Balancing unweighted and weighted GPA for college apps

Is there a particular way colleges look at unweighted vs. weighted GPAs? I’m trying to figure out how my school’s grading system will impact my college applications and if there’s something I should consider when choosing classes.

Certainly! When looking at GPAs, colleges typically consider both your unweighted and weighted GPAs but approach them from different perspectives.

An unweighted GPA provides colleges with a measure that's more consistent across different high schools, as it disregards any extra weight added for taking difficult or advanced classes. It essentially allows colleges to evaluate your academic performance on a simple 4.0 scale, regardless of the difficulty of your coursework.

On the other hand, your weighted GPA gives insight into the rigor of your academic schedule. By taking into account the extra "weight" or points added for advanced courses like AP, IB, or Honors, it shows colleges that you've challenged yourself and you're capable of handling a rigorous course load.

While different colleges may emphasize one over the other, typically, they'll look at both. Additionally, note that colleges do know that grading scales can vary by high school, and they often recalibrate all applicants' GPAs using their scale.

When considering what courses to take, remember that many colleges want to see that you're taking a challenging course load relative to what's offered at your school. In other words, it’s better to get a B in an AP course than an A in a regular one. But keep in mind - only take on a rigorous schedule if you think you can reasonably handle it without burning out.

In summary, keep striving for a high unweighted GPA, but don't shy away from more challenging classes if you feel you can handle them. Your ability to perform well in rigorous classes does matter to colleges.