Does my high school use an A+ in its GPA calculation?

Some friends at other schools have mentioned that their GPAs get a boost from A+ grades, but I'm not sure if my high school does that. How can I find out if my high school's GPA calculator includes A+ grades or stops at an A?

To find out whether your high school includes A+ grades in GPA calculations, the best first step is to check your student handbook or your school's grading policies, which are often outlined on the school's website or in materials provided to you at the beginning of the school year.

If you can't locate this information there, the next step is to talk directly with your guidance counselor or school registrar. They can give you the most accurate information on how the school calculates GPAs. If your school does give A+ grades, they will obviously be higher than A grades, potentially corresponding to a 4.33 value for an A+ instead of the standard 4.0 for an A when calculating unweighted GPAs. If A+ grades aren't part of your school's grading scale, the highest unweighted grade you can receive will likely be a 4.0.

Lastly, keep in mind that while your school's policy is important for your high school GPA, which could matter for things like class rank, many colleges recalculate GPAs based on their own scale when you apply, often standardizing grades to account for differences like this. Hope this helps and wish you the best with your studies!