Calculate your weighted and unweighted GPA with support for AP, IB, and honors classes. Track your academic progress and plan for college admissions with accurate GPA calculations on 4.0 and 5.0 scales.
Weighted GPA accounts for course difficulty (AP/IB/Honors)
Enter your classes, grades, and class types, then click Calculate to see your weighted and unweighted GPA
High School GPA (Grade Point Average) is a numerical representation of your academic performance throughout high school. It converts letter grades into numbers (typically on a 4.0 or 5.0 scale) and calculates a weighted average based on credit hours. GPA is one of the most important factors for college admissions, scholarships, and academic honors like valedictorian or salutatorian.
Treats all classes equally regardless of difficulty. An A is always worth 4.0 points, whether it's in regular PE or AP Calculus.
Used by: Most colleges for standardized comparison across all applicants
Gives extra points for advanced courses. AP/IB classes receive a +1.0 bonus, and Honors classes receive a +0.5 bonus, recognizing the increased difficulty.
Used by: High schools for class rank, honors, and internal recognition
Use the standard 4.0 scale: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0
Multiply each grade's point value by the number of credits (usually 1 credit per class)
Sum all quality points from all classes
Divide total points by total credits to get your unweighted GPA
Follow the same steps as unweighted GPA, but add bonus points based on course difficulty:
+0.0
No additional points
+0.5
Half point bonus
+1.0
Full point bonus
Alex is a freshman with the following grades in 6 classes (all regular classes):
| Class | Grade | Credits | Points | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English 9 | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Algebra I | B+ | 1 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Biology | A- | 1 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| World History | B | 1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Spanish I | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| PE | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| TOTAL | - | 6 | - | 22.0 |
Calculation:
Result: Alex's unweighted GPA is 3.67 - a strong start to high school!
Maya is a junior taking a rigorous course load with AP and Honors classes:
| Class | Type | Grade | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP English Language | AP | A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| AP Calculus AB | AP | B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| Honors Chemistry | Honors | A- | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| AP US History | AP | A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Spanish III | Regular | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Band | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| TOTAL | 22.0 | 25.5 | ||
Unweighted GPA:
4.0 scale - for college admissions
Weighted GPA:
5.0 scale - for class rank
Result: Maya's unweighted GPA is 3.67, but her weighted GPA is 4.25 because she's taking challenging AP and Honors courses. The weighted GPA rewards her course rigor!
Jordan wants to calculate their cumulative GPA after 4 years of high school:
| Year | Classes | Credits | Quality Points | Year GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | 6 | 6 | 21.0 | 3.50 |
| Sophomore | 6 | 6 | 22.2 | 3.70 |
| Junior | 6 | 6 | 22.8 | 3.80 |
| Senior (1st Sem) | 6 | 6 | 23.4 | 3.90 |
| TOTAL | 24 | 24 | 89.4 | - |
Cumulative GPA Calculation:
Result: Jordan's cumulative GPA is 3.73 - competitive for most colleges! Notice how Jordan improved each year, showing strong academic growth.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 93-100% | Excellent |
| A- | 3.7 | 90-92% | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87-89% | Very Good |
| B | 3.0 | 83-86% | Good |
| B- | 2.7 | 80-82% | Good |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77-79% | Average |
| C | 2.0 | 73-76% | Average |
| C- | 1.7 | 70-72% | Below Average |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67-69% | Poor |
| D | 1.0 | 65-66% | Poor |
| F | 0.0 | Below 65% | Failing |
| Letter Grade | Regular | Honors (+0.5) | AP/IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| D or F | ≤ 1.0 | ≤ 1.5 | ≤ 2.0 |
Note: Some schools cap weighted GPAs at 5.0, meaning any weighted score above 5.0 is recorded as 5.0.
| GPA Range | College Tier | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 3.9 - 4.0 | Elite / Ivy League | Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, Princeton |
| 3.7 - 3.89 | Highly Competitive | Top 20 universities, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMich |
| 3.5 - 3.69 | Competitive | Top 50 universities, Penn State, BU, Northeastern |
| 3.0 - 3.49 | Moderately Competitive | State universities, regional universities |
| 2.5 - 2.99 | Less Competitive | Many state schools, private colleges |
| 2.0 - 2.49 | Open Enrollment | Community colleges, some 4-year schools |
Important: These are general guidelines. Colleges consider many factors beyond GPA including test scores, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations.
Challenge yourself with AP, IB, and Honors classes. Not only do they boost your weighted GPA, but colleges also value course rigor highly in admissions decisions.
Your freshman grades count! Build a strong foundation early - it's much easier to maintain a high GPA than to raise a low one later.
Create a consistent study schedule, find effective study methods, and stay organized with assignments and deadlines.
Don't wait until you're failing - seek help from teachers, tutors, or study groups at the first sign of struggle.
Don't overload with too many difficult classes at once. Mix challenging courses with subjects you excel in for sustainable success.
Ask questions, contribute to discussions, and show engagement. Teachers notice effort, which can help with participation grades and recommendations.
Mistake: Confusing weighted and unweighted GPA when reporting to colleges.
Correct: Most colleges recalculate your GPA using their own method. Report both weighted and unweighted, and let them use what they need.
Mistake: Avoiding challenging courses to maintain a 4.0 unweighted GPA.
Correct: Colleges prefer a 3.7 GPA with rigorous AP/IB courses over a 4.0 with all regular classes. Course rigor matters!
