The unweighted GPA scale: what does it mean?

I'm trying to understand how GPAs work for college applications. Can anyone explain the unweighted GPA scale to me? Also, how different is it from a weighted GPA, and which one do colleges prefer?

When looking at GPAs, it's essential to understand both unweighted and weighted scales as they provide different information about your academic achievements.

An unweighted GPA is the most straightforward scale, where each grade equates to a standard value. In the typical 4.0 scale, an A (or score of 90-100%) is a 4.0, a B (80-89%) is a 3.0, a C (70-79%) is a 2.0, and so on. No matter the difficulty of the class, the numeric value for grades is the same.

On the other hand, a weighted GPA scale takes into account the rigors of the classes you're taking. This scale usually goes up to a 5.0 (sometimes even higher) and gives higher values to honors or AP classes. For example, an A in an AP class in a weighted scale might equate to a 5.0, while an A in a regular class retains its 4.0 value.

Colleges don't necessarily "prefer" one over the other, as they look at both scales as well as the context of your high school. With the unweighted scale, they get a more standard look at your grades not influenced by course rigor. With the weighted scale, they see your ambition and willingness to challenge yourself academically. Ultimately, what colleges want is a high GPA, whether it's unweighted or weighted, combined with a rigorous course load. This indicates you're both a solid student and you've pushed yourself academically, preparing for college-level coursework.