Why Loudoun Students May Start TJHSST With a Lower GPA

EduAvenues
Jul 17
3 min read

If you’re coming to TJHSST from a Loudoun County middle school or are currently a Loudoun student at TJHSST, there’s one detail about your transcript that’s easy to miss but worth understanding:

Algebra 1 and Geometry are not weighted as honors courses in Loudoun.

That means even if you took those classes early—like Algebra 1 in 7th and Geometry in 8th—you only receive regular (unweighted) GPA credit for them.

An A in Algebra 1 = 4.0
An A in Geometry = 4.0

By contrast, in Fairfax County, both Algebra 1 and Geometry are typically offered as honors, and earn 0.5 GPA weighting:

An A in Algebra 1 Honors = 4.5
An A in Geometry Honors = 4.5

So if a student from Loudoun and a student from Fairfax both took the same classes and earned the same grades, the Fairfax student will start high school with a higher weighted GPA.

This only applies to Algebra 1 and Geometry. Other courses—like Algebra 2, Precalc, APs, and DE courses—are weighted the same way in both counties.

Why This Matters for Loudoun Students at TJHSST

This comes into play once GPAs are calculated at TJ. Even though everyone starts fresh academically, TJ includes high school credit courses taken in middle school in your GPA—so if you took two math classes early (and most TJ admits did), you’re entering with fewer weighted points than many of your peers.

What You Should Take Away from This

This post isn’t meant to be a complaint—it’s just something most Loudoun students aren’t told before entering TJ. It’s useful to know:

You might see a lower starting GPA than students from Fairfax who took the same classes.
That’s not a reflection of your ability or effort—it’s a quirk of how courses are weighted differently across counties.
The gap evens out over time as everyone takes the same weighted courses at TJ.
This is also something you should consider before accepting your offer at TJ

TJ is an incredible school with unmatched STEM opportunities, advanced labs, and college-level classes. It just depends on whether this GPA detail changes how you want to approach your academic plans early on.

Final Thoughts

If you're coming from Loudoun, this GPA difference might catch you off guard—but now you know what causes it. This doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage long-term. As you take more AP and DE classes at TJ, your GPA has room to grow just like everyone else’s.

This is simply something students and families deserve to be informed about—so they can make better decisions, ask the right questions, and avoid confusion once high school starts.

TJHSST Students participating in annual MEX HOCO dance

FAQ

Q: Which Loudoun classes are unweighted?

Only Algebra 1 and Geometry. Even when taken in middle school for high school credit, Loudoun does not offer them as honors, so they earn regular (4.0 scale) GPA credit.

Q: Do Fairfax students really get more GPA points for the same grades?

Yes. In FCPS, Algebra 1 Honors and Geometry Honors add +0.5 to each A. So two classes = +1.0 GPA boost total before high school even starts.

Q: Is this a reason not to attend TJ?

Not necessarily. TJ still offers world-class opportunities, and this GPA difference becomes less relevant by junior year. But if early GPA matters a lot to you, it’s worth factoring in.