s also a “path to college education”.? This article will explore the “Path to College Education as Freshman year GED Applicant”. Unfortunately, there is “strong stereotype and built-in bias” that after GED, only viable option is “Community College” to pursue college education. This article will be particularly useful for those 2% - 5% subset of GED graduate aspirants as it’s not practical for majority mid-twenties plus “adults” GED graduates to attend “full time” college and ignoring “daily jobs / earning income” to support themselves or their families. Typically for further college education those “majority” end up going to “community college” as “part time students (evening classes?)” and thus continuation of “vicious cycle” about GED stereotype & bias. This article is for those “sub-set” of GED graduate applicants who want to explore National Universities (Public & Private) and reputed Colleges over Community college to pursue further college education.

?Objectives:

O-1) To establish GED scores to High-school GPA equivalent transparent conversion framework.

O-2) To give comprehensive understanding about what could be considered as “competitive scores” (irrespective of GPA conversion).

The most significant hurdle for GED graduated Freshman year college applicant is What’s My GPA or What GED scores are Competitive? All colleges in application process (such as via Common App) ask for it. Unfortunately, there is no official information available. “GPA Calculators based on GED score” available by many private college admission consulting firms floated on internet are na?ve at best causing “self-doubt” and perhaps even “dejection” within GED applicants.

For example:

1) GED score 600 gets converted as (600 / 800) * 4 = 3.0 GPA

2) GED score 660 gets converted as (660 / 800) * 4 = 3.3 GPA

3) GED score 720 gets converted as (720 / 800) * 4 = 3.6 GPA

These above “converted GPAs” most likely (despite so called “holistic review process”) will not satisfy GPA criteria’s for almost all “somewhat selective” / “selective” / “very selective” colleges who routinely published their “admitted students GPA” in “at least” 3.6+ GPA range. This seems like disqualifier or creates a “path of high resistance” for GED applicant. Further very few colleges publish or share their own view on a) GED score conversion to GPA OR b) definition of competitive GED scores. It’s observed that “without specificity”, the “guidance answers from college admission office” are always on the similar line such as “as competitive as it could be” without defining what is competitive GED score benchmark (*this is not the case of high school GPA or SAT / ACT scores which are readily available from “Common Dataset - section C” from previous year admitted class profile for a particular college or university).

?Conversion Process – So let’s do it the right way. It will be three step process to “fundamentally understand”. Once you get it, it’s just a simple three seconds division calculation to get the “Converted GPA” or real understanding of what are Competitive GPA scores.

What if I told you that your 600 GED score is actually 3.63 converted GPA, or your 660 GED score is 3.99 converted GPA or your 720 GED score is 4.36 “converted weighted GPA”. Further these are “at minimum” GPA. Let’s understand the conversion process in following A B C section. Also let’s understand some of the most interesting observations while going through it.

?A)???? To understand how Highschool GPA is “earned” by “four years” graduating High School student (based on majority of Public & Private high schools’ system. There are always few exceptions but those are minimal)

a-1) There are A / B / C / D / F grades with “A” as highest for the subject. Most of the high-schools have 90 to 100 points range in a given subject defined as a “A” grade which is translated to 4.0 GPA in that subject.

a-2) Total maximum 100 points in a particular subject is earned over “one semester duration”. For example, if a subject such as Math Algebra has total ten (10) units for the semester, then one unit will be covering between 1-2 weeks duration on an average. Students earn points based on “that particular unit-based” homework assignment and few occasional quiz (not as many as regular homework assignments across all units) for a particular week. There could be one mid-term (covering beginners’ unit 1 to 5). Let’s also not forget couple of “bonus assignments for earning extra points” to catchup on “existing scores” opportunities given. The same process repeats itself till final unit 10. All cumulative points earned get added together and converted to 80% weightage. Most of the students just staying “consistent” and “disciplined” but not necessarily knowledgeable (using short term memory knowledge which could be forgotten after few days or by end of semester exam), could easily earn 75 out of 80 points (if not 77 / 78 / 79 points).

