GPA Definitions
GPA Basics
GPA Calculations
College 101
High School 101
100
What does GPA measure?
The average of all your grades in school, including core and non-core subjects
100

What is the highest (unweighted) GPA you can get in most regular classes in high school?

4.00

100

If a student received all C's on their report card, with six regular classes and one Honors class, what is their GPA?

2.14

100

When UCs and CSUs see my transcript, what years' grades are they checking?

Sophomore and Junior years. They will also ask for a final transcript to review your senior year grades before you are officially admitted.

100

How many classes, on average, do you take in high school each semester?

Six

200
What does it mean to "protect" your GPA?
Protecting your GPA means to take less challenging courses in order to maintain a high GPA. Colleges do not look favorably on this!
200

A student received 3 A's, 4 B's, 2 C, and 1 D. What's their GPA and are they eligible to apply to a UC?

2.9 GPA; No, they are not eligible.

200

If your GPA was 2.0 1st semester and 3.0 second semester, what is your cumulative GPA?

2.5

200

How many honors/AP points can you use your sophomore year?

4 points

200

If you receive one F in an English class in 9th grade, what happens?

You continue on to tenth grade classes, but you are expected to take online or summer school to make up that failed class.

300
GPA is a letter system. True or False?
False! Letter grades are converted to numbers.
300

A student took 2 AP classes in 10th grade and and 3 AP classes in 11th grade. How many AP points count toward their GPA? Should they take another AP class their senior year?

8 total points. Yes! Although this student has maxed out on their AP/Honors points, they should still try to take a rigorous schedule their senior year - colleges pay attention to that!

300

A student received 3 A's, 4 B's, 2 C, and 1 D. What's their GPA and are they eligible to apply to a UC?

2.9 GPA; No, they are not eligible.

300

What is the minimum GPA you need to apply to a CSU?

2.0

300

What classes are required by WESM but not by UCs or CSUs?

Health and P.E./Sports

400
What is a class rank?
Class rank refers to the order of your GPA compared to the other people in your graduating class. For example, #1 refers to the person with the highest GPA in the entire class of 2018.
400
Is it possible to share the same class rank with your friend? Explain
Yes - if you have the exact same GPA you will have the same class rank. You can both be ranked #15, and then the next person in line will be #17.
400
If a student takes 7 Regular classes and received three B's and four C's, what is their GPA?
2.43
400
What is the difference between a public and a private University? Hint: neither is necessarily free
A public university receives some funding from the state government. A private university gets its money from tuition, fundraising, and other private sources.
400

What 3 science classes does WESM (and also UCs/CSUs) recommend?

Biology, Chemistry and Physics

500
What is cumulative GPA?
Average of students grades for ALL semesters or years completed.
500

It is impossible to receive a perfect 6.0 GPA, even if you take all possible AP courses. Why?

Classes such as P.E./health will always be out of 4.0. You need these courses to graduate!

500

A student received three 'B's, three 'C's, and an F. The 'C' are in Honors' classes, the 'B's are in Regular classes, and the 'F' is in PE. What is the student's semester A-G GPA? What is the effect of the 'F'?

3.0 GPA. P.E. is not an A-G course so it does not affect the student's GPA

500
Name five components of a complete college application.
1. High School transcript 2. ACT or SAT scores 3. Personal statement 4. Letters of recommendation 5. Application form 6. Application fee or waiver 7. Resume (if applicable)
500

Generally, how many credits can you earn per semester in high school?

30 credits. Generally, you take 6 classes worth 5 credits each.

M
e
n
u