Understanding Weighted GPA?

Hey folks! Can someone help me understand what weighted GPA means exactly? And how does it differ from an unweighted GPA? Just want to make sure I'm keeping track of stuff properly. Thanks!

Hello! Weighted GPA and unweighted GPA are two different ways to measure a student's academic performance in high school.

Unweighted GPA measures a student's performance based on a standard 4.0 scale. In this scale, an A (90-100%) equates to a 4.0, a B (80-89%) is a 3.0, a C (70-79%) is a 2.0, and so on. This scale does not take into account the difficulty of the classes you're taking.

On the other hand, a weighted GPA factors in course difficulty by giving additional weight to advanced courses, such as Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes. The scale varies depending on the high school, but typically it looks like this:

- Regular Course (A): 4.0

- Honors Course (A): 4.5 / 5.0

- AP/IB Course (A): 5.0 / 6.0

For example, suppose you took two classes and earned an A in an honors class and a B in an AP class. With an unweighted GPA, your average would be a 3.5 [(4.0 + 3.0) / 2]. However, if your school uses a weighted GPA scale, your GPA might be something like a 4.25 [(4.5 + 4.0) / 2].

To keep track of your GPA properly, it's important to know which scale your high school uses and make sure you're calculating and reporting your GPA accordingly. Keep in mind that colleges might recalculate your GPA during the admissions process, based on their own weighted or unweighted scales. So, while it's essential to understand how your GPA is being measured, also remember that colleges will evaluate your coursework holistically, considering factors like course rigor and your performance in each subject. Good luck!