High School GPA Calculator
Track all 4 years. Honors classes get +0.5, AP / IB classes get +1.0. We show your weighted and unweighted GPAs side by side — colleges look at both.
Weighted vs Unweighted: What's the Difference?
An unweighted GPA treats every class the same — A in P.E. counts the same as A in AP Calculus, both 4.0. A weighted GPA rewards harder courses by bumping their grade points up.
| Course Type | A Grade | B Grade | C Grade |
|---|
| Regular | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Honors (+0.5) | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| AP or IB (+1.0) | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 |
Colleges care about both — unweighted shows raw performance, weighted shows course rigor.
Worked Example: Junior Year
| Course | Cr | Type | Grade | UW | W |
|---|
| AP Calculus AB | 1 | AP | A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| AP English Lit | 1 | AP | B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| Honors Chemistry | 1 | Honors | A− | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| U.S. History | 1 | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Spanish III | 1 | Regular | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| P.E. | 0.5 | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Unweighted = (4 + 3.3 + 3.7 + 4 + 3 + 2) ÷ 5.5 = 3.64
Weighted = (5 + 4.3 + 4.2 + 4 + 3 + 2) ÷ 5.5 = 4.09
Same transcript, two different numbers. The unweighted is what most college applications ask for directly.
Which GPA Do Colleges Actually Use?
Selective US universities typically recalculate applicant GPAs from the transcript using their own formula — often unweighted out of 4.0, often excluding P.E. and electives.
- UC system (California) — uses a capped weighted GPA counting a max of 8 honors points across 10–11.
- Ivy League & top-20 privates — recalculate to their own unweighted 4.0 scale, evaluate rigor separately.
- State flagships — often accept the high school's reported weighted GPA directly.
- Common App / Coalition App — ask for both weighted and unweighted as shown on transcript.
Practical rule: don't hide the unweighted GPA. Colleges find it on your transcript anyway.
High School GPA FAQ
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted treats every class the same: A = 4.0 regardless of difficulty, capped at 4.0. Weighted adds a bonus for Honors (+0.5) and AP/IB (+1.0).
How much does Honors or AP boost my GPA?
Honors adds +0.5 (A = 4.5, B = 3.5) and AP or IB adds +1.0 (A = 5.0, B = 4.0). A few schools use different weights — check your policy.
Do colleges look at weighted or unweighted GPA?
Most selective colleges recalculate using their own formula — often unweighted out of 4.0. They review course rigor separately. Report both honestly.
What is a good high school GPA?
Unweighted: 3.8+ excellent, 3.5+ strong, 3.0+ average. Weighted: 4.0+ suggests significant AP/Honors load.
Does P.E. or electives count in GPA?
Yes at most US high schools — PE, art, music, electives all count if letter-graded. Almost always "regular" courses (no weighting bonus).
How is high school GPA calculated?
GPA = Σ (Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Total Credits. Most US high schools give 1 credit per year-long class, 0.5 per semester-long.