HHS Academic Achievement Recognition

Internal Recognition: The Laude System

• Laude Honors: The Laude System acknowledges students for their academic excellence based on the difficulty of their coursework, including courses that allow students to earn postsecondary credit (e.g.; Advanced Placement (AP), Project Lead the Way (PLTW), transcripted, and dual-credit courses). Students will be honored at graduation with honors such as Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude, depending on their academic performance and course selection.
• Calculation of Laude Score: The Laude score will be calculated at the end of the first semester of the senior year, using the student's unweighted GPA at the end of their first semester and the Laude points earned throughout their high school career. To qualify for Laude honors, students must meet a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 at the end of the first semester of the senior year and earn at least 7 Laude points by the end of the senior year.
• Graduation Speaker: The senior class academic speaker will be selected from students who have earned Summa Cum Laude honors and submitted a speech for consideration. This process reflects the importance of recognizing those who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement throughout their high school career. 

External Recognition: Class Rank and Weighting Grades

In compliance with Wisconsin Act 95, Hudson High School is required to calculate class rank for the purpose of guaranteed admission to select UW system schools. This law also mandates that academic performance be considered when awarding class rank, which includes the use of weighted GPA for specific courses.

• Weighted Grades: For courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit courses (designed in partnership with University of Wisconsin institutions), and Project Lead the Way (PLTW). These courses are approved by the UW system and are aligned with university-level expectations and contribute to a higher GPA for students who excel in them.
• Transcripted Courses: Count for both high school and technical college credit. These classes do not receive weighted grades because they are not part of the UW system. 
• Class Rank for Wisconsin Act 95: Class rank is calculated based on weighted GPA to comply with Wisconsin Act 95 starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The top 5% and top 10% of students are identified in the graduating class. Weighted GPA will also be used for the Wisconsin Academic Excellence Award. 
• Rank Tie Breakers: In the event of a tie in Class Rank, the following tie-breakers will be used in this order:

1. Weighted cumulative GPA
2. WI State ACT score from the spring of the junior year completed at Hudson High School
3. Laude points - total earned by the end of the junior year

• Academic Scholarships: Some collegiate institutions do no "unweight" the GPA of applicants during the academic scholarship process. By providing a weighted GPA, students are not at a disadvantage when competing for academic scholarships.

Scholarships and Additional Recognition

• Local Scholarships: When applying for local scholarships, committees will consider a range of factors beyond GPA and class rank, including leadership, community service, personal essays, and more.