Weighing the Difference: Understanding Weighted and Unweighted GPAs
Students frequently ask us which grade point average (GPA)--weighted or unweighted– a college will prefer. As with so many answers in the college admissions world, the answer is it depends. Truthfully, each college may have a different way of looking at a GPA and may recalculate the GPA based on its own formula, so what you are reporting may look very different than what the college admissions officer actually considers.
Some colleges may look at a student's weighted GPA, while others may use both weighted and unweighted GPAs to determine a student's academic ability. Schools may sometimes use a weighted GPA to assess a student's ability to handle challenging coursework. In contrast, they may use an unweighted GPA to evaluate the student's overall academic performance.
An unweighted GPA is a standard calculation of a student's average grades that does not take into account the level of difficulty of their courses. It is calculated by adding up all of a student's grades and dividing by the number of courses taken. This type of GPA only considers the grades of A, B, C, D, and F. It does not give extra credit for honors, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
On the other hand, a weighted GPA takes into account the level of difficulty of a student's courses. In a weighted GPA, extra points are assigned to honors, AP, and IB courses to reflect their greater level of rigor. For example, an A in an honors course may be worth 5 points, while an A in a regular level course is worth 4 points. A weighted GPA provides a more comprehensive picture of a student's academic ability and success in challenging coursework.
Unfortunately, not all GPAs are created equal. Many high schools calculate a weighted and unweighted GPA for each student. Further, different high schools have different scales. A 4.0 unweighted scale is most common, but we have seen 5.0, 6.0, and even a 10.0 scale. Weighting can also differ between types of classes and among high schools. Some high schools may give an extra half point for an honors course and a whole point for an AP or IB course. Other high schools may give an extra full point to an honors class and an AP, or IB course. However, don’t worry that a college will not know this. Colleges take time to ensure they understand the context of each high school so they can evaluate a student within their school’s protocols.
Now is when this discussion can get tricky. Many colleges have their own formula so they can put students from all high schools on the same scale or where they try to eliminate all courses outside of the core subjects (English, math, science, social studies, foreign language). Perhaps your high school utilizes plusses and minuses in their grades, resulting in some slight variations in the GPA. For instance, a B+ could be assigned a 3.33, while a B is a 3.0, and a B- is a 2.67. However, if the school across town doesn’t use plusses and minuses, a B+ is equivalent to a B- when the GPAs are calculated. Colleges may strip the plusses and minuses to place students on the same type of scale. Many colleges may also drop elective courses from their GPA calculation. In this case, even though a student may have taken electives at the honors level, such as Honors Accounting or Honors Engineering, these honors classes will not boost a student’s GPA even if they received a high grade. Some colleges even may eliminate freshman year grades, but before you get too excited, even if the grades are not factored into the GPA, the admissions officers will still see those grades. Unfortunately, not every college is transparent about how they look at a student’s GPA, but since most students apply to multiple colleges, it is essential to push yourself to achieve strong grades in the most rigorous curriculum that is both available to you, but also something that you can handle.
Another area that a college may set its own calculation for is the amount of rigor. All honors, and even all AP courses, are not created equally. College admissions officers know what classes are more challenging than others, so taking only the easiest classes in the honors and AP area usually does not help at the more selective colleges.
Most colleges do not share a minimum GPA needed for admission. If a college recalculates a GPA, sharing an average score will not provide much insight into what they are looking for if you don’t know how they recalculate. Additionally, some majors require higher GPAs or higher grades in certain courses. For example, STEM majors will often place a higher emphasis on rigor and strong grades in math and science courses.
It is important to note that while a student's grades are one of the most important factors colleges consider when evaluating applicants, they are just a single part of a student’s application. Most colleges use a combination of grades and other factors, such as standardized test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation, to make admission decisions. Therefore, students must have a well-rounded application that showcases their academic ability, character, and achievements. Perfect grades alone will not guarantee admission to most colleges. For more information about how college applications are evaluated, check out North Shore College Consulting’s blog, An Inside Look at How College Applications Are Evaluated.
Understanding the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA is an important aspect of college preparation. Weighted GPAs provide a more comprehensive picture of a student's academic ability. Still, it is up to the individual colleges to determine which GPA they consider most important when making admission decisions. Students should familiarize themselves with the admission requirements of the colleges they are interested in and ensure they have a well-rounded application showcasing their academic, personal, and extracurricular achievements.
If you are looking for support to help your child conquer the admissions process in a stress-free and productive way, contact North Shore College Consulting today to learn more about our one-on-one, individual college consulting packages.