Freshman Year Timeline
Ninth Grade Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA? Which one does a college look at? What is class rank?
All classes count in high school – you will earn a credit for each class you take. Every final grade a student earns in a course is assigned a quality point based on the chart below. Your grade point average is a cumulative average of all of the quality points you have earned in high school.
Number Grade Standard Honors AP
90-100 4 4.5 5
80-89 3 3.5 4
70-79 2 2.5 3
60-69 1 1.5 2
0-59 0 0 0
Weighted GPA takes into account weighted grades that are awarded in Honors and AP level courses. An unweighted GPA is calculated as if Honors and AP courses do not receive any extra quality points (all classes on a 0-4 scale). Most colleges will look at your weighted GPA first, and weighted GPA is used to determine class rank. Class rank compares your weighted GPA to that of everyone else’s in your graduating class. GPA and rank are re-calculated twice a year, near the beginning of fall semester and at the end of the school year.
I took Spanish/Math I/French I in middle school. Does that count as a credit?
Yes. If you took a high school course for credit in 8th grade, it fulfills that graduation requirement and counts as one high school credit. However, those grades do not get calculated into high school GPA.
I thought world languages were required to graduate?
Students are not required to take two units of a world language to graduate from high school. However, most colleges and universities, including all UNC system schools, do require two units of a world language to be considered for admission, so we recommend that students who are interested in college take at least two world language credits.
What are the requirements to get into XXX college/university?
Any student who is given a NC high school diploma will have met the minimum course requirements for the UNC system public colleges. It is very important that as you begin to explore other schools, you pay attention to their admission requirements and plan accordingly throughout high school. All states have different requirements, as do many private universities.
What is a good medical school/law school/college for theatre/college for biomedical engineering, etc? What college should I go to? What can I do now to get ready for college?
There are so many colleges to choose from, and so many factors to keep in mind: size, location, cost, programs, admissions requirements… The most important thing as a freshman and sophomore is to work hard in your courses and keep your grades up. We also encourage all students to get involved outside of the school day – whether it is sports, clubs, a job, community service or internships. This will ensure that as you get close to applying for colleges, you have lots of options. Naviance is a great place to start for college searches. Your school counselor will have knowledge of state school requirements, but due to the ever changing nature of college admissions, individual school websites and admissions offices are the most up-to-date source of information on a college.
What is Naviance? How to do I get in to it? How should I use it as a freshman?
Naviance (https://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/) is a career and college planning website that is available to all AK students. It allows to you research colleges and universities across the country, and also has some other great features like career searches and resume builders. All freshman should have set up their Naviance account during homeroom at the beginning of the year. Your username is your personal email address and your password is your student ID number. If you can’t access your account, email your counselor and they can help you out.
Some good things to look at during 9th grade are
Resume Builder (can be saved and added to throughout high school). Find it in the About Me tab
Cluster Finder and Career Interest Profiler (to help search potential careers). Find them in the Careers tab.
College Research (get an idea of what certain schools require for admission, so that you can plan ahead). Multiple tools for this can be found in the Colleges tab.
What do colleges look at besides grades?
Each college has their own admissions process, but many consider (in no particular order): strength of schedule, grades earned, GPA, class rank, extracurricular activities, community service, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and student essays.
Is the SAT or ACT more important?
All colleges or universities will accept either SAT or ACT scores. The tests are organized and formatted differently, and many students do better on one than they do on the other. We recommend taking each test at least once, determining which one you did better on, and re-taking that test at least one more time. You will take the Pre-Act and the Pre-SAT at school during your 10th grade year, and if you take those tests seriously, they can give you a good indication of what skills you need to brush up on and which test you may be strong at. All students in North Carolina are administered the ACT during March of their junior year for free at school. All other SAT or ACT tests need to be scheduled individually by the student.
When is a good time to come see my counselor?
If you stop by Student Services before school, during your lunch, or after school, your counselor will let you know what a good time is. Counselors have morning and afternoon duties, and those locations are posted on the bulletin board in Student Services so that you know where to find them during those times. You can also email them to schedule an appointment. If it is an emergency, you can come see your counselor at any time.
How do I join a club? Do I have to join a club?
There is not a club membership requirement for high school graduation. We encourage students to get involved in extracurricular activities like volunteering, joining a club, or playing a sport during high school because students who are involved in their school and local community tend to be more successful in high school! Some students may not be a part of any AK clubs, but are involved in the community and work a part time job; some students spend most of their time at practice for their chosen sport; some students are involved in lots of clubs! Find something that you are interested in or passionate about. A full list of current clubs and organizations at AK, along with their faculty advisor, can be found on the AK website under Club Information.
Is community service required to graduate? How do I find community service opportunities?
There is not a community service requirement for graduation. Students who complete 25 hours of documented community service each year while at AK are recognized as part of our Knights In Action Program. More information about Knights In Action, including volunteering opportunities and information on how to log your hours, can be found at www.akvc3.com/KIA .