At Williston and almost every high school in America, there is an honor roll. Other prep schools such as Berkshire School, Northfield Mount Hermon School, and Wilbraham & Monson Academy determine their honor roll standard by GPA or letter grade average.

At Williston, though, those who makes the honor roll is determined a little bit differently.

Greg Tuleja, Williston’s Academic Dean, explains, “The minimum average for honors is 87% and minimum average for high honors is 92%. Both of those are weighted averages, meaning that for the GPA calculation, you get a five point extra bump for all honors and AP courses.”

In a recent survey of 127 Upper School students, The Willistonian asked whether or not the honor roll standards at Williston are fair. In response, 47% of the students said yes, it is challenging to earn honors at Williston, while 53% said it is not challenging.

A common response from survey respondents noted that determining whether or not honors is challenging to earn depends on what type of student you are, what kind of effort you put in, and what courses you take.

An anonymous survey respondent wrote, “Getting honors largely depends on two aspects: courses and effort. Indeed, some courses are easy which may help boost your average, but more of them are really challenging. Thus, if I say getting honors is easy, it is not fair for the students who take hard courses. Obtaining honors still requires effort.”

Another respondent noted, “It really varies on the course-load you may be taking. The kid taking four APs may have a harder time maintaining honors versus the kid taking a much less challenging course load.”

The standard for the honor roll is defined by the Academic Standards Committee which consists of Mr. Tuleja, all six department heads, Associate Academic Dean, Kim Evelti, Associate Head of school, Jeffrey Ketcham, the Middle School Director, Jen Fulcher and other administrators. This committee discusses everything concerning academics, including where to set the bar for honors and high honors. During this year’s cycle the committee will be reexamining these standards.

Mr. Tuleja explains that the standard for honors was not always this high. He says, “Back in the day, in the 80s, the averages were 83 percent and 88 percent. But the honor rolls back then started to grow, and more and more students got on the honor rolls. So, one response to that was actually something that I initiated with the Academic Standards Committee; we raised the honors levels to 85 percent and 90 percent.”

Mr. Tuleja continues, “When the averages are raised, the immediate result is that the honors lists go down a bit right away. Over time, it goes back up, so we have actually done that twice. The last time we did it [raised the requirements] was about four years ago to 87 percent and 92 percent.”

In Trimester I of the 2015-16 academic year, over 60 percent of the upper school achieved honors or high honors.

So, why talk about moving the standard if the school wants students to strive for honors?

Mr. Tuleja notes, “It’s not that we don’t want a lot of students on the honor roll, but the numbers got so large that it didn’t make any sense for us to have an honor roll that large. We’re getting to the point, where that method of control and deciding the honor rolls is not going be effective anymore. So, we are just talking about that.”

In the survey The Willistonian conducted, students were asked if they think making honors is important. Most students expressed that making honors is important to them because it helps to get into college or because their parents want them to make honors. Few, if any, responses from students stated that they make honors for themselves.

An anonymous survey respondent wrote, “My parents worked hard for me to come to this school. They look at my grades as a direct reflection of how I am doing, handling the sports with school, and being away from home. I want to show I can do things on my own, and it’s also very important for colleges.”