Hey everyone, my school uses a weird weighting system for AP and honors classes, and I'm trying to figure out how this is gonna affect my college apps. Do admissions officers have a preference for weighted vs unweighted GPAs, or do they recalculate everything to fit their own criteria?
Hello there! Colleges generally understand that high schools across the country have varying grading systems, so they're quite adept at interpreting transcripts within the context of each school's grading policy. When it comes to weighted vs. unweighted GPAs, admissions officers don't necessarily have a preference. Instead, they typically look at the rigor of your coursework in conjunction with your grades.
Admissions teams often recalculate GPAs to standardize them for comparison, but they also consider the specifics of your high school's grading scale, which your school counselor will usually include in your school profile. This means that even if your school uses a unique weighting system, colleges will be able to fairly evaluate your academic performance. Remember that your course rigor is critical too, so continue challenging yourself with the hardest classes available to you. For example, if a student takes multiple AP courses and maintains a high GPA, it will be viewed positively because it demonstrates both academic rigor and success in advanced classes.
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