Might sound a bit off but I'm kinda confused about the difference between unweighted and weighted GPA. Can anyone explain it to me? Would be a big help!
Absolutely, glad to clarify this for you!
Unweighted high school GPAs are traditionally on a scale of 0 to 4.0 and do not take into account the rigor of the courses. So, whether you're taking a regular course or an advanced one like an AP class, an A is always equivalent to a 4.0.
Weighted GPAs, on the other hand, are adjusted for the difficulty of your coursework. They are usually on a scale of 0 to 5.0, although some high schools may use a different scale. In this system, an A in an advanced course could be equivalent to a 5.0, whereas an A in a regular course is still a 4.0. The idea is to reward students for taking more challenging classes.
For example, if you got straight As in all regular courses, your unweighted GPA would be a 4.0. But if you got straight As in all AP courses, your weighted GPA could be a 5.0.
Colleges can look at unweighted GPA to see your grades in relation to a universal scale, and the weighted GPA to determine how you fared in the rigor of your curriculum. Keep in mind that each school might recalculate your GPA based on their own scale, so both types matter.
In the end, just remember that the most important thing is showing a pattern of high academic performance and challenging yourself within your high school's offerings.
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