This year a bill was proposed out of the senate that would require school systems to provide parents with a HOPE GPA. There is no doubt that every parent and student needs to know an accurate calculation of the HOPE GPA. Fortunately, there is already a way you can see an accurate HOPE GPA for your student, and no laws had to be passed for you to have access to this information. It is quick and easy to do. On www.gacollege411.org, a student can see their HOPE GPA by going to the home page and logging in. Under the short cuts on the left hand side of the page, a student can click on "Your HOPE GPA."
If it is your first time accessing this information, you will be asked a couple of questions about connecting your account with Georgia Student Finance Commission. Answer yes to those questions and designate what high school you go to, and bam!, you will see your HOPE GPA. It is that simple. There are occasions where students cannot remember their user ID or password. There are steps to get that information or you can contact your student's counselor via email, and we can hook you up. Last, if you are logged in, and you still cannot view the HOPE GPA, it is most likely because you have not entered your Social Security Number in on the tab labeled "Your Profile" under the "Basics." After that is taken care of, you will have the keys to the GACollege411 Kingdom.
For added fun, right under the HOPE GPA, there is a link to view a detailed report of how the HOPE GPA is calculated. This is a copy of your student's transcript converted to a point system (A=4, B=3, C=2, and F=0) and shows the calculations- no mystery. If your student is a junior, he or she will need two "rigorous" courses. (Sophomores need three and freshmen need four.) Courses that the State considers rigorous are designated with an R. Don't worry too much about that; many of the required courses to graduate are considered rigorous. Classes like the third and fourth math, second level of foreign language, or Chemistry/Physics count as rigorous courses, not to mention APs and Dual Enrollment classes. Getting the HOPE is not a mystery and it is not something that happens by accident. What you don't know (or don't check) can be a heartbreaker right around graduation. There is no need to be surprised.
