Entering high school also means that a student can enter Honors and AP classes. Entering high school also means that students start to get more serious because they are told that colleges look at grades starting from high school.
Because colleges determine jobs, and their incomes, and possibly their life plans, their grades and overall GPA need to be as high as possible.
![GPA For Regular, Honors, and College [Source: gpacalcalculator.net]](http://www.jstudentboard.com/reporter/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/10-18-honors.jpg)
[Source: gpacalcalculator.net]
Honors and APs raise overall GPAs–and colleges love it–but here is the risk: getting a B is Honors/AP is like getting an A in a regular class. Only by getting an A in these advanced classes will students get the GPA raise they are taking the class for. This means that the students need to be thoroughly prepared to take such hard-working classes.
Here is the important question: when it comes to college applications, is it better to get an average grade on a tough honors/AP class, or an outstanding grade on an easier, non-honors class?
Most colleges only want the applying student’s Unweighted GPA, so AP class grades will not raise your GPA–that is your weighted GPA–but taking AP classes are charming to colleges.
Students want to get the best grades possible- but taking hard classes may drop the shiny A’s. But students also don’t want to be taking the easiest classes possible either. It’s risky business–a risk that students will have to decide for themselves to see whether or not the risk is worth it.
