By: Anne Flenner, School Counselor, Florida Virtual School

Have your ever heard someone boast that they have a 4.9 GPA? Did you know that you need a 2.3 GPA to play Division 1 NCAA Sports? Are you working toward that 3.5 GPA for Bright Futures Scholarships?

If all these numbers sound like gibberish, let us give you the 411 and the 4.0 on your GPA!

GPA stands for grade point average. Your GPA is a numerical way of measuring academic achievement common in the U.S. When applying to a college or university, this is just one piece of the puzzle of admission. While your GPA is important, it is not the only thing that the admission panel will review. However, as a high school student, it’s important to know your GPA and how it is calculated.

For public and most private school students, this is easy as most schools will calculate this for you! However, as a Home Education online student, the parent is the school administrator and will be the one to calculate the GPA. As FLVS Flex is the curriculum provider, we do not calculate GPA.

You can calculate a general GPA by using this basic formula.  FLVS Flex and most public schools in Florida follow semesters/segments which makes it simple.  Be sure to include all the high school level courses that you have taken to factor your cumulative GPA!

For each semester (or segment) letter grade, use this point value:

• A=4.0
• B=3.0
• C=2.0
• D=1.0

Add up each semester/segment point value and divide by the total segment/semesters earned for your regular unweighted GPA.

For a weighted GPA, you can give yourself an extra .5 for honors courses and 1.0 for AP/Dual Enrollment/AICE courses. This is how students can have GPAs over a 4.0!

Here’s an example. In the first semester of 9th grade, Will earned:

It’s that simple! Making a simple table like this can be helpful as you approach your 11th and 12th grade year as you will have many grades to factor in!

Remember that this is just a general GPA! Every college/university will factor GPAs differently. Some schools will only include core courses and other schools will factor in all grades, including electives. Calculating your GPA can help you know where you are in regard to an overall view of your academic grades. If you are interested in applying for scholarships, or in NCAA eligibility, you must know your GPA to make sure you are meeting your goals!

Now you’re set! You have the 411 on the 4.0!

Anne Flenner, FLVS School Counselor, has worked to meet the academic, social, personal, and professional needs of FLVS students since 2011. Previously a school counselor in Alachua County, she has received several awards and serves on multiple state counseling boards and committees. She has a Master's degree in Counselor Education from UF. Anne loves working with student athletes, supporting college and career readiness, and focusing on student mental health and wellness.