Weighted or unweighted — start by knowing which you want
High school GPA comes in two flavors, and the difference is entirely about weighting. An unweighted GPA puts every class on the same 4.0 scale: an A is 4.0 whether it is regular gym or AP Calculus. A weighted GPA adds bonus grade points for harder classes, so a demanding schedule is not penalized against an easier one. The calculator above opens in Weighted mode with a class-type column (Regular, Honors, AP/IB); switch the Weighted toggle off any time to see the plain 4.0 average. Everything updates live and stays in your browser.
The weighting conventions
The most common bonus adds points on top of each course’s base grade points:
- +0.5 for Honors classes (an A becomes 4.5)
- +1.0 for AP and IB classes (an A becomes 5.0)
Because of that bonus a weighted GPA can climb above 4.0 — that is why you see figures like 4.3 or 4.6. Conventions vary, though: some districts put Honors on a 4.5 scale and AP/IB on 5.0, others weight only certain courses, and a few use entirely different point systems. When in doubt, check how your own school defines its scale.
The high school GPA formula
GPA = (sum of grade points × credits) ÷ (total credits)
For a weighted GPA, add each class’s bonus (+0.5 or +1.0) to its base points before multiplying by credits. Base points follow the standard scale: A/A+ = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, and so on to F = 0.0 — the full table is on the GPA scale page, and the percentage-to-GPA converter turns a raw percentage into a letter first.
Worked example: weighted vs. unweighted
Take four classes with equal credit. Convert each grade to points, adding the Honors or AP bonus where it applies:
| Class | Type | Grade | Weighted points |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Biology | AP | A | 5.0 |
| Honors English | Honors | A- | 4.2 |
| Algebra II | Regular | B+ | 3.3 |
| World History | Regular | A | 4.0 |
With equal credits the weighted GPA is (5.0 + 4.2 + 3.3 + 4.0) ÷ 4 = 4.13. Dropping the bonuses, the unweighted GPA is (4.0 + 3.7 + 3.3 + 4.0) ÷ 4 = 3.75. Same grades, two very different-looking numbers — which is exactly why you should know both.
Worked example: adding credits
Real transcripts mix full-year classes (usually 1 credit) with semester classes (0.5 credit), and the weighting still rides on top. Here each course’s weighted points are multiplied by its credits to get weighted quality points:
| Class | Type | Grade | Wtd. points | Credits | Wtd. quality pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP US History | AP | A | 5.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
| Honors Chemistry | Honors | B+ | 3.8 | 1.0 | 3.8 |
| English 11 | Regular | A- | 3.7 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
| Algebra II | Regular | B | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Spanish III | Regular | A | 4.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| PE (semester) | Regular | A | 4.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
Total weighted quality points = 21.5 over 5.5 credits, so the weighted GPA is 21.5 ÷ 5.5 = 3.91. Unweighted (base points × credits) it is 20.0 ÷ 5.5 = 3.64. The half-credit PE course counts for half as much as a full-year class — that is why credits matter even in high school.
How colleges recalculate your GPA
Admissions offices care about your GPA and the rigor behind it, but because weighting schemes differ so much between schools, most do not take your reported number at face value. Many recalculate a GPA of their own — some strip weighting entirely to compare everyone unweighted, some re-add a standard bonus, and many count only core academic courses (English, math, science, social studies, foreign language) while dropping electives and PE. California’s public universities use the a-g GPA: only approved college-prep courses from grades 10–11 count, with a cap on how many extra honors points you can earn — a capped-weighted GPA. The practical takeaway: know both your weighted and unweighted numbers, and understand a college may derive its own.
Class rank, percentile and core vs. non-core
Schools that publish a class rank order students by GPA — usually the weighted one — and often report it as a percentile (top 10%, top quarter, and so on), which some colleges weigh heavily. Because rank is driven by weighting, students loading up on AP and Honors classes tend to rise, while non-core courses like PE and study hall count toward credits but carry little admissions signal. If your school does not rank, colleges lean more on the raw GPA and course rigor.
What is a good high school GPA for college?
As a rough guide, a 3.0 unweighted is solid, 3.5+ is competitive at many colleges, and highly selective schools commonly admit students with 3.8–4.0 unweighted plus weighted GPAs above 4.0 from heavy AP and Honors loads. But the number never stands alone — admissions officers read it alongside your schedule’s rigor, your grade trend, and the rest of your application. Aim for the strongest grades in the strongest classes you can realistically handle.
Track every year
Your grades save automatically in this browser, so you can return each term and add the new semester. To roll all four years into one number, add a semester per term above or use the cumulative GPA calculator — remember you cannot just average yearly GPAs. Heading to college? The college GPA calculator runs the same engine on the 4.0 scale, and the guide to raising your GPA works through realistic targets.
Last updated September 2026. Figures use the standard US 4.0 scale; always confirm policies like grade replacement, pass/fail and rounding with your registrar, since schools differ.