Weighted vs unweighted GPA

Weighted and Unweighted GPAs are methods of calculating a student’s academic performance, but they account for different factors:

1. Unweighted GPA:

• Based purely on a student’s grades in classes.
• The scale typically goes from 0 to 4.0, where A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.
• Does not consider the difficulty level of courses.

1. Weighted GPA:

• Takes into account both grades and the difficulty level of the courses.
• AP, IB, and honors courses usually add extra points to the scale, making it possible to have a GPA higher than 4.0.
• For example, an A in an AP class could be equivalent to a 5.0 rather than a 4.0.

The weighted GPA is often considered to provide a more accurate reflection of a student’s academic achievements and rigor, but not all schools use it. Colleges may look at both or recalculate GPA based on their criteria.