The Chicago Reporter

    Okay, sure, if you don’t do well on your report card, your mom is going to go off like a bomb during The Blitz (that's a reference to Nazi Germany's bombing of downtown London and other parts of Great Britain during World War II for the few that are failing British History).

 

    Anyway, as I was saying, in high school everything revolves around your GPA (Grade Point Average) because that’s how colleges determine if you’re good enough to get in their school (along with standardized tests like the ACT and SAT). Also, with a lot of high schools, teachers don’t want the students to get in the habit of thinking that grades don’t matter. So, if you don’t pass both semesters of a subject then you'll probably have to take it again. However, just between you and me, all quarters count but the first semester is when you want to do your best. After that, you just keep up whatever habits brought you there. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to grades.

• Now here’s a caution for all students: Beware of Gradebook!
• Gradebook is a program designed so a parent can check their child's grades, attendance, and any assignments that the teacher has put in the system.
• Thanks to Gradebook, if you’re ever absent or cut class, your parents will know. And if you get a poor score on something then Gradebook can send a text or email to your parents’ phone (OMG!)
• When grades come out, don’t compare grades with other people because someone's gonna get jealous. You're just asking for a confrontation and who wants to deal with idiotic drama?

Okay, now this is the end of the freshmen portion of the "High School Survival guide," but don’t worry! I’ll be back soon with more posts trying to help everyone get through high school without needing a personal shrink for the rest of their life. So until next time, remember, if your hand ever gets stuck in a vending machine in between classes, don't ask your assistant principal for help -- he/she just might tease you about it for the rest of your life!

--Franchesca