Academic Standing

Course Requirements

All HSLA scholars must enroll in a full course load every marking period. A full course load is defined as seven courses. Once a scholar has met the requirements for a particular department, they are no longer required to continue to enroll in courses within that department. 

Course Grades 

All core and elective courses in high school are graded on an A-F scale, except those that are listed as Pass/Fail. In each course, scholars have a course grade that is represented out of 100%. 

Performance Levels

Scholars’ course grades reflect their level of academic performance. Scholars are assigned a letter grade in each course that corresponds to their performance level using the cut scores below. 

• Note: The letter grade “C” or “Approaching Expectations” is considered passing.

Pass/Fail Courses

Some courses are graded on a Pass/Fail framework and reported as Pass/Fail on Report Cards and Transcripts. Courses graded in this framework are not included in the calculation of a scholar’s Grade Point Average (GPA). Scholars may apply these credits toward their graduation requirements.

Cumulative (Year-to-Date) Course Grades

Scholars’ cumulative course grades can be calculated based on the following policies, which vary based on course design.

Courses that culminate in an AP Exam:

The weights for AP courses that culminate in an AP exam are:

*Important Note(s): 

• Gr 12 scholars will not have the Official AP Exam included in their course grade, given that the scores are not returned until after graduation.

• For their courses, the weighted averages for courses that do not culminate in an AP Exam will apply. The AP Exam Score conversion will be as follows:

Courses that do not culminate in an AP Exam: 

There are three marking periods (trimesters), and they are weighted as follows in scholars’ cumulative course grades for courses that do not culminate in an AP Exam:

Grade Point Average (GPA) Breakdown 

A scholar’s GPA is a weighted average of all of their class grades (except those listed as Pass/Fail) based on the following scale. When a course is completed, a scholar receives a final course grade. All semester and final course grades are recorded on a scholar’s official transcript. To gain course credit, a scholar must receive a C- or above as the final course grade.

Core Grade Point Average (GPA) 

Each scholar’s core GPA is a representation of their performance in their core courses at any point in a given academic year or across their high school career. The core GPA is represented out of 4.0 and can be found by calculating the average GPA for all of a scholar’s course grades in their core courses. 

Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) 

Each scholar’s overall GPA is a representation of their overall performance in all of their courses at any point in a given academic year or across their high school career. The overall average is represented out of 100% and can be found by calculating the average of their course grades for all of a scholar’s courses.

Graduation Requirements

These requirements ensure that every HSLA graduate meets the minimum performance standards. Scholars may be on track to exceed these requirements at various points in their high school career and may ultimately exceed them within their senior year.

For scholars who began their HSLA career on or after June 22, 2024, to graduate from HSLA, they must fulfill the following course credit and exam credit requirements. 

Course Requirements: Scholars must earn a passing grade of 70% (C-) or higher in 26 courses as follows by the end of 12th grade. 

• Academic Core*: Pass four courses in each core subject: English, History, Math and Science

• Other Courses: Pass ten other courses

  • Three additional required academic courses***

    • AP Macro (History)

    • AP Art History (History)

    • AP CS P (Science)

  • Six additional electives** (Academic or Arts & Athletics)

  • One required course: SAT (G11)

• CAP (College Access and Preparedness)

External Exam Requirements: Scholars must meet the following performance standards on the required external exams before entering 12th grade:  

• AP Exams: Pass (with a score of 3 or higher) five different AP exams within the four academic subject areas during their high school career

  • *Note: Passing the AP World History Exam in G8 is not eligible as one of five exams.

• SAT: Earn a super score of at least 550 on the Math section AND 500 on the Verbal section

For scholars who began their high school career prior to August 2024 -- in the interest of continuity -- to graduate from HSLA, they must fulfill the following course credit and exam credit requirements (that were in place in SY 23-24 and earlier):

Course Requirements: Scholars must earn a passing grade of 70% (C-) in 23 courses as follows by the end of 12th grade.

