A student who finishes the year with an average of 13 finds themselves in a gray area: too high to worry, too low to boast. The question arises every year as the results of the diploma or the baccalaureate approach, and the answer entirely depends on the exam taken. The thresholds for honors do not work the same way in middle school and high school, and a 13 does not have the same effect depending on the diploma aimed for.
National Diploma of the Brevet: why a 13 average does not guarantee an honor
In middle school, we often reason with an average out of 20, but the national diploma of the brevet operates on a total points system. The common core of skills, assessed by teachers, carries significant weight in the final calculation. The written exams and the oral exam are then added.
The result: a general average of 13 in middle school does not automatically correspond to an honor. The grading scale for the brevet awards honors based on the total number of points obtained, not based on an average out of 20. One can have a 13 average in their quarterly reports and still fall below the threshold for a fairly good honor at the brevet if the final exams are below.
To find out what honor can be aimed for with a 13 average, one must first distinguish between the class average displayed on the reports and the actual score obtained at the brevet. The two do not always overlap.
Fairly good honor at the baccalaureate: the exact threshold with a 13 average
In high school, the logic is clearer. Honors at the baccalaureate are awarded based on the overall average obtained in the first group of exams, on a simple scale:
- Fairly good honor: average between 12 and 13.99 out of 20
- Good honor: average between 14 and 15.99 out of 20
- Very good honor: average of 16 out of 20 or more
With a 13 average at the baccalaureate, one therefore receives the fairly good honor. No surprises here, the threshold is national and stable since the reform of the baccalaureate.
One detail changes everything: the honor is only awarded for the first group of exams. A candidate who scores 9.5 and then takes the retake exams and raises their average to 13 will be declared admitted, but without any honor. The retake eliminates the possibility of an honor, even if the final average exceeds 12.
Continuous assessment and final exams: how a 13 is achieved at the baccalaureate
Since the Blanquer reform, the average for the baccalaureate consists of two blocks. Continuous assessment represents 40% of the final grade. The final exams (French, philosophy, grand oral, two specialties) account for 60%.
A student with a 13 average can achieve this through very different paths. Someone who excels in continuous assessment with 14 or 15 in the core subjects can afford a slight dip in the final exams. Conversely, an irregular student in class but performing well on the day can compensate for a mediocre continuous assessment.
The coefficients of the specialties weigh the most in the final calculation. Each specialty exam carries a high coefficient, meaning that a 15 in a specialty raises the average much more than a 15 in moral and civic education.
For a student aiming for a good honor (from 14), moving from a 13 to a 14 general average often requires gaining a few points in the specialties or the grand oral, the most rewarding levers in terms of coefficients.
Honor at the baccalaureate and Parcoursup: what a 13 changes concretely
It is often said that honors matter for Parcoursup. Feedback on this point varies. In practice, Parcoursup examines the grades by subject, the teachers’ evaluations, the Avenir sheet, and the motivated training project. The honor itself does not appear in the file at the time of the admission phase, since the baccalaureate results come out after most responses.
However, a fairly good honor with a 13 average grants eligibility for the merit scholarship in certain cases. The criteria combine the honor obtained at the baccalaureate and the family’s financial conditions. The very good honor automatically triggers eligibility, but the fairly good honor can also come into play depending on the academies and local schemes.
For selective programs (preparatory classes, IEP, double degrees), the fairly good honor is not a blocking criterion. These programs mainly look at the grades from the first and final years, subject by subject. A 13 general average with a 16 in math specialty is not viewed the same way as a uniform 13 across all subjects.
Bank and mutual insurance bonuses for graduates with honors
Several banks and mutual insurance companies offer bonuses to graduates based on the honor obtained. The fairly good honor provides access to a first tier, generally lower than that of the good or very good honors. These offers change every year and vary by institution, but they exist and represent a small concrete financial bonus.
Middle school or high school: two systems not to be confused
The most frequent confusion remains that between the report card average and the exam average. In middle school, a 13 quarterly average does not say anything precise about the honor at the brevet until one has converted the skill evaluations into points. In high school, a 13 average at the baccalaureate gives the fairly good honor, without ambiguity.
The brevet and the baccalaureate do not use the same calculation method, and this is the source of most misunderstandings. A parent reading 13 on their child’s report in the third year cannot deduce the honor at the brevet. A high school student seeing 13 on their final reports can, however, anticipate the fairly good honor if this average is maintained in the final exams.
The most reliable way is to simulate one’s score with the actual coefficients of each exam. Several online simulators allow entering grades subject by subject and seeing where one lands. This is the only way to transform a raw average into a realistic honor forecast.