Every letter grade a student receives equals a specified number of grade points. Typically, the grade point for each letter is as follows: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0 and F = 0. Each class a student takes is worth a certain number of credit hours. The GPA is the sum of the total grade points divided by the total number of credit hours.
Some students make the mistake thinking colleges only consider their grades from junior year. However, depending on the college's GPA admission cut-off dates, a portion of the student's high school senior year grades may also be factored into the final GPA score. It's also important to remember that the grades earned in freshman and sophomore year are also looked at. A poor start in a high school career will affect class ranking and could make a difference to the college admission board looking at the application.
There are variables to consider when looking at an institution's admission requirements. Some schools don't give plus and minus letter grades (i.e. "B+"). There are some high schools that weight the grades in advanced courses in order to give students extra credit for taking challenging classes. They may also include non-academic courses, such as art or music, in the calculation.
High school students who are serious about their academic career should always stay focused on their grades. A student should always be aware of what her GPA is. Utilizing good study habits will not only enable students to obtain good grades in high school but will benefit the student when she is taking a full course load of classes and dealing with quizzes, exams and reports. It's also essential for the student to go to classes and not take days off that will only put her behind in her studies and possibly effect her GPA.