Hey folks, junior here starting to crunch numbers for my college apps. Just wondering, when colleges look at GPAs, what do they consider a 'good' weighted GPA versus a 'good' unweighted GPA? Both my school and a lot of the colleges I'm looking at use a 4.0 scale, but I know weighting can toss that number up. Just trying to figure out what's competitive for top colleges!
Hey there! It's great that you're thinking ahead about your GPA and how it's evaluated by colleges. In essence, a 'good' GPA, whether weighted or unweighted, can vary based on the institution's applicant pool. For top colleges, you'll want to aim for the highest unweighted GPA possible - close to or at 4.0.
Weighted GPA, on the other hand, isn't standardized across high schools, so admissions officers tend to look more closely at your unweighted GPA to assess your academic performance in comparison to other applicants. Moreover, they consider the rigor of your coursework, such as AP/IB/Honors classes, which adds context to your GPA.
If a college does consider weighted GPA, a good rule of thumb is that anything above the school's average weighted GPA for admitted students is competitive. You can often find this information on the college's admissions website.
Finally, colleges understand that different schools have different weighting systems, so they'll often recalibrate your GPA themselves, to level the playing field. Keep striving for academic excellence and challenging yourself with tough courses to show admissions officers your readiness for more rigorous college-level coursework. Good luck!
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