Hey everyone! I might be transferring to a different high school next semester and I'm kinda worried about how this will affect my cumulative GPA. Will my grades start fresh or will my previous grades come with me? How do colleges view this on my high school transcript?
Hello there! The transition between high schools can certainly be concerning, but I'm here to help ease your worries. Typically, when you transfer schools, your grades from your previous institution are included in your cumulative GPA at your new school.
That being said, the way grades are calculated can differ from one school to another, depending on their grading policies. For example, if your old school used a different weighting system for AP or honors classes, your new school might recalculate your GPA based on their own system.
Colleges understand that transfers happen and they are quite adept at interpreting transcripts from multiple schools. They'll view your academic record holistically, taking into account the context provided by each school. It's important that your new school includes a profile explaining their grading system, which colleges will use alongside your transcript from your previous school for a comprehensive review.
Rest assured, the admissions teams are experienced in dealing with this, and it will not put you at a disadvantage. If you're concerned, you can explain the transfer in your application, but usually, the transcript and school profiles provide enough context.
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