Calculating GPA for Harvard?

Hello! I want to apply to Harvard and was wondering if anyone knows how they calculate your GPA for admissions purposes? Any info on how Harvard converts your current high school GPA into something they use would be super helpful.

Harvard, like many colleges, generally recalculates GPAs for applicants using their own system to ensure that they're comparing students on a consistent scale. Although Harvard does not release its specific formula for calculating GPAs, we can provide some general guidelines to help you better understand the process.

First, Harvard typically focuses on your academic core classes for recalculation. These classes include English, math, science, history, and foreign language. Non-core classes like physical education, art, or music, for example, may not be included in their recalculation.

Second, if your high school reports both weighted and unweighted GPAs, Harvard tends to lean towards the unweighted GPA. However, they will still look at any weighted GPA to get a sense of your course rigor.

Another point to consider is that different high schools utilize different grading scales (4.0, 5.0, or even percentages). So, to standardize applicants' GPAs, Harvard will convert them to a uniform 4.0 scale. For instance, if your high school uses a 5.0 scale, where an A in an AP class is worth 5.0 points, an A in a regular class will be adjusted for the 4.0 scale, like 4.0 points for an A, 3.0 points for a B, and so on.

While GPA is an important component of the admissions process, it's crucial to remember that at elite institutions like Harvard, admissions are holistic. This means they evaluate your application based on multiple factors such as test scores (if submitted), essays, extracurricular activities, recommendation letters, and other aspects that showcase your talents and potential.

To sum it up, while GPA is a significant criterion, it's only one of many aspects of your application that Harvard will consider. Focus on building a well-rounded and compelling application that highlights your academic achievements, personal growth, and extracurricular involvement. Good luck!