Do Colleges see if you improved your GPA overtime?

Applying to College
1

Hi,

Do Colleges see if you improved your GPA overtime?

Say Freshmen year was a 3
Soph year was a 3.3

and then you really step it up and 4.0 for your final 2 years.

Is there a way colleges see that you improved yourself the final 2 years, to show that you made improvement?

Do they see the GPA from each year?

Thank you

2

Yes. Your high school will send a transcript and colleges will look at the trend in your grades. This is the BEST possible scenario - with grades trending up as you move up through high school. Course rigor will also play a part in the puzzle (for example, if you had a 3.0 in all honors classes freshman year and a 4.0 in lowest level classes junior year, it is less impressive than if your grades improved while the level of your classes stayed the same or went up).

3

They would see that from your transcript. But if you really want to emphasize it, talk to your GC and mention it in your LOR.

4

I agree with @janjmom‌’s “intent,” but her “specifics” are incorrect. The “best possible scenario” is to start and to remain VERY strong (grades and curricular rigor), from the first semester of freshman year to the last exam as a senior,. Yes, a continually improving GPA trend is beneficial, but even better is a continuously excellent one.

5

@toptier it seems to me that in this case the OP cannot undo what is already done (freshman and perhaps sophomore year). I was responding to the scenario listed, where there are lower grades at the beginning of high school. Clearly if the OP is an 8th grader, s/he should make every effort to excel from day one. The scenario I presented is “best case” under the described circumstances.

6

Upward trend helps to alleviate the negative effect of relative low GPA. It does not fully compensate a weak GPA.

7

Just to clarify I am an honors class-sophmore. Doing about a 3.2 right now, and not proud of that. If I actually did gave it my full effort I would have a 4. I just have to push my self so much more.

8

@janjmom‌: Many individuals other than the thread’s OP read responses, which is why I favor responses that are more-universally accurate.