Hey guys, I'm gearing up for fall applications and I'm kind of stressing about my GPA. Can anyone break down for me in super simple terms how the GPA scoring system works? How about the weighted and unweighted bit? Much appreciated!
Sure, happy to break it down!
Your Grade Point Average, or GPA, is a calculation that represents the average of all your final grades during your high school career. The grades are based on the classes you've taken.
In an unweighted GPA scale, all grades are measured on a scale of 0 to 4.0, regardless of the level of the class. This means an 'A' in an AP class and an 'A' in a basic level class would both be calculated as a 4.0. Here's a standard scale for unweighted GPA:
- A (90-100%): 4.0
- B (80-89%): 3.0
- C (70-79%): 2.0
- D (60-69%): 1.0
- F (Under 60%): 0.0
A weighted GPA scale gives additional points to more difficult classes. This means an 'A' in an AP or IB class would be calculated as 5.0, while an 'A' in a basic level class stays as 4.0. Here's a common scale used for weighted GPA:
- A in Regular Class: 4.0; A in Honors, advanced, Pre-AP: 4.5; A in AP, IB, or College class: 5.0
- B in Regular Class: 3.0; B in Honors, Advanced, Pre-AP: 3.5; B in AP, IB, or College class: 4.0
- C in Regular Class: 2.0; C in Honors, Advanced, Pre-AP: 2.5; C in AP, IB, or College Class: 3.0
- D in Regular Class: 1.0; D in Honors, Advanced, Pre-AP: 1.5; D in AP, IB, or College class: 2.0
- F in any class: 0.0
These scales can vary slightly from school to school, especially for weighted GPAs. It's always best to check with your school to get the most accurate scale they use.
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