transcripts and credits and gpa, oh my!!!! or...How my freshman year matters to me!

what is a transcript? A transcript is your official record of all the courses you take in high school, and includes your grades for each semester of every class you take. You need a transcript to: Apply to college(4 yr, 2 yr, tech school, dual credit) Take Driver’s Ed get a job (in many cases) proof of GPA, class rank, graduation date proof of what kind/what level of classes you have taken proof of test scores (ACT/SAT, STAAR EOC, TSI)

...but I am a freshman now. why do i need to know this? Your freshman year will fly by...and your grades matter starting NOW! If you plan to apply to the dual credit program, your grades in all areas, especially Math and English, matter. Your GPA is very hard to improve once it starts off in a hole. Ask any Junior or Senior how difficult it is to bring it up when you slacked off your freshman year! You need to earn the right number of credits in the right courses to graduate, by STATE LAW and by QISD Board Policy. You must have 25 credits to graduate. There is no minimum plan any longer.

Transcript samples

Student A - 10th grade Student A is a current sophomore. You see on the transcript that Student A has 9 credits total. 8 credits are from the classes Student A took in the 2014/2015 school year, when Student A was a freshman. Another was a credit earned by testing out of a course. Student A has fairly good grades and is on track to graduate on time, with a decent rank and GPA.

Student B Student B is also a current sophomore, but Student B struggled during their freshman year. You can see that Student B did not earn all their credits during 9th grade. Student B has failing grades in multiple subjects and is not on track to graduate on time at this rate. Their GPA is much lower, as well as their rank.

Vocabulary Review GPA - Grade Point Average - the average of all your class grades based on a formula set up by our School Board. Some classes weigh more than others so they give you the opportunity to boost your GPA. Pre-AP, AP, and Dual Credit courses are weighted higher than regular classes. Rank - Your numerical position in class when all student GPAs are listed from highest to lowest. Quartile - The quarter of the class that you fall into - top 25%, second 25%, third 25%, fourth 25%. Imagine cutting a pizza into four large sections. Graduation Program Type: Your current graduation plan, which for freshmen and sophomores is the FHSP Plan (Foundation High School Program) and the endorsements you are working towards. POP QUIZ! If a student makes a 66 in English I the first semester, what does the student need to make the second semester to pass for the year???

So what does all this mean to me?? If you fail a class, or even one semester of a class your freshman year, you will be behind. You will have to make it up the next year, on top of all your sophomore class requirements. You lose your elective choices in order to retake the classes you did not pass! So what does all this mean to me??

if you don’t take care of business now...it could lead to BIG problems!!!!!!! ...like Student C has right now! dun - dun- dun………………….

Student c - 3rd Year Sophomore Student C is a current sophomore by credits completed, but Student C is already in their 4th year of high school. Student C should be a senior but has not passed the required classes and does not have enough credits to be classified as a senior. Student C has big problems with GPA, rank, and is not on track to graduate on time. Student C has not passed all the required EOCs, either.

Student D - 12th Grade Student D is what we would call a “Model Student.” Look at those grades! What is Student D’s GPA? What is Student D’s Rank? Has Student D passed all the required EOCs? What are Student D’s chances of getting into the college of their choice?

Don’t be Student C! Take all your classes SERIOUSLY. Ask for a copy of your transcript at least once per year. We post grades in mid-January and mid-June. If you are not happy with your GPA, you are the only one who can change it. See #1.

Questions??? See Mrs. Blair or Mrs. Scott to talk about your grades, your credits, and your future goals and plans. Sign up in the main office for an appointment!