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Important Letter from Xavier Administrative Team
Hello Xavier Families,
As an administrative team, we wanted to share a change that will be implemented in the fall of 2025. After many conversations, over multiple years, we have decided to move away from the use of the A+ on our grading scale. This will not affect any GPAs calculated prior to the fall of 2025.
Research on having an A+ versus an A at the high school level indicates that while an A+ technically signifies a higher level of achievement, most colleges consider them essentially the same when calculating GPA. Additionally, some concerns arise regarding grade inflation and the pressure to achieve perfectionism that an A+ system can create among students, especially in highly competitive schools. Many colleges recalculate GPAs using their own scale while others focus on weighted GPAs and still others use unweighted GPAs, creating inconsistences. While a student’s GPA is certainly a factor in college admission, colleges are increasingly looking at many additional factors when reviewing a student’s file. These concerns along with research indicating increased unhealthy study habits, anxiety and working to achieve a grade at the expense of deeper learning all played into the decision to remove the A+ from our scale.
We realize that some may view this change as a shift in recognizing academic excellence. However, our goal remains to encourage deep learning and student well-being, while aligning with the practices of most colleges and universities. We will clearly communicate with colleges about these changes as well.
Deeper learning encourages the retention and transfer of knowledge, enabling students to apply what they've learned to new and diverse situations. This approach not only promotes a better understanding of material but also helps equip students to navigate and adapt to an ever-changing world, preparing them for future challenges and opportunities beyond the classroom.
-Xavier Administrative Team
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