Managing Your GPA

Maintaining a strong Grade Point Average (GPA) is be important because:

• Students with high GPAs may qualify for scholarships or graduate with honors.
• Employers may use GPA as a screening standard for job applicants.

You can keep a strong GPA by considering some of the following strategies:

Plan a manageable course load

• Don't take more credits than you can handle.
• You should plan to spend approximately 8-12 hours a week studying for a 4-credit semester course, maybe more depending on your assignments and experience with the subject.
• Taking three, 4-credit courses per term is the equivalent of a full-time job.

Check and follow prerequisites

Instructors expect you to know the material taught in prerequisite courses. Taking a course without taking the prerequisite almost guarantees that you will be lost, confused, and at a disadvantage compared to other students. Refer to the current college catalog or Web site for course prerequisites and descriptions.

Get help early and often

When struggling in a course, don't wait to get help. Seek out assistance immediately if personal issues, family difficulties, learning difficulties, career stress, or other difficulties are interfering with your ability to complete courses successfully.

• Talk with your instructors about why you are having difficulties--discuss options.
• Organize an online study group.
• Use tutors.
• Talk with your advisor about strategies.
• Seek assistance from counselors and advisors for study skills, time management, or personal and family issues.

Repeat courses if necessary

Students may repeat courses or other learning in which they receive grades of D, F or no competence. If learning is repeated, both the original and second grade are recorded on the transcript. The course that was previously taken is not counted in the GPA calculation but will count as an attempted but not completed course for calculations of satisfactory academic progress. There are other limits on repeating courses as well. Please see the ATC Student Handbook for more details.

Maintain a strong grade point average (GPA)

Grade point average (GPA) is a short-cut measure of how strong a student you are and determines your academic standing. The GPA scale is as follows:

Letter Grade	General Rating	Quality Point/Credit Hour
A	Excellent	4.0
B	Above Average	3.0
C	Average	2.0
D	Passing	1.0
F	Unsatisfactory	0.0