Your GPA (Grade Point Average) shows your academic performance, but there are two types: weighted and unweighted. Knowing the difference helps you track your progress and prepare for college. Let’s dive in.
An unweighted GPA uses a standard 4.0 scale, where each letter grade has a fixed point value, regardless of class difficulty:
Example: You have grades of A, B, A, C in four classes (each worth 1 credit). Your unweighted GPA is:
(4.0 + 3.0 + 4.0 + 2.0) / 4 = 3.25.
A weighted GPA rewards you for taking tougher classes, like honors, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB). These classes use a 5.0 scale (or sometimes 4.5 for honors):
Example: You have an A in an AP class, B in a regular class, A in a regular class, C in a regular class. Your weighted GPA is:
(5.0 + 3.0 + 4.0 + 2.0) / 4 = 3.5.
Colleges look at both:
Use our High School GPA Calculator to calculate both weighted and unweighted GPA. Check out our guide on How to Calculate Your High School Grades for more details.
Weighted GPA gives extra points for harder classes, while unweighted GPA uses a standard 4.0 scale. Calculate yours with our High School GPA Calculator at Grade-Calculator.io, and share your thoughts in the comments!
