In high school, students often encounter two types of GPA calculations: semester GPA and cumulative GPA. Understanding the difference between these two calculations is important to achieve your desired GPA. Here’s an explanation of each:
Semester GPA: A semester GPA refers to the grade point average earned during a specific academic semester or term, such as a fall or spring semester. It calculates your average performance in the courses you took during that particular semester. To calculate your semester GPA, follow these steps:
a. Assign each of your courses a credit value based on the number of credit hours they carry. b. Multiply the credit value of each course by the grade points associated with the grade you earned in that course (based on the GPA scale used by your school). c. Sum up the total grade points earned for all the courses. d. Divide the total grade points by the total number of credit hours taken that semester. e. The resulting number is your semester GPA.
Cumulative GPA: A cumulative GPA takes into account all the courses you have completed throughout your high school career, including grades from all semesters. It reflects your overall academic performance over time. To calculate your cumulative GPA, you follow similar steps as with the semester GPA calculation, but you include all the courses and grades from the beginning of your high school years up to the current semester.
a. Assign each completed course a credit value. b. Multiply the credit value of each course by the grade points associated with the grade earned in that course. c. Sum up the total grade points earned for all completed courses. d. Divide the total grade points by the total number of credit hours for all completed courses. e. The resulting number is your cumulative GPA
It’s important to note that cumulative GPA carries more weight and reflects your overall academic performance throughout high school. Colleges and universities often consider cumulative GPA during the college admissions process.
Understanding the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA allows you to monitor your progress both within individual semesters and over the course of your high school career. By tracking and striving for improvement in both calculations, you can set goals, make informed decisions, and work towards achieving your desired GPA.
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