What is Honor Roll in Middle School?

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When it comes to preparing your child, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything you can, right? That means you want to make sure that you are helping them with their classes when they get stuck and helping to develop a love of learning. But does all of that really matter? Is it essential in middle school?

See, at every grade level, your child has the ability to get put on the honor roll. That includes middle school. But does it really even matter? Is it vital for them to make the honor roll? You may not think so, or maybe you do think so. But you might not really know for sure.

Well, we’re going to talk about the honor roll and just what it could mean for your child, even when they’re still in middle school. Because the short answer is you should be thinking about the honor roll long before your child gets into high school because there’s more to it than just getting into a good college.

What Does Honor Roll Mean in Middle School?What Does Honor Roll Mean in Middle School?

Honor roll in middle school is actually the same as what it is in high school or any other grade level. It means that your child has done well in their classes and gotten high grades, for which they are being recognized. For most schools, there is an honor roll, and then there will be other levels that are high honors or highest honors.

In general, honor roll means that your child has done better than average in their classes. This doesn’t mean that they have higher grades than half of their classmates (though they might). It means that they have achieved a specific GPA or specific average for all of their grades across each of their classes.

But the importance of the honor roll in middle school is something else entirely. When your child gets honor roll in high school, it means that they have a higher GPA, and those grades are going to help them get into an excellent high school. On the other hand, for a middle school student getting on the honor roll can be a little different.

Middle school grades don’t count toward your child’s final GPA when they apply to college. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t necessary. Getting on the honor roll means that your child is spending their time and effort on their education, and that is important. It means they are getting grades that are above the median, generally A’s and B’s.

When they do get on the honor roll, it shows that they care about their grades and their studies in general, and that is teaching them things they’ll definitely still need to use when it comes to high school and preparing for college. It sets a good standard and a good precedent for them in ways that will help them throughout the rest of their life.

What is a High Honor Roll in Middle School?

What is a High Honor Roll in Middle School?

If you already know about the honor roll, you may also want to take a look at the high honor roll. This is slightly different from the standard but not as much as you might think. In fact, high honor roll means that your child has not only exceeded the average but has done better than most in their education.

In general, high honor roll means that your child has gotten all A’s or a higher GPA even than those on the standard honor roll. This is important because it means that your child has done even better in their classes and that they are excelling in all of their subjects. While it’s possible to make the honor roll with mostly excellent courses and one or possibly two average classes, it is not possible to get high honor roll without excelling in all areas.

Not all schools offer this specific level of achievement. Though it’s possible to get in high school, some elementary and middle schools opt to have an honor roll and to include all students who do well on that same honor roll. This leaves all other students off the honor roll but also does not reward higher levels of excellence.

Why is Honor Roll Important?

Why is Honor Roll Important?

When it comes to honor roll in high school, it’s important because it means that your child has a higher GPA or grade point average. The higher their GPA, the better chance they have of getting scholarships or being accepted into the college or other program that they want to attend after high school.

When we talk about getting on the honor roll in middle school, however, we’re talking about setting themselves up for success in the future. Children who make the honor roll in their younger years are more likely to make it also when they get into high school. This is because the learning and study strategies that they learn at younger ages will stick with them.

If your child learns how to study well so that they can get good grades, it’s unlikely that they will change the way that they study (unless they start to do better) as they continue on through middle school and into high school. The rewards that they receive from doing well will be enough incentive for most to continue.

Middle school honor roll criteria is designed to push students to want to do better because it gives them something that not everyone else has. Getting on the honor roll shows others that you are smart and that you are good at what you do. This can be extremely rewarding for many students and makes them more likely to keep trying. Students who haven’t made the honor roll before are also more likely to push themselves so they can make it onto this list.

What Grades are Considered Honor Roll? 

What Grades are Considered Honor Roll? 

The specific cutoff for honor roll grades is different from one school to the next. Some schools will set the cutoff at a B average, which means that students are able to get on the honor roll even if they have a C in one class. This comes out to an average of approximately 85% over all of their classes and includes core and elective courses.

Other schools require students to have only A’s and B’s in order to make the honor roll, which means even if they have an 85% (or higher) average, they would not be able to make the honor roll with a C grade in any class. Still, other schools might have a separate honor roll for students who make all A’s and B’s compared to those who make the general honor roll.

