What is a grade point average Ask students

What is a grade point average? Ask students – A GPA is a way to convert letter grades or percentiles into a numerical format that usually scales from 0. 0 to 4. 0 A GPA creates one number by calculating the average Because your GPA is made up of all your grades, your GPA is one of the most important things for college admission.

Why understand GPA? Important part of high school Impacts your future – Ex: Going to College Makes you eligible for some great scholarship opportunities Partial key for future opportunities (Jobs)

GPA Values Example: values may vary for your school Letter Grade Percentile GPA A+ 97 -100 4. 0 A 93 -96 4. 0 A- 90 -92 3. 7 B+ 87 -89 3. 3 B 83 -86 3. 0 B- 80 -82 2. 7 C+ 77 -79 2. 3 C 73 -76 2. 0 C- 70 -72 1. 7 D+ 67 -69 1. 3 D 65 -66 1. 0 F Below 65 0. 0

How is GPA figured? Letter Grade Percentile GPA A+ 97 -100 4. 0 A 93 -96 4. 0 A- 90 -92 3. 7 B+ 87 -89 3. 3 B 83 -86 3. 0 B- 80 -82 2. 7 C+ 77 -79 2. 3 C 73 -76 2. 0 C- 70 -72 1. 7 D+ 67 -69 1. 3 D 65 -66 1. 0 F Below 65 0. 0 Add all the converted decimal grades together – this is your sum. Count the number of classes you’ve taken. Divide the sum by the number of classes, and you have your unweighted GPA

Check for Understanding Figure Bobbie’s GPA for his freshman year: Letter Grade Percentile GPA Class Grade A+ 97 -100 4. 0 English I B 3. 0 A 93 -96 4. 0 A- 90 -92 3. 7 Algebra I A 4. 0 B+ 87 -89 3. 3 Physical Science B+ B 83 -86 3. 0 US History A- B- 80 -82 2. 7 Spanish I B C+ 77 -79 2. 3 Physical Education B+ C 73 -76 2. 0 Financial Literacy A C- 70 -72 1. 7 HS Choir A- D+ 67 -69 1. 3 Woodworking B D 65 -66 1. 0 Music Theory A F Below 65 0. 0

What is your answer? Class Grade Points English I B 3. 0 Algebra I A 4. 0 Physical Science B+ 3. 3 US History A- 3. 7 Spanish I B 3. 0 Physical Education B+ 3. 3 Financial Literacy A 4. 0 HS Choir A- 3. 7 Woodworking B 3. 0 Music Theory A 4. 0 35 Grade Points / 10 classes = 3. 50 But understand this assumes each class is worth 1 credit. Some schools may have their own unique method of calculating.

Figuring Cumulative GPA To get each individual year’s GPA, all we need to do is divide the sum by the number of classes. If this division ends up with a long decimal, simply round to the nearest tenth: – Talk to elbow partner to figure out this students Cumulative GPA 9 th Grade 10 th Grade 11 th Grade 12 th Grade 35/10 = 3. 5 35. 7 / 10 = 3. 57 27. 7 / 8 = 3. 46 19. 7 / 6 = 3. 28

Figuring the *Cumulative GPA for all four years of high school To get a cumulative GPA for all of a student’s high school career, we can add up the sums for all the years and divide by the number of classes taken over all those years: – 35 + 35. 7 + 27. 7 + 19. 7 = 118. 1 (sum of all final grades) – 10 + 8 + 6 = 34 (total number of classes taken) – 118. 1 / 34 = 3. 47 (GPA) – GPA for all of high school is 3. 47. The cumulative GPA is NOT an average of each year because the number of classes taken each year is different. *Some high schools and computer systems may have their own specific method of calculating cumulative GPA. Talk to your school counselor about the specific method your school calculates GPA.

What factors help get a good GPA? What Do you think? – Effort – Organization – Perseverance – Goal setting – Interest level

Types of GPAs Unweighted – each class uses the 4. 0 to 0. 0 scale Weighted – for classes that have higher rigor like an Advanced Placement or an honors class the GPA scale that might be used is 5. 0 to 0. 0 This rewards a student for taking more challenging classes with more grade points and will result in a higher GPA

Check for Understanding Under a weighted GPA system, would it be possible for a student to have a 4. 35 GPA? Yes, because they are rewarded for taking a more challenging class with more grade points (5. 0 to 0. 0)

How is a GPA used? What do you think? Highest Honors/High Honors for graduation National Honor Society eligibility Class rank – if the school ranks Scholarships A factor in college admission – usually only unweighted GPA is used in college admissions

“Freshman Trap” FR. SO. JR. SR. Cumulative GPA 2. 50 3. 00 3. 50 2. 87 GPA 3. 00 3. 25 2. 50 2. 94 GPA 3. 50 3. 75 4. 00 3. 75

What are Colleges looking for? Three key components for admissions: – High school grade point average – ACT or SAT composite score – Number of core subject-area courses completed Revisit your four-year plan each semester

Iowa Board of Regents Admission Index (RAI) Your Statistics Element ACT or SAT Composite Score High School GPA Number of Core Subject Area Courses Completed in High School Element Score x 3= x 30 = x 5= Add All Element Scores Together to Find Your RAI Score = www. regents. iowa. gov/RAI 245 or higher = admitted < 245 = individual review

Building a Strong GPA Talk to your teacher Create a schedule Complete homework on time Study for your tests ahead of time Take AP courses Show up for class – attendance counts! Use a student planner

Check for Understanding How does GPA play a factor into admission into Iowa State, Univ. of Iowa, and UNI? GPA is used and one of four factors in the RAI and if a school ranks students, will impact class rank. What is the “freshman trap”? Because as freshman and sometimes as sophomores, students think that the first two years of high school don’t matter and thus they don’t give full effort to their studies which will hurt their cumulative GPA.

Foreign Language Requirements Some colleges may require 2 -3 years of foreign language in high school for admission into a college Be sure to check the freshman admission requirements and graduation requirements of colleges you are interested in on the admissions section of the college website

Iowa’s Regent Universities Foreign Language Requirements Iowa State University of Iowa University of Northern Iowa Optimum Recommendations for Success 2 years of a single world language for admission to the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences 2 years of a single world language are required for admission. For many degrees, the forth year of proficiency is required for graduation. Nursing – 4 years in a single world language or 2 years each in two different languages World language courses are not required for admission. However, two years of a foreign language in high school with a C- or above in the last course will meet university graduation requirements. 4 years of a single world language. By taking foreign language during all four years of high school, you’ll go beyond the basic skills and begin to use the language and reinforce your fluency.

Reviewing What is GPA? GPA is a numerical summary of your high school grades usually reported on a scale of 4. 0 to 0. 0. Why is a high school GPA important? Used for college admission, Regents Admission Index to UNI, ISU, and U of I, scholarships Explain unweighted vs. weighted GPAs Unweighted – commonly is calculated on a 4. 0 scale Weighted – extra weight given to higher rigor classes on a 5. 0 scale resulting in a higher GPA

Reviewing Why is the “freshman trap” a good thing to avoid? When students enter high school they talk themselves into not giving full effort to classes for the first two years which results in a lower cumulative GPA that they regret when they are a senior.

ICANsucceed. org