Weighted vs Unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA asks "how well did you do?" Weighted GPA also asks "how hard were your classes?" Toggle the class levels below to see the gap open up.
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Same grades throughout. Tap a class's level to switch it between Regular, Honors (+0.5) and AP (+1.0).
| Class | Grade | Level |
|---|---|---|
| English 11 | A- | |
| US History | B+ | |
| Chemistry | B | |
| Pre-Calculus | A | |
| Spanish III | A- |
Bars run from 0 to 5.0. The unweighted GPA never changes, because grades didn't change. Only the weighted number rewards the harder schedule.
The difference in one line each
- Unweighted GPA: 0–4.0. An A is 4.0 in every class.
- Weighted GPA: usually 0–5.0. An A is 4.0 in a regular class, 4.5 in Honors and 5.0 in AP or IB.
Why schools weight
Weighting stops students from being penalized in class rank for taking harder courses. Without it, a B in AP Calculus would drag a GPA down relative to an A in a standard class. Policies differ: some schools weight only AP/IB, some add +1.0 for Honors, some cap the bonus, and some don't weight at all.
How colleges see it
Because every high school weights differently, many admissions offices recalculate a GPA on their own terms and read your course list for rigor. Expect them to look at both numbers, and at the classes behind them.
Get both GPAs for your real classes with the high school GPA calculator, or see the full values in the GPA scale chart.
Questions students ask
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA counts every class the same on a 0–4.0 scale. Weighted GPA adds extra points for harder classes (usually +0.5 Honors, +1.0 AP/IB), so it can go above 4.0.
Which GPA do colleges use?
Many colleges recalculate GPA with their own rules, often starting from unweighted grades in core academic subjects and then considering course rigor separately. Report what your transcript shows.
Is a 3.8 unweighted better than a 4.2 weighted?
They can describe the same student. A 4.2 weighted might be a 3.8 unweighted with several AP classes. Always compare like with like.
What is the highest weighted GPA possible?
Usually 5.0 on the common +1.0 AP scale, reached only with straight A's in all AP/IB classes. Some schools use different bonuses or caps.