Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated at the end of each quarter and semester for students in Rhetoric School. The quarterly GPA is used for determining eligibility for the Headmaster’s List and is recorded on the report card.
For students in Rhetoric School, an overall GPA is calculated at the end of each semester and recorded on the college transcript. The overall GPA is a useful calculation for determining the valedictorian and the salutatorian. The overall GPA is also required for consideration for admission to most colleges and universities. Due to the school’s smaller grade sizes, Geneva does not rank its students according to GPA. [The exceptions to this are for valedictorian, salutatorian, and automatic college admission status.]
In Rhetoric School, all courses except athletics are included in GPA calculation on the report card as well as the college transcript. In Rhetoric School, students passing an athletics offering are awarded credit (.5). The grade is recorded as “PASS” on the report card and college transcript but is not included in the calculation of the GPA or overall GPA.
Algebra I (8th grade), Conceptual Physics or IPC (8th grade), Latin IA (7th grade) and Latin IB (8th grade) are also recorded on the college transcript. Algebra I is included as it is recognized as a high school level class by most colleges and universities. Algebra I is a required course for graduation and so it is credited on the transcript. Latin IA and IB are also included since, together, they equal a year of high school level Latin and fulfill Geneva’s graduation requirement for one year of high school level Latin. As they apply toward the school’s graduation requirements, they are credited on the college transcript. However, as these courses (Algebra I, Lain IA, Latin IB) are not taken at the high school level, they are not included in the overall GPA calculation on the transcript.
GPA is calculated by multiplying the GPA values of the grades earned in the class by the appropriate weighted credits for the course, adding the calculated values and dividing by the sum of the weighted credits. The following is an example of the calculation of GPA at the end of a semester:
| COURSE | COURSE CREDIT | GRADE | GPA VALUE | FUNCTION | WEIGHTED SEMESTER CREDIT | CALCULATED VALUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra 2 | 1 | 95 | 4.0 | x | .5 | 2.0 |
| Band | .5 | 98 | 4.0 | x | .25 | 1.0 |
| Literature | 1 | 87 | 3.4 | x | .5 | 1.7 |
| History | 1 | 84 | 3.1 | x | .5 | 1.65 |
| Rhetoric | .5 | 92 | 3.7 | x | .25 | .925 |
| Yearbook | .5 | 97 | 4.0 | x | .25 | 1.0 |
| Chemistry | 1 | 89 | 3.4 | x | .5 | 1.7 |
| Latin 3 | 1 | 93 | 3.7 | x | .5 | 1.85 |
| Total | 3.25 | 11.725 | ||||
Grade: 11.725 ÷ 3.25 = 3.61
The overall GPA is calculated by adding all the calculated values at the end of each semester for courses taken in Rhetoric School at Geneva (except athletics) and dividing by the total of the weighted credits for the courses (again, excepting athletics). On the Geneva RS transcript, credits are earned on a semester basis, and thus, overall GPA is calculated from semester grades. In order to pass a course, a student’s average of both semester grades must be a 70 or higher.
Transfer credits are recorded on the college transcript and designated with the letter “T” but are not used in calculating the overall GPA. Only classes taken at Geneva are used in calculating the overall GPA.