Hey everyone, I'm a junior trying to understand the college admissions process and I'm a little confused. What's the difference between cumulative GPA and overall GPA? Is it just a different name for the same thing?
Hi there! It's a common question, and I'm glad you asked. Cumulative GPA and overall GPA are indeed different names for the same thing. When calculating your GPA, most schools use a system that takes into account the final grades for all the courses you've taken so far in high school.
Cumulative GPA, also called overall GPA, reflects the average of all your final grades. It's important to note that different high schools use different scales to calculate GPA, so it might be either weighted (considering difficulty and rigor of each class) or unweighted (treating all courses as equal). Be sure to pay attention to which scale your school uses.
Colleges tend to look at your cumulative GPA to get a sense of your overall academic performance in high school, but they also consider factors like course rigor and improvement over time. Good luck in your college search!
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