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High School 101
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FAQ - Your Grades, GPA, Grade Reports,
Honors, and
Classroom Expectations
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Students often have lots of questions about their GPA, grades, classroom expectations, and other related issues. Some of the more frequently asked questions are addressed here. Make an appointment with your counselor in the guidance office to get answers to more specific questions.
Questions
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Answers
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| 1. What is the GPA? |
GPA or Grade Point Average is the average of your trimester (end of each term) grades starting with your freshman year. Your cumulative GPA is the average of the total of all your trimester grades .
Many colleges consider a student's cumulative GPA to be the most important criteria for college admissions. Since college applications are generally completed in the fall of your senior year, your cumulative GPA at the end of your junior year is very important! |
| 2. How my grade point average (GPA) figured? |
West High School's GPA uses a 4.0 unweighted scale. Unweighted grades means that a grade in one course is the same in another course.
Your grade point average is one of the most important records maintained at West High School. Your cumulative GPA also determines your rank, which is recalculated at the end of each trimester using all of the courses which you have completed. You are graded on an A, B, C, D, and F-system. Physical education and driver education are the only classes evaluated on a credit/no credit basis and are not figured into your GPA.
GPA - Your grade points are calculated by converting the letter grades:
- A = 4 points
- B = 3 points
- C = 2 points
- D = 1 point
- F = 0 points
To calculate your GPA, multiply the appropriate number of points by the number of hours of credit received for each course and divide the total points by the total number of credit hours attempted. |
| 3. What is a transcript? |
Your transcript is the document that details your academic achievement at West High School. Your West High transcript contain the following information:
- All courses, grades, and credits for each grade level completed, beginning with your freshman year
- Current cumulative GPA
- Anticipated graduation date
- ITED, PLAN, PSAT (optional), SAT I, SAT II and/or ACT test scores
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| 4. How do I send an official transcript to a college, the NCAA clearinghouse, or for scholarship applications? |
You should complete a Transcript Request Form available from the Guidance Office. Allow at least three days for the document to be prepared and sent out of our office. There is a $3.00 fee per transcript ($2.00 per fax). Be aware of these guidelines in your planning to meet any necessary deadlines. |
| 5. What recognition is available to students based upon good grades?
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National Honor Society - The requirements for National Honor Society membership are:
- Junior or senior class standing
- A minimum of 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Completed or scheduled to complete during the current school year-
- Two years of foreign language (30 credits)
- Three years of mathematics (45 credits)
- Three years of science (45 credits)
- Outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service
- Eligible students must submit the Student Activity Information Form to be considered as a new or continuing member.
Commencement Honors - You will be recognized as an honor graduate by earning a cumulative GPA as follows:
- GPA 3.50 - 3.74 Honor Graduate
- GPA 3.75 - 3.99 High Honor Graduate
- GPA 4.00 Highest Honor Graduate
*Note: Seniors with a 4.0 GPA will be required to have a minimum of 324 credits to be designated as a valedictorian of a graduation class. A student must also have attended for at least one year in which his/her class work and course grades were processed using a cumulative grade point average (GPA) ranking system conducted in conjunction with other students. |
| 6. When are report cards issued? |
You will receive a grade report every six weeks, at the middle and at the end of a trimester. You will earn credit for courses satisfactorily completed at the end of the trimester or the twelve-week term. |
| 7. How do I know what is expected in my classes and how do they affect my grade?
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On the first day of classes, you will receive information from each of your teachers outlining what to expect for the class. The information will include the minimum requirements, which you must meet to earn credit in the class.
Some of these requirements may include:
- The number and types of major projects
- The number of major tests
- The kinds of activities in which you will be expected to participate in
- The amount and type of homework expected
- The grading practices for homework, class participation and tests
- How your trimester grades will be determined
- Any additional materials which you will need for the class
- The availability of extra help
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