How to calculate college GPA for HOPE scholarship?

I'm looking into the HOPE scholarship and need to know how to calculate my college GPA for eligibility. Are there specific courses or grades that count differently? How is it different from my high school GPA calculation?

The GPA calculation for the HOPE scholarship is a bit different from your standard high school GPA calculation. It differs in two primary ways:

1. The HOPE Scholarship GPA only includes specific coursework: It considers grades from core curriculum classes such as math, English, science, social studies, and foreign languages. Any elective courses or additional classes outside the core curriculum are not included in the calculation.

2. Weighted scores for advanced placement (AP) or international baccalaureate (IB) classes: If you've taken any AP or IB courses during high school, your grade in these courses will be increased by 0.5 points for HOPE Scholarship GPA calculation helped to reflect the rigor of the coursework. For example, an A in an AP class would be considered a 4.5, a B would be a 3.5.

To calculate your HOPE Scholarship GPA, list all the grades you received in your core courses in numerical format (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0), adjusting by 0.5 for any AP or IB grades. Add these numbers together and then divide by the total number of classes to arrive at your HOPE GPA.

Be aware that there may be minor variations depending on the specific policies in your state. Also note that the HOPE Scholarship requires a minimum GPA, which can vary by state but is typically around 3.0. So, you'll want to ensure your GPA is on track to meet or exceed this threshold.