Hey everyone, I'm slightly mixed up about the grading scales. What's the GPA scale like in the US? Is it different from the one they use internationally?
In the United States, the most commonly used GPA scales are the unweighted 4.0 scale and the weighted 5.0 scale.
The unweighted 4.0 scale considers all classes to be equal, regardless of their difficulty level. Here's an approximate breakdown:
- A (90-100%) is 4.0
- B (80-89%) is 3.0
- C (70-79%) is 2.0
- D (60-69%) is 1.0
- F (below 60%) is 0.0
The weighted 5.0 scale, on the other hand, gives additional weight to more difficult courses like Honors, AP, or IB. Usually, an "A" in these courses is a 5, a "B" is a 4 and so on.
Internationally, GPA scales can be quite different and are often converted when applying to U.S. colleges. For instance, in India, a common grading scale is percentage based with 60% considered to be a pass.
If you're applying to U.S. colleges as an international student, you should check to see if your schools require GPA conversion. If conversion is required, your high school counselor or an educational equivalency agency can often help.
Remember, universities understand the context of your GPA based on your school and the education system in your country. Therefore, what's more important than the sheer GPA value is the rigor of your course load and your performance in those classes relative to your peers.
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