a-3) The Final semester subject exam (covering all units) will have 20% weightage.? Even if student score in “all units encompassing” test at “80% as in B grade equivalent competency”, the final calculation earns them “A” grade (91 = 75 + 16*). Sometimes having 77 / 78 points out of 80, even “C” grade competency in final exam (true reflection of subject topic competency) could very easily sneak into “A” grade displayed in graduating high-school transcript. Majority “A” grade high school students on an average earns between 92% - 95% range (very few at 90.1% and very few at 99% as exceptions)

a-4) The above same process could be repeated across all subjects to “earn” A grades across high school Freshman / Sophomore / Junior and Senior high school years. Accordingly, all “A” grades contribute towards cumulative graduating 4.0 GPA for a high-school student. However, it’s 92% - 95% points correlated to high school graduating 4.0 GPA (Hint – this will become important in GED score conversion formula)

a-5) Please note that “normal” subject complexity is benchmarked against “high school level student” knowledge competency. The Honors class or AP class keeps the benchmark at “current college level student”. Hence its given extra 1.0 GPA earned weightage (such as B in Honor / AP class is equivalent A in normal class). That’s’ why we have “weighted GPA” concept to get “Academic Rigor” implicitly calculated into weighted GPA number. Naturally student with more than 4.0 “weighed GPA” has demonstrated more “Academic Rigor” than regular high school benchmark rigor. (Hint – this will become important in GED score conversion formula)

a-6) Interesting Observations (worthy of separate articles)

a-6-i) High-school student with “discipline” and “dedication” could very easily get 4.0 GPA (or even more in weighted GPA) by not necessarily having really “A” level subject knowledge competency.

a-6-ii) There is a flaw in undergrad college admission evaluation process where as compare to GED Scores, high-school GPA system gives “exaggerated” knowledge competency indication (over GED applicant). The SAT or ACT scores (while admittedly with its own flaws) used to give “somewhat indication” of that core competency in “holistic review process”. However, with “Test Optional” policies even that is muted in current undergrad college admission process (Hint – GED score can give that indication)

Now that we understand about how high-school GPA is earned, let’s understand how GED scores are earned.

?B)???? To understand how GED scores are earned (one can refer to GED.com for more details. The website did decent job but not necessarily connected all the dots as easy to understand for a layman)

b-1) To understand GED scoring, let’s understand one analogy. Let’s think about a popular Video game. Typically, such popular game has many “competency levels” such as one to ten. The initial levels 1 to 3 are for “beginners”, then levels 4 to 6 are for “intermediate & average”, after that it’s “expert” level 7 & 8 and finally “champion” levels 9 & 10. Further these levels become “increasingly difficult” as you “progress” from current level to go to next level. The last 3-4 levels are “exponentially difficult” to let only select few progresses through to next level till “champion” level 10 and “pass it” as a “rare achievement”.

b-2) Using above video game analogy, GED exam tests your “core academic skills” at exponentially increasing competency levels. It has MATH, ELA (English), Social Studies and Science subjects. Each subject has 200 maximum points (hence total score of 800). Just like video game, it has three levels rating (and many implied sub-levels) with benchmark against the “graduating” high-school student knowledge competency. These main three levels are

b-2-i) “Passing Score” for 145 to 164 individual subject points (think about video game level 4 to 6 as in intermediate / average level). The 145 scores typically correlated to 15% of graduating high-school student class. The 164 score probably correlated to top 73% of graduating high school student class.

b-2-ii) “College Ready” for 165 to 174 individual subject points (think about video game level 7 & 8 expert levels by high-school benchmark). The 165 scores typically correlated to top 76% of graduating high-school student class. The 174 score probably correlated to top 90% graduating high school student class.

b-2-iii) “College Ready Plus” for 175 to 200 individual subject points (think about video game level 9 & 10 champion levels by high-school benchmark). The 175 scores typically correlated to top 92% of graduating high-school student class. The 200 score probably correlated to top 99.99999% graduating high school student class.

