Hi there! Does anyone know if colleges use weighted or unweighted GPA when considering applications? I have both on my transcript and unsure which one they'll be looking at.
When colleges receive your application, they will typically receive both your weighted and unweighted GPA. However, they tend to evaluate applicants based on their unweighted GPAs, as this metric is equivalent for all applicants, and thus students who, for example, attend schools that don't offer many AP or Honors courses won't be penalized.
Some colleges even reevaluate your GPA using their own method, so that the factors they personally care about most receive priority. For example, some schools dismiss your freshman year grades due to the challenges some students face when transitioning to high school, while others only look at grades received in core academic courses like English, history, science, math, and foreign language, since those grades are most indicative of your readiness to succeed in college-level courses.
However, your weighted GPA does still have value, as colleges also care about your course rigor. If your weighted GPA is higher due to rigorous courses such as honors, AP or IB courses, that suggests you've challenged yourself academically, which will be viewed positively by admission officers.
If you haven't had the opportunity to take these classes, though, due to them not being offered at your school, don't worry - colleges receive a school report along with your transcript, which contextualizes your academic achievements by describing your high school's course offerings, overall academic rigor, and so on.
In conclusion, both GPAs matter in their own ways. While the unweighted GPA provides a baseline for academic achievement, the weighted GPA reflects the rigor of your academic schedule. If you'd like to learn more about how these two data points are used by colleges, I'd check out this more comprehensive overview on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/is-weighted-or-unweighted-gpa-more-important
Good luck with your college process!
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