All High Schools Are Not Created Equal

Everyone has strengths and everyone has weaknesses.  High schools included.  And we know that some high schools do a better job than others, as do some teachers.  We're also well aware of the horrendous grade inflation prevalent at high schools (and colleges) across the country.

So what are admissions officers to make of a high school transcript?  First off, they can use the School Profile that accompanies the transcript.  This document contextualizes grades and gives the admissions officer a sense of the curriculum and the demographics of the school.

Even if you feel that the transcript and the Profile give you a really good sense of a high school, how in the world do you compare that kid in a really good Long Island public school with the kid in a magnet school in a tougher part of town with the kid at an small parochial school in the Midwest with the kid from another reputable high school in I-don't-know-where?

Are all A's (and C's) created equal?  Students at one school don't have access to the curriculum and the resources at another, but students across schools can take the same standardized test.  Performance on these standardized tests can offer some limited insight into this question.