High School weighted grade point average (GPA) refers to the overall GPA for a particular semester, school year, or cumulative time-frame, based on a 4.0+ scale. An A could count as 4.5 points or 5+ points, B = 3.5 or 4, C = 2.5 or 3, etc. for taking honors, AP, or college classes. This depends on what your high school decides.

Because every high school has a different metric for weighted GPA’s colleges typically focus on the unweighted GPA and then look at the student’s strength of curriculum.

Learn more about how to calculate your GPA, based on what colleges are looking for, here.

How is it different from unweighted, core, semester, or cumulative GPA?

• Your semester GPA is your grade point average for one semester.
• Your cumulative GPA is your grade point average overall, based on your completed High School semesters.
• Your unweighted GPA’s is based on a 4.0 scale. Where an A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0; no matter if it is honors, AP, college, or regular.
• Your core high school GPA is your commutative unweighted GPA, not including classes in fine arts or personal skills.

How is your High School weighted GPA calculated?

Your High School weighted GPA is calculated by taking the total number of possible points divided by the total number of classes, where an A could count as 4.5 points or 5+ points, B = 3.5 or 4, C = 2.5 or 3, etc. for taking honors, AP, or college classes. This depends on what your high school decides.

For this particular example, we will say all AP, IB, and Honors classes are worth an extra point.

For example, let’s say you are in the fall semester of your 10th-grade year and you received the following grades thus far:

9th Grade Fall Semester
Class	Grade	Unweighted Points	Weighted Points	Core GPA
Hon Geometry	A	4	5	4
Biology	A	4	4	4
Hon English 9	B	3	4	3
Spanish 1	A	4	4	4
Physical Science	A	4	4	N/A
World History	B	3	3	3
Total Points		22	24	18

 

9th Grade Spring Semester
Class	Grade	Unweighted Points	Weighted Points	Core GPA
Hon Geometry	B	3	4	3
Biology	A	4	4	4
Hon English 9	B	3	4	3
Spanish 1	A	4	4	4
Physical Science	A	4	4	N/A
World History	B	3	3	3
Total Points		21	23	17

High School Weighted GPA: 

• 9th-Grade Fall Semester Total Points = 24
• 9th-Grade Spring Semester Total Points = 23
• Total Classes = 12
• (24+23) / 12 = 3.91 weighted GPA

If you have more semesters you continue to add the points and divide by the total number of new classes.

Remember, as shared in how to calculate high school GPA. 

Colleges rarely look at your:

• Weighted GPA
• Non-core high school classes.

Therefore, when calculating your cumulative GPA, we recommend you omit non-core classes and don’t worry about the weighted GPA.

If your high school cumulative core GPA is lower than a 3.7 GPA then check out our resource with 5 free tips to raise or improve your high school GPA!

Do you want actionable advice, student & test prep checklist and more based on your current unweighted GPA, weighted GPA, core GPA, SAT/ACT/PSAT test scores, and grade level?

Then please click the button below to be directed to our free High School GPA calculator.

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