Question 1

What's the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?

Accepted Answer

Unweighted GPA uses a fixed 4.0 scale: an A is 4.0 regardless of the class. Weighted GPA adds bonus points for harder courses — commonly +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP or IB — which is why a weighted GPA can exceed 4.0. Colleges primarily evaluate your unweighted GPA, then assess course rigor separately by reading your transcript against what your school offered.

Question 2

Which GPA do colleges look at?

Accepted Answer

Mostly the unweighted one, on the transcript your high school sends — colleges recompute or standardize it according to their own rules. The weighted number matters as evidence you took the harder schedule, but the 4.0-scale figure is the one compared against a school's typical admitted band.

Question 3

How do AP and honors classes change my GPA?

Accepted Answer

In a weighted system, an A in an AP class often counts as 5.0 instead of 4.0, and an A in honors as 4.5. A B in an AP class (4.0 weighted) can equal an A in a regular class — which is the system's way of rewarding rigor. That's also why our calculator shows both numbers side by side.

Question 4

Does GPA include freshman year?

Accepted Answer

Almost always, yes — cumulative GPA includes all four years. What admissions readers weigh most is the trend and the senior-year schedule: an upward trajectory with hard classes senior year outweighs a perfect freshman year followed by coasting.

GPA calculator: weighted and unweighted, side by side

Which GPA matters for admissions?