• Academic Core*: Pass four courses in each core subject: English, History, Math and Science

• Other Courses: Pass seven other courses

  • Six electives (Academic or Arts and Athletics)*

  • One required course: SAT (G11)

• CAP (College Access and Preparedness)

External Exam Requirements: Scholars must pass five external exams before entering 12th grade. Regents Exams scholars took in Middle School also apply to the External Exam requirement.

Important Note(s):

• Scholars cannot repeat a course that they have already passed. This does not apply to non-graded courses, such as clubs.

• *The Academic Core requirement can be met with Academic Dual Enrollment courses.

• **The Additional Elective requirement can be met with Arts & Athletics Dual Enrollment courses, Elite Scholar Talent Teams, and select clubs that have been pre-approved for credit.

Courses Requiring Grades/Credit Governance

HSLA campuses offer both credit and non-credit-bearing courses.

Credit-bearing courses

Two types of credits can be earned, outlined below:

Non-credit bearing courses and schedule components

These elements of the schedule are not represented on scholar transcripts.

• All HSLA scholars will take a CAP (College Access and Preparedness) Course.

• HSLA scholar schedules include certain components for which scholars are not graded, such as advisory, lunch, and tutoring.

Dual Enrollment Credits

For Dual Enrollment, the external institution may provide a transcript. The transcript will indicate whether the scholar met that external institution’s requirements for passing the course and earning credit through the particular institution’s letter grading system. Institutions that do not provide a transcript will communicate the scholar’s Pass/Fail status to SA. 

Academic Honors

GPA Honors

In high school, scholars have the opportunity to be recognized each marking period as part of their school’s Dean’s List or Honor Roll. Please note: There is no rounding permitted for Dean’s List or Honor Roll. Eligibility must strictly follow the GPA requirements.

• Dean’s List: Scholars who have an overall GPA of 3.7+ in a given marking period.

• Honor Roll: Scholars who have an overall GPA of 3.5 - 3.699 in a given marking period.

Awards

Graduation Awards

At graduation, scholars can earn the following diploma designations, notated on their diplomas, to recognize cumulative academic achievement across their High School career. 

• Cum Laude: Scholars can earn one of the following distinctions on their diploma at graduation:

  • cum laude: Overall 3.6+ GPA

  • magna cum laude: Overall 3.7+ GPA

  • summa cum laude: Overall 3.8+ GPA

• Content Honors: Scholars can earn one or more distinctions on their diploma by earning a cumulative 3.6+ GPA within a given content area (Math, Science, History, English) by graduation.

• Honors STEM Distinction:

  • In SY 25-26: Taking and receiving an 5 or an A in 5+ AP Math or Science courses OR passing a Hunter or Columbia Dual Enrollment course. 

    • If scholars take Dual Enrollment in their senior year, they may only receive cords and get the distinction noted on their diploma, but it may not be included in the Commencement Program based on the timeline and availability of information.

Annual Awards

Each fall, high school scholars will be recognized and celebrated for earning awards for high performance on important external exams. 

• College Board AP Awards: The College Board offers the following three distinctions. The College Board notifies scholars on their July Score Report and via email in July if they earn an award based on their May AP exam performance. Note that these awards are cumulative (all exams taken to date) rather than exams from a single year. 

  • AP Scholar: 3-5 on 3+ AP exams

  • AP Scholar with Honor: Average of >3.25 on all AP Exams and 3-5 on 4+ AP exams

  • AP Scholar with Distinction: Average of >3.5 on all AP Exams and 3-5 on 5+ AP exams

• SAT Awards: 

  • 1500+ Award: For scholars who earn a superscore of 1500+

  • 1400+ Award: For scholars who earn a superscore of 1400+

  • 1300+ Award: For scholars who earn a superscore of 1300+

Academic Eligibility

Eligibility for Sports & Competitive Programs

We refrain from excluding high school scholars from school-based and network-based competitive teams whenever possible. However, we also expect scholars who participate on teams and in clubs manage their time to appropriately prioritize academics and maintain good academic standing. From an academic standpoint, scholars must maintain passing course grades (70% and above) in order to be eligible to play or participate in games, competitions, or events.