Mistake: Assuming unweighted GPA determines class rank.
Correct: Most schools use weighted GPA for class rank. Taking advanced courses helps you compete for valedictorian/salutatorian.
Mistake: Getting a low GPA freshman year and thinking it's too late to improve.
Correct: Colleges love upward trends! Strong improvement from freshman to senior year demonstrates growth and maturity.
Mistake: Assuming all schools use the same grading scale and weighting system.
Correct: Check your school's specific policies. Some schools cap weighted GPAs at 5.0, others at 6.0. Know your system!
Both matter, but for different purposes. Colleges primarily look at your unweighted GPA (4.0 scale) to compare all applicants fairly, regardless of which school they attended. However, they also review your course rigor - the difficulty of classes you took. Your high school uses weighted GPA (5.0 scale) for class rank and honors. The best strategy: take challenging courses (boosting weighted GPA) while earning strong grades (maintaining unweighted GPA).
It depends on how many semesters you've completed. Freshman year: You can raise your GPA significantly (0.3-0.5 points) with one strong semester. Junior/Senior year: It's harder - even straight A's might only raise your cumulative GPA by 0.1-0.2 points because you have more credits weighing it down. This is why starting strong matters! Example: A freshman with a 3.0 (6 credits) who gets a 4.0 next semester (6 more credits) will have a 3.5 cumulative GPA. A junior with a 3.0 (18 credits) who gets a 4.0 next semester (6 credits) will only reach a 3.25 cumulative GPA.
Colleges see your entire transcript with grades for every individual class, plus your cumulative GPA. They notice trends - upward trends are good (showing improvement and maturity), while downward trends are concerning. Senior year grades still matter! Many colleges require mid-year reports showing your senior fall semester grades, and they can rescind acceptances if senior spring grades drop significantly.
Yes, in most cases. Selective colleges prefer students who challenge themselves with rigorous courses, even if it means slightly lower grades. A B in AP Calculus demonstrates you're ready for college-level work, while an A in regular Math might suggest you're avoiding challenges. However, there's a limit - a C or D in an AP class is concerning. The sweet spot: Take the hardest courses you can handle while maintaining B's or better. An all-AP schedule with C's is worse than a balanced schedule with A's and B's.
It varies by school, but typically 4.3-4.7 weighted GPA is competitive for valedictorian. This usually requires taking mostly AP/Honors classes and earning A's in them. Some competitive high schools have multiple students with perfect weighted GPAs above 5.0! Class rank is based on weighted GPA, so taking advanced courses is essential. Note: Some schools name multiple valedictorians if students tie, while others use additional criteria (test scores, essays) to break ties.
Many colleges recalculate your GPA using their own method to ensure fair comparison. Common practices: (1) Use only core academic classes (exclude PE, art, electives); (2) Apply their own weighting system for AP/Honors; (3) Convert your school's grading scale to their standard 4.0 scale; (4) Sometimes exclude freshman year. The UC system, for example, uses only sophomore and junior year grades in specific courses and applies their own +1.0 bonus for approved honors courses (capped at 8 semesters).
It depends on your school's policy. Some high schools allow you to retake a failed class and replace the grade, while others average both attempts or show both on your transcript. Summer school and credit recovery programs are common options for retaking failed classes. However, most schools won't let you retake a class you passed just to improve from a B to an A. Check with your guidance counselor about your school's specific retake policy and how it affects transcripts.
Colleges care about both your grades AND course rigor. They typically focus on your unweighted GPA to evaluate your actual academic performance on a standardized scale, but they heavily consider whether you challenged yourself with AP/IB/Honors courses. Admissions officers review your transcript in context with what was available at your school. Taking 2 AP classes looks great at a school offering only 3, but might seem minimal at a school offering 25. Most competitive colleges want to see you took the "most rigorous" curriculum available.
Most merit scholarships require minimum 3.0-3.5 GPA (unweighted). Here's a general breakdown: 3.0-3.4: Qualifies for basic academic scholarships; 3.5-3.7: Competitive for many merit scholarships; 3.8-4.0: Eligible for prestigious scholarships, full-tuition awards, and honors programs. However, GPA is just one factor - many scholarships also consider test scores (SAT/ACT), leadership, community service, and essays. Some schools offer automatic scholarships based solely on GPA/test score combinations.
A B in an AP class is generally fine and shows rigor. A C is borderline - it might still be worth it if it's in an area you're passionate about or plan to major in. D or F in an AP class is worse than an A in regular - avoid setting yourself up for failure. Consider: (1) Is this subject important for your intended major? (2) How many other AP classes are you taking? (3) Do you have time for the workload? Better strategy: Take a mix of AP and Honors courses where you can earn A's and B's rather than all AP courses with C's.
Your high school GPA is one of the most important factors in college admissions, scholarships, and academic honors. Use this calculator regularly to track both your weighted and unweighted GPA, understand how AP/IB/Honors classes affect your standing, and plan strategically for your goals. Remember: it's not just about the numbers - course rigor, upward trends, and consistent effort matter too!
Whether you're a freshman starting your high school journey, a junior preparing college applications, or a senior monitoring your final semester, our High School GPA Calculator provides accurate calculations with detailed breakdowns. Stay motivated, challenge yourself with rigorous courses, seek help when needed, and watch your academic achievements grow!