b-3) Just like video game, the GED subject exam “test” examinee to exponentially increasing competency level questions which are mixed with random style and under “set time pressure”. The scores examinee get is actual reflection of knowledge competency. There is no way to hide from actual competency level for the examinee as its 100% points from that individual test (unlike a-3 & a-4 reference for high school student GPA scoring system). Hence it has “somewhat indication” of “true knowledge competency” like SAT / ACT (per reference to a-6-ii)

b-4) Interesting Observations (worthy of separate articles)

b-4-i) The GED organization & Nationwide Community College Boards could do a much better job about creating awareness & articulating “Percentile Rank” on GED transcript. The “Percentile Rank” on GED transcript gives the wrong perception that this is only within those students who took GED exam. That is NOT the case. The “Percentile Rank” is based on “all graduating high school student class across the nation” which includes GED students + nationwide High-school graduating students. So, the top 92% rank is really a nationwide high school graduating student rank (and not within GED students).

b-4-ii) The GED exam is “same” (no change in benchmark competency difficulty) across the nation, no matter if it’s taken from any state or county location within US. From that perspective, it’s similar to ACT / SAT.

b-4-iii) There is unwritten (if not explicitly mentioned) requirement that only GED applicants who have “College Ready” or “College Ready Plus” scores will be considered in “somewhat selective” or above colleges (*exception if you are star athlete recruit). It means GED applicant have to be in top 25% of graduating high-school student class just to get a realistic shot to be considered in college admission process. This undue burden is not put on normal high school graduating students.

b-4-iv) There is a “perception” that GED exam is “easy to pass or score” and it does NOT test the “discipline” (academic rhythm) which normal graduating high school students are “trained” for the college education. That might give Admission committee members or Academic Councilors a “well-intentioned but very misplaced thoughts” to justify that this GED applicant will struggle in college education and hence it’s better if the person starts at “Community College” (essentially to justify not admitting decision). This is a very wrong perception to put it mildly especially with ref to b-3 point and nature of understanding “true competitive” GED scores.

b-4-v) Going through GED for college admission process is “high resistance path”. All GED college applicants have some kind of life story impacting that situation and for many it’s not their first preference if there is a choice. There are many reasons of not attending (or dropping out from) high school and understanding that life story is very important. It takes strong will power and extra hard work to get into “college Ready” or “College Ready Plus” scores to be considered even in the college applicant pool.

?C)???? The GED Score to GPA conversion (based on A & B fundamental understanding)

?c-1) We will consider individual subject 174 score (Highest College Ready score) as equivalent to “A” grade which is considered as 4.0 GPA base.

?c-2) let’s “Normalize” statistically of the fact that graduating high school student who got 92% - 95% points earn “A” grade. Hence, considering 95% as mean (between 90% & 100%), we will make 5% adjustment from 174 max number, which is 165.3 GED score. Hence 165.3 subject score is “normalized base” for 4.0 GPA equivalent. Hence for all four subjects it’s total 661.2 GED baseline score which correlates to 4.0 GPA.

?c-3) Now divide your total GED earned score by 661.2 and multiply by 4. That’s your converted GPA.

?c-3-i) Hence for 600 GED score … (600 / 661.2) * 4 = 3.63 converted GPA “at minimum”

?c-3-ii) Hence for 660 GED score … (660 / 661.2) * 4 = 3.99 converted GPA “at minimum”

?c-3-iii) Hence for 720 GED score … (720 / 661.2) 4 = 4.36 converted GPA “at minimum” (*weighted GPA indicating “Academic Rigor” equivalent of AP level class knowledge competency)

?This is the most accurate GED score conversion to Highschool GPA equivalent.

?GED Score to GPA conversion formula: ?Your total GED score / 661.2 = Your converted GPA

(Note for individual subject score GPA, use 165.3 as base)

c-4) Interesting Observations (worthy of separate articles)

c-4-i) Even above GPA conversion formula is “penalizing GED applicant” as the straight-line math division does not do justice to fully capture the “exponential difficulty” of advanced competency sliding scale scores (especially between 165 to 200 points). That “unavoidable error margin” as a conservative estimate is labelled as “at minimum” GPA conversion which is actually “depressing the converted GPA”. For example, 720 total GED score is indicative of top 5% of high school graduating class. For many high schools that will be 4.5 to 4.6 weighted GPA range while above formula gave a 4.36 GPA as on a lower side as “at minimum”.

