High School: Do Those Freshman Grades
Really Matter?
For many students, the transition to freshman year of high
school is filled with worries about social life, complicated
schedules, and finding the right way to class. Somewhere
along the way, concerns about quality of work and first and
second quarter grades can get pushed down low on the list of
priorities. At year's end, many rising sophomores are
stunned by the fact that their 4.0 in eighth grade slipped to a
3.0 or 2.5. But a surprising question some counselors and
parents hear from students is "do those freshman grades really
matter?"
According to several educational consultants and guidance
counselors we interviewed, simply put....yes, all grades
matter. But some point out that colleges can be somewhat
forgiving of those first high school grades. Dr. Michele
Hernandez told us, "While freshman grades are important to set
the tone for HS, colleges look at grade trend, so the
important thing is to improve each year and to take more and
more challenging courses." Many high school counselors we
spoke with agreed, but with a caveat. As one said, "This
is a very competitive market at the moment. While many
colleges may forgive a less than stellar freshman year, they
don't
have to. If you have your heart set on an ivy or top tier
school, numbers matter. While there are many other factors
involved in getting that acceptance letter, GPA is certainly
among the top factors looked at by just about every college out
there."
Amy Fleming, of Admissions Consultants, also stressed the
importance of grades and GPA. Fleming explains, "Most
college applicants do not understand that even senior grades are
a huge factor in the admissions process. Admissions
Counselors are looking for threads in a student's record that
weave together the whole student. There is also the factor
of the overall GPA, which is calculated beginning with the
freshman year." Fleming asserts that while it's good to
see progress, to know who a student was and has become, "coming
from C's to B's will not be impressive as maintaining B's and
A's all along."
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