Depending on whether your high school runs on a trimester or semester schedule you will receive letter grades at the end of each session. High school is when your grades really start to impact your future.

Grade Point Averages (GPA) are one major criterion that colleges and employers will look at to evaluate your potential. Most schools across the country follow a four-point system. The closer you are to a ‘4’ (or an A in the letter grading system) at the end of the trimester/semester and school year the better. Those pluses and minuses on your letter grades in each class also count and can be important in boosting your cumulative GPA, which represents the total of all grade points you earn throughout your high school career.

Your GPA can also be a major factor in which colleges, educational and certificate programs, scholarships, and internships you will be eligible for after graduation. Keeping your grades up will give you the widest array of opportunities for taking the next step in your education and career after high school.

Check out why your GPA matters, how it’s calculated, and what you can do to improve it.  Then use the Next Step’s GPA calculator to find out where you stand.

What is a GPA and Why Does It Matter?