Figuring out GPA with honors classes?

Hey everyone! Quick question: how do I figure out my GPA when I've taken honors classes? Do they get a sort of 'weighted' value in my GPA? I keep hearing about weighted and unweighted GPAs, but I'm kinda confused. Thanks in advance!

Hey there! You're on the right track—there are indeed weighted and unweighted GPAs, and honors classes come into play when calculating your weighted GPA. I'll break it down for you to help clear up any confusion.

First, let's talk about unweighted GPAs. They're calculated on a 4.0 scale, where an A (90-100%) is worth 4.0 points, a B (80-89%) is worth 3.0 points, a C (70-79%) is worth 2.0 points, and so on. Your unweighted GPA considers only the letter grade you receive in a class, without any additional weighting for course difficulty.

A weighted GPA, on the other hand, factors in the additional rigor of honors, AP, or IB courses. While the exact scale may vary depending on your school or district, a common method is to add an extra 0.5 points to the value of an honors class and an extra 1.0 point to the value of an AP or IB class. So, an A in an honors class would be worth 4.5 points, while an A in an AP or an IB class is worth 5.0 points in your GPA calculation.

Now, to calculate your weighted GPA, follow these steps:

1. Convert each of your class grades, including honors classes, to the corresponding numeric value on your school's weighted scale.

2. Multiply each grade value by the credit hours assigned to the respective course (typically one credit per semester-long course).

3. Sum the results from step 2.

4. Divide the sum from step 3 by the total number of credit hours you've taken.

This will give you your weighted GPA, which will be higher than your unweighted GPA if you've taken any honors, AP, or IB courses. Keep in mind that some colleges might recalculate your GPA based on their own weighting systems, so it's essential to maintain strong grades and course rigor throughout high school.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!