How to Use Our Weighted GPA Calculator
This calculator is flexible and can handle as many courses as you need. For each class you want to include, fill out a single row with the following information:
Course Name (Optional): You can enter the name of the course (e.g., “AP Biology,” “Honors Algebra II”) to help you keep your entries organized.
Credits: Enter the credit value of the course. This is often 1.0 for a full-year class or 0.5 for a semester class. If your school doesn’t use a credit system, you can simply leave this as “1” for all your main academic courses.
Grade: Select the letter grade you received in the course from the dropdown menu. Our calculator accounts for plus (+) and minus (-) grades for higher accuracy.
Course Level / Type: This is the most important field. Select the level of the course from the dropdown. The options typically include Standard/Regular, Honors, AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate), and College/Dual Enrollment. The calculator uses this selection to assign the correct weight to your grade.
Click the “Add Course” button to add more rows for each of your classes. Once you have entered all your courses, the calculator will automatically compute and display your weighted GPA.
Understanding Your Results
The main result is your weighted GPA, a number that represents your average academic performance while giving extra credit for the difficulty of advanced coursework. To fully understand this number, it’s important to see how it’s calculated and how it differs from a standard, unweighted GPA.
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA: What’s the Difference?
The fundamental difference lies in how an “A” is valued.
Colleges often look at both to get a complete picture: the unweighted GPA shows your raw academic achievement, while the weighted GPA shows the rigor of your courseload.
How the Calculation Works
Our calculator follows a standard, widely used weighting system. First, it converts your letter grade in each class into a grade point value based on the course level you selected.
Standard Grade Point Conversion Table:
After assigning points, the calculator uses the following formula: WeightedGPA=∑(TotalCredits)∑(GradePoints×Credits)
In simple terms: For each class, it multiplies the grade points by the number of credits. It adds all these results together and then divides by the total number of credits you took.
Concrete Example: Let’s calculate the weighted GPA for a student who took three 1-credit courses:
AP Calculus: Grade A (5.0 points)
Honors English: Grade B (3.5 points)
Regular Art: Grade A (4.0 points)
Calculate total quality points:
AP Calculus: 5.0 points×1 credit=5.0
Honors English: 3.5 points×1 credit=3.5
Regular Art: 4.0 points×1 credit=4.0
Total Quality Points = 5.0+3.5+4.0=12.5
Calculate total credits:
Divide to find GPA:
This student’s weighted GPA is a 4.17, which is higher than the maximum 4.0 on an unweighted scale, reflecting their success in advanced courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good weighted GPA?
“Good” is subjective and depends heavily on your goals. Here’s a general guide:
GPA above 4.0: This is generally considered an excellent weighted GPA. It indicates that you are taking numerous advanced classes (AP, IB, Honors) and earning mostly A’s in them. This GPA range is highly competitive for admission to top-tier universities.
GPA of 3.5 – 3.9: This is a very strong weighted GPA, showing a solid performance in a challenging curriculum. It makes you a competitive applicant at most selective colleges and universities.
GPA of 3.0 – 3.4: This is a solid GPA that shows you are a capable student. It is generally considered a good GPA for admission to many state universities and other public institutions.
Context is everything. A “good” GPA for an engineering program at MIT is different from a “good” GPA for a liberal arts program at a state university.
How do colleges use weighted vs. unweighted GPA?
This is a critical question. Most colleges will look at both. However, because high schools across the country use so many different weighting systems (some give 1 extra point for AP, some give 0.5 for Honors, some don’t weight at all), many colleges recalculate your GPA using their own standardized formula.
They do this to create a level playing field and compare all applicants fairly. They will look at your transcript to see the courses you took and the grades you earned. The rigor of your curriculum—the fact that you challenged yourself with AP and Honors classes—is often more important than the final weighted GPA number your high school provides.
Is it better to get an ‘A’ in a regular class or a ‘B’ in an AP class?
This is the classic dilemma for ambitious students. Let’s look at it from two angles:
GPA Impact:
‘A’ in a Regular Class (1 credit): 4.0 grade points.
‘B’ in an AP Class (1 credit): Also 4.0 grade points on a weighted scale.
Conclusion: From a purely weighted GPA perspective, they can be identical. However, the ‘A’ will always look better on your unweighted GPA (4.0 vs. 3.0).
College Admissions Perspective:
How much does taking one AP class raise your GPA?
Let’s use a concrete example. Imagine you are taking five 1-credit classes and have all A’s in regular courses. Your unweighted GPA is a perfect 4.0. Now, let’s swap one of those regular classes for an AP class, in which you still get an A.
In this case, taking a single AP class and earning an A raised the student’s weighted GPA by 0.2 points. The more advanced classes you take, the greater the potential impact.
Do all high schools weight grades the same way?
No, and this is a major source of confusion. The system used in our calculator (+1.0 for AP/IB, +0.5 for Honors) is very common, but it’s not universal. Some schools might give a full extra point for Honors as well. Some may use a different scale entirely. Always check your school’s official student handbook or guidance department website for their specific weighting policy. Our calculator provides a reliable standard for comparison, but your official transcript will reflect your school’s unique system.
What is the difference between a 4.0 scale and a 5.0 scale?
A “4.0 scale” typically refers to an unweighted scale where 4.0 is the maximum possible GPA (an A). A “5.0 scale” is a common way of describing a weighted scale where an A in an AP or college-level class is worth 5.0 points. A student who takes only AP classes and gets all A’s could theoretically have a 5.0 GPA.
What is a cumulative GPA vs. a semester GPA?
Semester GPA: Your GPA calculated using only the courses you took in a single semester (e.g., Fall 2025).
Cumulative GPA: Your GPA calculated using all the courses you have taken throughout your high school career up to that point. This is the GPA that colleges will see on your transcript.
Do plus (+) and minus (-) grades affect weighted GPA?
Yes, they do. As you can see from our calculation table, an A- (4.7 in an AP class) is worth less than an A (5.0), and a B+ (4.3) is worth more than a B (4.0). Using a calculator that accounts for these pluses and minuses gives you a more precise result than one that treats all A’s, B’s, and C’s the same.
What is the highest possible weighted GPA?
This depends entirely on a high school’s specific weighting system and the number of weighted courses it offers. On a standard 5.0 scale, if a student took only AP classes and earned an A+ or A in every single one, their GPA would be a 5.0. Some schools offer even more weight, so it’s theoretically possible to exceed a 5.0, but it is extremely rare.
Should I include non-academic courses like P.E. or Art in my GPA?
This depends on your goal.
For your official school GPA: You should only include the courses that your high school uses to calculate your official GPA. Often, non-academic or pass/fail courses are excluded. Check your school’s policy.
For college admissions: Most colleges will recalculate your GPA focusing only on core academic subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language). When trying to estimate what colleges will see, it’s often best to calculate your GPA using only these core courses.
Now that you have your weighted GPA, you might want to plan for your upcoming exams. Use our Final Grade Calculator to determine what score you need on your final to achieve a desired grade in a specific course. If you’re preparing for AP exams, check out our suite of tools, such as the AP US History Score Calculator, to estimate your potential score.
