Beginning with the class of 2027, Latin has opted to reimplement grade point averages (GPAs) on end-of-year transcripts. This decision raises the question: Can a three-digit number capture four years of late-night studying, five-page essays, and nerve-wracking exams?
Historically, Latin used a GPA system; however, with the hope of elevating students’ well-being, Latin removed GPA from transcripts over a decade ago. Yet, even in recent years, when the physical number ceased to exist, the lingering effects of GPA calculations remained. Director of College Counseling Alexandra Fields said, “We still [had] Cum Laude, which is calculated by GPA, and we still [gave] an award to the person with the highest GPA in the graduating class, so there [was] also inconsistency, which to me always has felt unfair.”
The new policy shift will revert to the previous method of calculating GPAs. Latin will continue to use the weighted system they use for Cum Laude—which values AP and honors classes on a 4.5 scale as opposed to the typical 4.0—for the GPA shown on transcripts. However, Latin will still avoid using class rank on these documents.
Upper School Director Nick Baer explained the thought process behind the shift back to GPAs. He said, “We've definitely had conversations over the last few years, especially as more and more schools and programs [offered] either direct admit or scholarship programs [which required] GPA.”
Regarding these academic programs, the decision to send out GPAs on high school transcripts will ideally streamline the college process for students. In the past, Latin’s Upper School Office was forced to make exceptions to the no-GPA policy for students who were applying to certain schools or scholarships. These inconsistencies created frustration among students, families, and college counselors alike.
“There are programs and scholarship opportunities at schools that have direct admission that a student can qualify for if they have a certain GPA, which could be really appealing for some students,” Ms. Fields said. “It's also been a little tricky with our athletes, because [college recruitment] coaches [don't understand how Latin] doesn't have a GPA.”
With the return of GPA calculations, these complications will no longer harm students in the college process.
Weighing other considerations, administrators noted that while Latin’s changing GPA policy is significant, the effect for college admissions may be smaller than students anticipate—the number provided on transcripts still may not be the sole GPA that universities calculate. “The important thing is to note that even though we will now send GPA, many colleges do their own calculations,” Mr. Baer said. “They look at the transcript, they look at what they perceive to be the rigor of different classes, and then they have their own calculations.”
The GPA change also may not be as immediate as it seems—at the end of the 2025-26 school year, sophomores and juniors will see their calculated average on grade reports and transcripts, while seniors’ official transcripts will reflect the previous system. “We didn't want to surprise the seniors who have already started thinking about colleges," Director of Academic Affairs Ash Hansberry said. For the class of 2027, however, they added, “Junior year is important, so we wanted to make it clear for those folks.”
Understanding this importance, many juniors have been nervous about the changes. Junior Landry Silvers, for example, underscored the anti-GPA sentiment rippling through some Upper School students: “The new GPA system worries me because we will be the first grade [in recent years] it is in effect for, so we don’t know how that will affect our college admissions process,” he said.
However, not all students disagree with the new policy. Junior Sadie Lyons said, “The GPA system is really good because it gives everyone a fair shot at the colleges they want to go to”—alluding to the standardized numerical system that will be used to evaluate each student and show to colleges.
The College Counseling Office assures students that the change is not as chaotic or significant as it seems. “GPA is a numeric representation of your grades,” Ms. Fields said. “If your school doesn't give it, they just aren't giving the shorthand [of directly showing colleges one’s GPA ranking]. We used to be a school that didn't give a shorthand, and now we're giving a shorthand—that’s the only difference.”
Beyond technicalities, GPAs could enable students to understand their academic standing and address future problems related to unrealistic college expectations. “A lot of times, students don’t necessarily know where they fall in the class,” Ms. Fields said. “I’ll have to have a really hard conversation with them, and a GPA could actually provide some clarity."
Although GPA never fully left Latin, following students through various award systems, its official return still feels like a turning point, especially for those facing rapidly approaching college applications.
Ms. Fields reminded students not to panic and overwhelm themselves amid this uncertainty. She said, “The college process is an anxiety-inducing period, but the biggest thing to understand is that even though [the new GPA policy] seems like a big change, it's actually not.”
