Unweighted GPA
An unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for every class, no matter how hard it is. A typical conversion is A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1 and F = 0. Many schools also give plus and minus grades, such as 3.7 for an A− or 3.3 for a B+.
Weighted GPA
A weighted GPA adds a bonus for more demanding courses. A common system adds 1 point for AP, IB and dual-enrollment courses and 0.5 or 1 point for honors courses, so an A in an AP class counts as 5.0 instead of 4.0. Schools set their own rules, which is why a "4.3" at one school can mean something different at another.
Example: the same six classes, two ways
Grades: AP Biology A, AP U.S. History B, Honors English B, Algebra II A, Spanish III B, Chemistry C.
Unweighted: (4 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 2) ÷ 6 = 19 ÷ 6 = 3.17.
Weighted with +1 for AP and honors: (5 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 2) ÷ 6 = 22 ÷ 6 = 3.67. If the school gives honors only +0.5, it is 21.5 ÷ 6 = 3.58.
Side by side
| Unweighted | Weighted | |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | 0 to 4.0 | Often 0 to 5.0 |
| Course difficulty | Ignored | Rewarded |
| Easy to compare across schools? | More so | Less so, rules vary |
| Best shows | Grades earned | Grades plus rigor |
How colleges look at it
Because every high school weights differently, many colleges recalculate GPA using their own formula. The University of California is a well-documented example:
- It counts only college-prep (A-G) courses taken from the summer after 9th grade through the summer after 11th grade.
- It ignores pluses and minuses: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1.
- For California residents, each semester of an approved honors course (such as AP or IB HL) earns one extra point for grades of C or better, capped at 8 semesters total and no more than 4 from 10th grade.
- It does not round the result.
Other colleges may use unweighted grades only, look at your transcript course by course, or consider rigor separately from GPA. Admissions officers generally see both the grades and the classes you took, so a B in a demanding course is not hidden by weighting or by the lack of it.
Which number should you report?
- On applications, report exactly what the form asks for. If it asks for your school's GPA, use the one on your transcript and include the scale, such as 3.67 on a 5.0 scale.
- For scholarships, check whether a minimum GPA means weighted or unweighted. Many specify unweighted.
- For your own planning, track both. Weighted GPA shows the payoff of taking harder classes; unweighted GPA shows how your grades compare more directly.
If you want to raise either number, the earlier you act the more each grade counts. Our guide on how to raise your GPA shows the math.