Join the conversation about the GRADE pilot
Learning today.Opportunities tomorrow
GRADE connects academic achievement with education after high school. We're building a program that rewards verified semester grades, helps students understand their strengths, and lowers future college costs.
We're starting with a pilot to test the rules and make sure the program is clear to students and families.
A message from our ambassador
Hi! I'm Victoria Vengina, a student at Corona del Mar and a GRADE ambassador.
Since the start of 2026, I've received at least a hundred letters and brochures from colleges. Some are famous. Others I'd never heard of. All of them want me to be their student.
I only kept some of them. This stack alone weighs four pounds.
By a rough estimate, designing, printing, and mailing one brochure probably costs $1.50 to $2. That's $150 to $200 for a hundred of them. Just to reach my mailbox.
Making the paper for this stack took about 40 gallons of water. Most of it is returned to the environment. Production and delivery generated roughly nine pounds of CO₂-equivalent emissions.
Now think about one graduating class at CDM. About 370 students. If each of us gets a stack like this in a year, and the paper is made from virgin fiber, that takes wood from roughly twelve trees. Every year, another class. More brochures. More trees.
At that rate, it's more than 120 trees over ten years. A whole grove. Just for mailings to graduates of one high school.
Colleges, you write to us about the future. Let's start making a difference together, right now.
Join GRADE.
We're building a program where students earn GRADE for verified strong grades at the end of each semester. Partner colleges would be able to accept GRADE toward tuition discounts, on terms they set themselves.
Use part of your mailing budget to support students and recognize our achievements. Help us pay for college. Show us that our hard work matters.
I want to build my future. And I'd like more trees to still be standing when I get there.
If this message saves even one tree, it will have been worth recording.
Who GRADE helps
Each participant has a different role. GRADE brings them together around a student's path through education.
For students
Recognize your achievements, set your next goal, and see how your schoolwork connects with your future choices
Explore GRADE for students
For parents
Support your child's independence and explore their options after high school ahead of time
Explore GRADE for parents
For schools
Add meaningful recognition to the grades students already earn and help them talk through their next steps
Explore GRADE for schools
For colleges
Get to know prospective students through their interests, academic preparation, and fit with your program
Explore GRADE for colleges
For sponsors and communities
Help GRADE grow and expand educational opportunities for students
Explore ways to helpTurn academic achievement into new opportunities
GRADE starts with a final semester grade verified by your school. A qualifying result in even one course is enough to earn a reward.
Finish the semester
Your school assigns final grades using its usual policies. Those verified results are the starting point.
Earn GRADE
Your final grade and course level determine the reward. You can see exactly which class and semester it came from.
Build toward new opportunities
Your rewards add up, and your record of courses and results helps you understand your academic preparation.
Use it after high school
After graduation, you'll be able to use GRADE to lower college costs.
| Semester grade | Reward |
|---|---|
| A in a standard course | Base reward |
| B in AP or Honors | Same base reward as an A in a standard course |
| A in AP | 25% above the base reward |
| A in Honors | 12.5% above the base reward |
What 1 GRADE means
1 GRADE gives you $100 in college savings.
Know your strengths
Choose your next step
Your academic record helps you see your strongest subjects, explore areas that interest you, and understand the preparation you've already built.
GRADE's academic profile and personal assistant help you choose courses and educational programs.
Your academic profile
Your courses, their levels, and verified results build a clear record of your progress.
Prepare for what's next
See what you need to learn for a field that interests you and what you can work on next semester.
Make an informed program choice
Compare programs based on what you'll learn, their requirements, and the college savings available through GRADE.
This is part of our plan for GRADE. We'll add features and tools as the project develops.
How GRADE helps in practice
Doing well in one subject earns a reward
A student finishes the semester with an A in one course.
That achievement earns GRADE.
1 GRADE helps you save $100 on college.
A challenging course earns more
An A in an AP course earns a 25% larger reward.
An A in an Honors course earns a 12.5% larger reward.
A B in AP or Honors also earns the base reward, just like an A in a standard course.
Rewards help lower college costs
Each reward stays in the student's account.
1 GRADE helps you save $100 on college.
After graduation, the GRADE you've earned helps lower college costs.
Questions you might have
Do I need straight A's to earn GRADE?
Rewards are calculated course by course. A strong final grade in even one course earns GRADE.
Can I earn GRADE for every test?
Rewards are based on final semester grades. A strong result in a course earns GRADE.
Can I use rewards before I graduate from high school?
The GRADE you've earned helps lower college costs after high school. Until graduation, you build up rewards and learn more about your strengths.
How can 1 GRADE help after high school?
1 GRADE helps you save $100 on college.
What does the pilot offer?
The pilot introduces students, families, and schools to semester rewards, $100 in college savings per GRADE, and a path to education after high school.
Is there a fee to participate?
Basic participation is free for students, schools, and colleges.
Let's talk about your next step
Choose your role and tell us what you'd like to know about family participation, a school pilot, a college partnership, or supporting GRADE.