Cumulative Weighted GPA Explanation

Hey everyone! I've seen colleges asking for a cumulative weighted GPA on their application forms, and I'm a bit confused. What exactly is a cumulative weighted GPA? How is it calculated, and how does it differ from an unweighted GPA?

Hello! I can certainly help clarify the concept of cumulative weighted GPA. A cumulative weighted GPA takes into account both your grades and the difficulty level of the courses you've taken throughout your high school career, whereas an unweighted GPA takes into account only the grades themselves. Here's a breakdown to make it clearer:

1. Unweighted GPA: This is calculated by assigning a standard point value to each letter grade, regardless of the course's difficulty level (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, and so on). The average of these values determines your unweighted GPA, which typically ranges from 0.0 to 4.0.

2. Weighted GPA: This takes into account the difficulty level of the courses you've taken, usually by assigning bonus points or higher value to grades earned in more challenging courses like Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or honors classes. For example, an "A" in an AP class could be worth 5.0 points instead of 4.0. Consequently, a weighted GPA scale can range from 0.0 to greater than 4.0 (usually up to 5.0), depending on the individual high school's grading scale.

A cumulative weighted GPA is simply the weighted GPA calculated across all your years of high school, and takes into account both your academic performance and the rigor of your coursework. By providing a cumulative weighted GPA on college applications, admissions officers can get a better understanding of your academic achievements with the added context of how difficult the courses you've taken are. This allows them to compare the performances of students with diverse course loads more accurately.

Do remember that some colleges may recalculate your GPA based on their own unique weighting systems, so it's essential to familiarize yourself with the requirements of each college you're applying to. I hope this helps clear up your confusion about weighted GPA specifically, though!