STUDENTS Speak Up for Kids

View Original

Student Success

Being a student is more than just grades and coursework.

While grades are important, there are multiple things that lead to being a successful student. This section will look at different pieces that come together to help you be a well-rounded student.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

  • GPA is a way that your school will measure how well you are doing in your classes.

  • GPA is important because it can help you get into certain colleges/vocational schools and programs.

  • GPA is not the only factor that colleges, vocational schools and other programs consider.

  • GPA is the average of all your classes. If you struggle in a few classes along the way, it’s okay. You can still have a good GPA if some classes are more challenging for you because there may be other classes that you are really strong in.

Types of Classes (for highschoolers)

This section will describe different types of classes that can be taken in high school and why you might want to take them.

To the right you can find information about each type, and below that there will be a summary of these classes for you to compare them quickly.

Extracurriculars

Another part of your school experience are things that you do outside of academics.

This can include clubs (like debate, National Honor Society etc), sports, or anything else that you are involved with outside of your classes.

If you are in high school, these can help round out your college applications (they don't just care about how well you do in classes, they are also interested in what things you might be passionate about, and things like sports and certain clubs can help you get scholarships and/or increase your chances of being accepted at certain colleges).

If you are in college, extracurriculars can help you get involved on campus, and can give you experiences that help prepare you for your future career (leadership skills, networking etc).

Sources

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-aice-diploma/curriculum/

https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/dualenroll/steps.aspx

https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/dualenroll/documents/DE_Gen_Ed_Checklist_V1.pdf