c-4-ii) Because GPA scales between nation’s high schools are not consistent, many colleges take only grades from transcript, consider only core academic subjects (such as Math / English / Science / Social Study) and calculate their own “Academic Index (AI) or equivalent Institutional term” to bring consistency which is a very right approach as part of “normalization”. This AI serve as quantitative (number based) criteria in holistic review process for comparisons between student applicant pool of varied nationwide high schools (instate or out of state applicants). However, one of the biggest pitfalls for GED applicant is college calculate their “proprietary” and “confidential” Academic Index, based on 200 as a base weightage (horrendously wrong base value to evaluate for “competitive scores”) against GED scores earned and further get translated to college Academic Index. Further due to “unintentional lost in translation” process gap, that number is treated as “high school” level competency number which is “very depressed input” resulting in significant lower Academic Index considered in “evaluation process” or considering applicant earned GED scores as “less then competitive” scores against 200 as base. For example, the above 720 GED score (which is “at minimum” 4.36 GPA) will be considered as 720 / 800 = 3.6 GPA input which further get translated into “proprietary Academic Index” or “not competitive earned scores”. It’s literally like taking SAT 1,440 score (out of 1,600 base) and treating it as 3.6 equivalent GPA or wrongly considering as “not competitive score” (*SAT 1,440 is top 97% nation-wide score with correlated 4.5+ GPA for majority graduating high school students). This is not to say that colleges or admission committees do it “intentionally” because they are NOT! ?Big colleges have multiple tens of thousands of freshman applicants and very few such as 0.03% or less GED applicants. Big Colleges rely on “systems” & “established processes” in place with each “roles” in “evaluation system” doing their own job (to the best of their ability). However, like all systems & established processes while operating at 99.95% to 99.99% accuracy & efficiency still has its own “gaps” or “flaws” in “end-to-end” basis which are applicable to select few applicant cases (and GED applicants being the most obvious applicable cases).

c-4-iii) Another “gap” or “flaw” due to that 99.98% accuracy is giving possible weightage or consideration to previous high school GPA along with GED scores. This is because the system is 99.95% to 99.99% accurate for “four years” graduating high school students. So, for a traditional student who has two or more high-schools while graduating, it takes into account all high schools’ grades while calculating Academic Index. However, GED applicant case should be different. Even IF GED candidate attended one or two year high-school in the past and have some grades data point: it’s the life story of WHY dropping out of high school should be the focus in “holistic admission process”. As the name suggest that it’s “Graduate High School Equivalent” (or exactly High school diploma in IL state as legal compliance) and thus making the prior high-school grades redundant. Perhaps Common App and Colleges ask that particular question “have you ever attended high-school” to understand IF ANY “criminal charge” or “academic misdemeanor” situations. However, almost all GED students not applicable of those charges have dropped out of high-schools due to other valid life reasons or dealing with “personal situation”. Typically, “high school dropping out students” always have very low (failing) high school grades (as it’s process in the making during few months to couple of years). However, because of “equivalent” recent GED graduation, that past (many years back) data point is not the true reflection of student’s current ability and should NOT be considered. Considering (outdated and irrelevant) high-school grades for GED applicants lower their “fair and equitable” odds in “evaluation process”. If the systems & processes are not correcting it, then at manual level this needs to be “corrected” during evaluation process. Look at it another way: Colleges do write as policy & guideline that “they reserve the right to cancel admitted student admission if the Senior year second semester grades drops “significantly”. So, Colleges do focus on current competency level of Student. They should take and apply their own guideline & logic for GED Applicants as part of consistency!

?In summary:

1)???? If you are GED organization or Education County Offices, hope this helps you to make necessary modifications in “reporting” GED Scores or even adding “National % Rank” header!

?2)???? If you are part of “College Admission System”, hope this helps you to improve your own “admission process for GED applicants” as part of #equal-education-admission-opportunity!

?3)???? If you are a GED college freshman applicant or related family, hope this article finds it helpful. Apply based on this article knowledge, use it with Confidence and go get that College Degree. Best Luck!