My twins transferred from a private school to a public school at the beginning of their sophomore year.
Their private school GPA calculation was more rigorous than the public school. For example, a 90 or above gets a 4.0 in their public whereas a 90 in their private school gets a 3.5.
Both girls had 3.25 cumulative unweighted GPA’s in private school their freshman year. They have just finished their first semester in public school. They both took 8 classes - 4 honors and one AP, and the other 3 classes on grade level.
Both girls received straight A’s their first semester in those classes.
Therefore, they had 3.25 GPA unweighted their freshman year (8 credits) and 4.0 GPA unweighted their first semester sophomore year (4 credits).
Today we received their state Achievement Record and somehow the school has calculated a 2.81 cumulative unweighted GPA.
I wasn’t a math major but that’s obviously wrong.
I intend to follow up of course. Specifically, I want to know the district policy as to re-calculating their first year of private school to their public school criteria (a=4 etc.). If so their GPA would have been higher obviously for 9th.
This makes even more obvious the discrepancy of the improving grades and straight A’s actually reducing your GPA.
So the question is - what the heck? We compared side by that each semester grade was input correctly - both the transferred grades and current school grades. So the numbers are correct. The total number of credits is correct.
How would this have happened? Is it common? I’m surprised we have to do our own spreadsheets and double check this.
Has anyone else experienced a gpa error?
THANKS!!
Our school’s software will calculate gpa including zero points for 2nd semester grades that aren’t in or even earned yet. So the mid year GPA looks terrible. But if we request an official transcript mid year it gets adjusted by the office. Is it possible something similar is happening here?
No that is not it. I did however find out that this school has an unusual gpa policy. There is only one high school in the district so it only applies to our high school.
100=4.0
90. = 3.0
80 = 2.0 etc.
Thus, a 94 for the semester in a class gives 3.4 not an “A” which normally gives 4.0. Their private school only gave 3.5 for 90-94 but gave 4.0 points for 95-100.
Therefore you can get straight A’s at this high school (all 90’s) and end up with a 3.0 GPA!
Most TX public districts have the 90 equals 4.0 policy. A few only give 3.5 for 90-94 but giving 3 points for 90’s seems very problematic. We are considering leaving the school.
Texas high school teacher here. Both my children went through the large public district and I still do not quite understand how the students’ GPA is calculated mid year. Have you tried contacting the counselor assigned to your children? They may be able to explain. Each district has its own policy and they don’t always make sense.
Thank you! Yes we did. We have the written policy. Sherman High School. I do know how to calculate gpa based on their policy. I’m just trying to understand ANY reason why you would go to the extreme here and punish hard working students unless they are getting more funding?
Well I will run that number tomorrow. I would have thought they produced accurate numbers post 1st semester or would have pointed out that it did not include it. But I see you recd something confusing so I will ask. Thanks!!
