Institutional GPA vs Cumulative GPA

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I was just wondering what the difference is between an institutional GPA and a cumulative GPA. How do colleges generally use these two types of GPAs when evaluating applicants?

Hi there! I'd be happy to help explain the difference between an institutional GPA and a cumulative GPA, as well as how colleges use them.

Institutional GPA refers to the grade point average a student earns at a specific high school or institution. For example, if you've spent your entire high school career at one school, your institutional GPA will be the same as your cumulative GPA. However, if you've attended multiple schools during high school, your institutional GPA would be calculated separately for each school.

Cumulative GPA, on the other hand, is an overall grade point average that combines your grades from all the high schools you've attended. It provides colleges with a single number to represent your academic performance throughout your entire high school career.

Colleges generally consider your cumulative GPA to a greater extent, as it reflects your overall academic performance. However, they may also review your institutional GPAs to understand your performance at each high school you've attended. This can be helpful for admissions officers to get a deeper insight into your academic history.

For example, if there was a big change in difficulty between schools (such as moving from an under-resourced public school to a competitive private school), the admissions officers may take this context into account when evaluating your GPA.

In summary, while your cumulative GPA is the primary number colleges will assess, institutional GPAs might also be considered in order to evaluate your performance in each specific context. In either case, maintaining a strong GPA is always crucial for college admissions. Good luck with the remainder of your high school journey!