Hey guys! I was wondering how colleges calculate GPAs? I've heard that it's different from high school. Could someone help explain the process to me? Also, how do they consider weighted and unweighted GPAs? Thanks so much!
Hey there! You're right, college GPA calculations can be different from high school. In college, GPA calculation is typically based on a 4.0 scale, where each letter grade corresponds to a specific number:
- A: 4.0
- A-: 3.7
- B+: 3.3
- B: 3.0
- B-: 2.7
- C+: 2.3
- C: 2.0
- C-: 1.7
- D+: 1.3
- D: 1.0
- F: 0
To calculate your college GPA, you will need to multiply the grade points (numbers assigned to letter grades) with the credit hours of each course you've taken. Afterward, add up all the resulting values and divide the sum by the total number of credit hours attempted. This will give you your current college GPA.
Now, when it comes to weighted and unweighted GPAs, college GPAs are typically unweighted. This means that your college GPA isn't adjusted to account for the rigor of your courses, as it might be in high school. In college, you're usually expected to take a certain number of core courses with varying levels of difficulty, so the GPA reflects your performance across the board without considering the course weights.
However, you should note that specific colleges or universities may have their own GPA calculation methods or scales in place. Additionally, select programs, such as honors programs, might use a weighted GPA system with a higher scale (e.g., 5.0) to reflect the rigor of the courses.
I hope this helps! Good luck with your college journey!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.