Off to take my SATs.

[Tamashiiryuu]

so you are saying that i would have abetter chance of getting into a school in califoria if i have lived all my life there than if i applyed to a school in another state???

[Dynamics]

Only slightly. It's a bit of trouble for them to draw anything from the grades another state gives you. Only the more exclusive schools could really care.

[Ralath]

Actually, I think it's partially political as well. State schools are funded by state tax dollars which are taxed to the state's people so.... I think that's the reasoning behind it. They kind of have more a "duty" to enroll their own state's students.

The grading system in the U.S. is... eh, more or less uniform. It has less to do with a state than individual high schools. I mean, even my high school and a high school 30 minutes away did grades differently. My high school didn't do +/- system while other schools did. Also, there's grade inflation and it's really hard to tell which schools have it and which schools don't. That's why emphasis is placed on national exams such as SAT, ACT, and AP.

[Vasu]

There's also recommendations and extra curricular activities to consider. If you have good grades, but no extra curricular, you might look like some anti-social nerd who doesn't want to contribute to society.

Also try to be active in at least 1 club or society at school, and try to get at least 3 recommendations.

Okay, my school is a place that trains us to be anti-social nerds without any extra-curricular, no societies. And who do I get the recommendations from?

PS Ralath, thanks for answering all my questions.