Finding a solid C student might not be as simple as it seems these days.

In Everett, which is typical of many school districts, 32 percent of all high-school grades during the first semester of this year were A’s followed by B’s at 24 percent.

C’s accounted for just 16 percent of all grades. F’s, 11 percent, outnumbered D’s, 10 percent. Another 7 percent are “satisfactory” without a letter grade.

Yet the average schoolwide grade point average among large public high schools across Snohomish County ranged from a 2.34 to a 2.86, a C average, during the first semester, according to a Herald survey of school districts.

One slice of data can be interesting but doesn’t tell the whole story.

“It’s difficult to draw any conclusions without looking at the numbers more closely,” said Terry Edwards, executive director of curriculum for the Everett School District.

Still, looking at grade point averages closely shows trends: there is a wide gap between high- and low-achieving students; seniors tend to do better than underclassmen; and grade point averages vary from school to school.

Many factors figure into grades, from the difficulty of the subject to the maturity and work ethic of the student.

Teachers also have their own set of expectations and grading practices.

Earning enough credits remains the biggest obstacle to graduation, even more so than meeting senior project requirements and passing the state WASL reading and writing exams, Edwards said.

As it tries to improve on its on-time graduation rate, Everett has taken aim at reducing its number of students earning F’s.

Among freshmen, for instance, Everett’s percentage of students who passed all of their classes jumped from 64 percent to 76 percent between the first semester of 2006 and the first semester of 2007.

The number of juniors having earned all possible credits throughout their high school careers rose from 46 percent to 59 percent during that time.

Among the four grade levels countywide, the senior class had the highest schoolwide grade points in all 19 schools. The schoolwide senior averages ranged from 2.5 to 3.1.

School officials offer several explanations. Many low-achieving students drop out or enroll in an alternative high school. Seniors also understand the expectations placed on them, are more mature and organized, and can take more electives that they’re interested in.

At many schools, overall grade point averages climbed steadily by grade level. At Everett High School, for instance, the schoolwide grade point average during the first semester was 2.1 in ninth grade and 2.7 in 12th grade.

School leaders say some students simply take time to adjust to high school.

Patricia Sehlke, who works with young dropouts who enroll in a high school completion program at Everett Community College, believes some students are afraid to try hard.

She sees students do very well until the end of their first term, when they realize they’re succeeding.

“It seems that they see they can do it and it creates an expectation that, ‘I’m going to have to do this from now on,’ ” she said.

Some high school students with poor grades face personal challenges that make the classroom seem less important.

Jennifer Kylmala, 22, dropped out of Meadowdale High School as a sophomore in 2002 with an F-laden transcript and a chaotic home life where she spent much of her time taking care of her younger siblings.

“It got to the point where I was just so tired,” she said. “Toward the end I just gave up.”

A few years later, she returned to school, enrolling in a high school completion program at Edmonds Community College.

This time, her grade point hovered between 3.2 and 3.4 and she took college-level courses toward a pharmacy technician certificate.

The difference, she believes, is she was living on her own and her life was more stable.

“Education is the way to get out of the cycle of poverty and change that for the next generation,” she said.

Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or stevick@heraldnet.com.