Understanding Weighted GPA on a 5.0 scale

Hey guys, I'm confused about this weighted GPA thing. So is a weighted GPA calculated on a 5.0 scale? How does it work for AP, honors, and college-prep classes? Trying to figure out where I stand for college apps.

Sure, I can help clarify that. Weighted GPA indeed operates on a 5.0 scale. The idea behind a weighted GPA is to reflect the rigor of the courses you've taken.

So for AP and IB courses, you get an extra point if you earn a grade of C or higher, making an A in these classes worth 5 points, while an A in a regular class would be 4 points. An A in an honors or college-prep class might be weighted as a 4.5.

So, let's say you got an A grade in three regular classes, an A grade in two Honors classes, and an A grade in one AP class. Here is how you'd calculate your GPA:

- For 3 regular classes: 3 classes 4 points = 12 points

- For 2 Honors classes: 2 classes 4.5 points = 9 points

- For 1 AP class: 1 class 5 points = 5 points

Add those up (which equals to 26 points) and divide by the total number of classes (in this case, 6). Your weighted GPA would be 26 ÷ 6 = 4.33 (rounded to the nearest hundredth).

Remember that not all colleges use a weighted GPA in their admissions process. Some might recalculate GPAs on their unique scale. Always check a particular college's admissions policies to understand how they process GPAs.