How Does Your HS Calculate GPA?

Applying to College
1

<p>I just finished my 9th grade first quarter and my HS uses the following method to derive my GPA:</p>

<p>Description of Levels:
Level 1 – General
Level 2 – College Prep
Level 3 – Honors
Level 4 – Advanced Placement</p>

<p>Grade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4</p>

<p>100 3.60 4.00 4.40 4.80
99 3.52 3.92 4.32 4.72
98 3.44 3.84 4.24 4.64
97 3.36 3.76 4.16 4.56
96 3.28 3.68 4.08 4.48
95 3.20 3.60 4.00 4.40
94 3.12 3.52 3.92 4.32
93 3.04 3.44 3.84 4.24
92 2.96 3.36 3.76 4.16
91 2.88 3.28 3.68 4.08
90 2.80 3.20 3.60 4.00</p>

<p>Is this how most HS school do it?</p>

<p>I always thought I would receive a letter grade for my classes. For example: an A is 93-100 and if I get an A, my GPA value would be 4.0. However, at my HS, I get an actual number grade for each class, then my GPA is figured according to the above formula. For Example, I got an 96 in History (a college prep course), so my grade point value for History was 3.68.</p>

<p>I was wondering how most HS figure their students GPAs. How does your HS do it?</p>

<p>btw, my GPA was 3.96 according to the above chart. If not weighted for Honors courses( I can only take AP courses in 11th and 12th grade), it would be 3.76</p>

2

<p>Yes that is how our school does it too. I am not a fan of it (understatement) compared with letter grades, because the letter grade A is convertible to 4.0 on a great many self-reported score applications - but there are others in the same boat.</p>

3

<p>If this this is the case where different high schools calculate GPAs differently then it must be difficult for the CA officers to “compare” GPAs of candidates from various HSs. A 4.0 at one school may be a 3.6 at another school, ect.</p>

<p>Ultimately then, how reliable is GPA as a measure of a student’s abilities versus standardized tests. I mean a 750 on the SATs is a 750 no matter where you went to high school right?</p>

4

<p>That’s my theory yes, that the SAT helps iron this out. I certainly hope it does.</p>

5

<p>Every district counts their GPA diffrently.
SFUSD in my city gives one more point to every honors and APs.
No extra point for dual enrollment.
So it is better to have 8 honor classes then 7 AP classes.</p>

6

<p>If SFUSD is San Francisco Unified School District, then its calculation of GPA is unimportant for the majority of college-bound students who will attend California public universities and community colleges (UC and CSU recalculate GPA their own way, and community colleges are open admission or first come first served). And even for many other universities, the high school’s calculation of GPA may only matter if the university uses the high school’s notion of class rank (important in Texas public universities, but probably less so elsewhere).</p>

7

<p>Your high school should have a school profile that’s sent in along with your transcript and/or counselor recommendation. The profile should explain how your high school calculates GPA and ranking. It will also list the types of classes available, so that the admissions people can see e.g. how many AP and honors courses are offered. That will allow them to compare your GPA and the rigor of your courses in the context of what your high school offers.</p>

<p>This might not matter as much for large public universities, which tend to just look at numbers rather than consider applications holistically. If you’re applying to a private school that wants to see you taking the toughest courses possible, then taking 8 honors courses over 7 APs might not be the right strategy.</p>