Grades and Grade Point Averages

Most courses at Believers Academy (the exception being courses graded on a pass/fail basis) are graded on a scale of 0-100. Grades are recorded as both percentage points and as letter grades according to the following standard scale:

• A grade of 90-100 is equal to an A
• A grade of 80-89 is equal to a B
• A grade of 70-79 is equal to a C
• A grade of 60-69 is equal to a D
• D A grade of 0-59 is equal to an F

 

Letter grades, in turn, are converted to grade points which are used to calculate a student’s grade point average (GPA).  A student earns 4 grade points per credit hour for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C, 1 for a D, and 0 for an F.  Thus a he gains 12 grade points for an A in a 3 credit hour course, 9 for a B, and so forth.  The semester GPA, in turn, is calculated by dividing the total grade points earned by the total credit hours attempted (or, in the case of junior high courses, hours per week of instruction given in the course).  A student attempting 12 credit hours (4 standard secondary courses) and earning one A, two Bs, and one C would receive a total of 36 grade points (4 X 3 + 3 X 3 + 3 X 3 + 2 X 3) divided by 12, resulting in a GPA of 3.00 (36/12).  Honors courses have a higher grade value and earn an extra grade point at each level except failing, meaning that an A earns 5 grade points, a B earns 4, a C earns 3, a D earns 2, but an F still earns 0 grade points.  The cumulative GPA is calculated in the same manner:  the total of all grade points earned (for example, in all high school courses attempted at BA) is divided by the total of all hours attempted.

No course grades of record in excess of 100 are awarded, although a cumulative GPA in excess of 4.00 is possible due to the value differential between standard and honors courses.  Any cumulative GPA above 4.00 would be considered equivalent to an A+.  Other grades recognized by the academy are I (incomplete), WP (withdrew passing) WF (withdrew failing), and P (passing, a grade possible only for a restricted number of courses, such as secondary P. E., which are graded on a pass/fail basis; the passing standard in pass/fail courses is 70 or above).  Grades of I, WP, WF, and P are not calculated into the student's GPA at any time, nor will grades associated with credits transferred to BA be included in the determination of a student's GPA.

The GPA for high school credit-bearing courses is calculated independently of the GPA for junior high courses.  The junior high GPA will be used solely for determining a student’s academic standing

Specific criteria for assessing grades in any given course will be defined by the instructor in that course.  All such criteria must honor any standards, requirements or limitations imposed by curriculum guides and other relevant policies for the establishment of grading criteria within a given course.