Also, as mentioned, some schools will have a high honor roll. This goes by different names with different schools, but in general, it’s the students who rank the highest in the grade. This honor roll generally requires students to achieve an A average, which means that they have a 90%+ overall. This is the highest honor level available for middle school students.

Once students get into high school, there are three different levels of ‘honors’ that are possible, though they are generally only used when the student graduates from high school. These are cum laude (with honors), magna cum laude (with high honors), and summa cum laude (with highest honors). These distinctions are not commonly used for middle school students.

What GPA Makes Honor Roll in Middle School?

What GPA Makes Honor Roll in Middle School?

When we look at the specific GPA that students typically have when they make the honor roll, this too will vary based on the school that the student is attending. As with the grade levels that we mentioned above, different schools will have different rules for the GPA that you need to achieve in order to make the honor roll.

For a standard honor roll, the GPA will be approximately a 3.0, which is what you would get if you were to have a B average in your classes. Getting higher than a 3.0 would be a better option, however, as some schools have a cutoff at a 3.5, which means that you would have a high B average.

Other schools might set only a single honor roll, and it can sometimes be a high standard. For these schools, you may need to get higher than a 3.5 in order to achieve honors or in order to get to the high honor standard (if your school has that distinction). This could mean a 3.5 to a 3.7 GPA, which would be a low A or high B average instead of a solid B.

If you’re looking to get the highest level of honors possible (if your school offers such a thing), you may want to go for an all A honor roll. This would require a GPA that’s in the high 3’s or even a straight 4.0 in order to achieve. Not all schools offer any unique distinction for this level of achievement, but it is a great accomplishment for any student.

How to Get on Honor Roll in Middle School?

How to Get on Honor Roll in Middle School?

So, if you’re interested in getting on the honor roll in middle school or you want to help your child get on the honor roll, just what do you need to know? You need to know that it’s going to be hard. And that it’s going to require effort and time. Your child is going to be required to study hard in order to make it, and that might be harder for some students than others. You’ll also want to take a look at these tips.

Start early.

If you get your child studying routinely from the start, it’s going to be a whole lot easier for them to stick with it. So, start them out when they’re in elementary school and right away in middle school. This will get them used to the idea that they need to study rather than springing it on them later.

Make studying a priority.

Working with your children to see studying as crucial for their future and their present is another big thing. You want to make sure that they understand the grades they get now are going to reflect on the rest of their education and even the rest of their lives.

Keep the pressure balanced.

There’s a certain level of pressure that you may want to put on your children to get good grades but make sure you’re not getting too overwhelmed. If you put too much pressure on your children, it could actually backfire or cause problems for them or for your relationship. So make sure you push them but not too far.

Give them the tools they need.

Make sure your child has the tools they need in order to study. That means working with them if you have the time or finding someone else that can work with them if you don’t. It means making sure that they have the time to study at least a little while each day.

Set up, study groups.

Set up study groups for your child with other classmates or even with people in the neighborhood or from other schools. There are often tutoring programs that you can sign your child up for, or you can set up informal study sessions that will help them make friends and get some studying done at the same time.

Get help quick.

If your child is struggling with something in one of their classes, don’t try to stick it out or push through it. Instead, help them out right from the start. Most of their studies, and especially math classes, are going to build on what they learn earlier on. If they don’t have a strong foundation, it’s going to give them a more challenging time later on when they need to use that knowledge for something else.

Don’t give up.

Your child may not make the honor roll every marking period or semester. But the important thing is that they keep trying and keep working their hardest. By doing that, they’re going to set themselves up better for the next semester and the one after that.

Wrapping Things Up: What is Honor Roll in Middle School?

The honor roll in middle school is all about your child getting the best grades that they can and showing that they can achieve better than average. Honor roll gives them a distinction that shows they are smart and put in a lot of effort and time to prove it. Not only that, but it’s going to set them up with skills they can use for the rest of their lives to keep getting better.

If you found this post helpful, you’re definitely going to like our other middle school study tips here.

> How to Motivate Yourself to Study?

> How to Reduce Test Anxiety for Middle School Students?

> What to Expect in Middle School?

Picture of Professor Conquer
Professor Conquer

Professor Conquer started Conquer Your Exam in 2018 to help students feel more confident and better prepared for their tough tests. Prof excelled in high school, graduating top of his class and receiving admissions into several Ivy League and top 15 schools. He has helped many students through the years tutoring and mentoring K-12, consulting seniors through the college admissions process, and writing extensive how-to guides for school.

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