How will an A- in an honors class affect my GPA?

I just got my report card and saw that I landed an A- in my AP Calc class. It's my first honors math class, and I'm proud of pulling through, but now I'm slightly worried about how this will affect my GPA, especially since I'm trying to get into some highly competitive colleges. Does anyone know how an A- in an honors class is weighed? Does it still boost my GPA because it’s an honors class?

First off, congratulations on succeeding in your AP Calc class! This accomplishment demonstrates your capability to handle challenging coursework, which is something competitive colleges do look for. In terms of GPA calculation, an A- in an honors or AP class is often still calculated higher than a regular A in a standard-level class because many high schools weight AP and honors courses to reflect their increased difficulty.

For example, if your school follows a typical weighted GPA scale, an A- in a regular class might be a 3.7, but in an honors or AP class, it could be weighed as a 4.2. It's important to check with your specific high school's policy because schools can have different ways of weighting grades. Rest assured, the fact that you're challenging yourself with rigorous AP courses is already a great sign to colleges, and a single A- won't derail your admissions chances. Keep focusing on maintaining strong grades and demonstrating your academic abilities through your course selections. Well done!