George Walton Comprehensive High School - Student Life

Student Life

Walton High School contains about 2,800 students in grades 9–12, making it the 4th-largest school in Cobb County. The class of 2012 has 680 students in its class. The class of 2006 contained 572 students, 95% of whom enrolled in a 4-year college or university. The ethnic composition of the school is approximately 79% white, 15% Asian, 4% black, and 2% Hispanic. The average income in the area is over $140,000. These figures are at least partially due to the many families that move to the district primarily for the educational opportunity.

Most Walton students take 6 classes a semester, making 7 periods a day, including 1 lunch period usually either 3rd, 4th, or 5th. Some students opt to forgo lunch, or "audit," in place of another academic or elective class. Seniors are allowed the option of "Minimum Day" in which students may only take 5 classes (dropping a lunch period, as well) and leave to go to their occupation outside of school. Also, homeroom, or "advisement," is between 1st and 2nd period instead of before all classes like in most high school schedules.

Students and parents are also given access to grade, attendance, and behavior reports and updates online at the school website. This, along with the already large parent participation in school activities, organizations, and events, provided for even more parental involvement in each student's education.

Dodgen and Dickerson Middle Schools are Walton's feeder schools.

Walton has received national press attention for the intensity of the student attitudes; the students often taken an extra class before school ("zero period"), and every year, some take as many as seven APs, often skipping lunch to do so. A 4.28/4 is commonly the GPA cutoff for the top 10% of the class, and a 3.9/4 for the top 25%.

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