Note: Private high schools and accredited home study programs must match their courses to the GaDOE’s course equivalent for HOPE Scholarship purposes.

Grades and Weighting

All grades earned (pass and fail) for attempted coursework in the core subjects during the student's 9th through 12th grade years that could be used to satisfy a core course graduation requirement, according to GaDOE, is equated to a grade on a traditional 4.0 scale to two decimal places, where an "A" equals 4.0, "B" equals 3.0, "C" equals 2.0, "D" equals 1.0, and "F" equals 0.  Note:  There is not a separate scale for grades that include a plus (+) or minus (-),  example “B-“ equals 3.0. 

Note: The high school HOPE GPA calculation will count all attempts of the same course, if taken more than once.

From the eligible core courses, any weighting added by the high school is removed, then half a point (0.5) is added back to grades of “B”, “C”, “D”, and “F” for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Dual Enrollment (DE) degree-level core courses.

Note: The grade of “A” does not receive the additional weight due to the traditional 4.0 scale (maximum of four points per grade).

Note: Honors coursework is not weighted.

Note: The HOPE Scholarship GPA calculation does not allow for any rounding.

Academic Rigor Requirements 

A student meeting the requirements to be a HOPE Scholar at the time of high school graduation must earn a minimum of four full rigor credits from the Academic Rigor Course List prior to graduating from high school.

Credits received for academic rigor courses must be from the categories below:

1. Advanced math, such as advanced algebra and trigonometry, math III, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution;
2. Advanced science, such as chemistry, physics, biology II, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution;
3. Foreign language courses taken at the high school, or taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution; or
4. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Enrollment degree-level core courses.

My High School HOPE GPA

Georgia public and private high school students may check their high school HOPE GPA calculation and status upon completion of the 9^th grade and by signing into their GAfutures account and select My High School HOPE GPA.

Example of a High School HOPE GPA Calculation:

Term GPA: 9 / 3 = 3.0 GPAThe grade value multiplied by the number of credit hours equals the number of quality points. The total quality points divided by the number of credit hours equals the grade point average.
*Students must meet all eligibility requirements to qualify for the Scholarship.