Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA for college apps?

Hey y'all! I've noticed that there's a difference between weighted and unweighted GPAs, but which one do colleges look at during the admissions process? Is one preferred over the other?

Colleges consider both weighted and unweighted GPAs but often convert the weighted GPAs they receive to match their own unique grading scale. Each college has its own methodology of evaluating a student's GPA, which is why they might recalculate a submitted GPA to be consistent with their internal standards.

Weighted GPA takes into account the difficulty of the courses a student has taken (e.g., AP, IB, and Honors courses), assigning a higher value to the grades in these courses. This rewards students for challenging themselves with more rigorous coursework. Unweighted GPA, on the other hand, does not take course rigor into account, assigning equal value to all classes on a 4.0 scale (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, etc.).

While selective colleges appreciate the fact that a student has taken rigorous classes and has a high weighted GPA, the unweighted GPA can still provide an important baseline for a quick comparison among applicants. In general, both the weighted and unweighted GPAs matter, as colleges use the two to understand the context of a student's course rigor, class rank (if available), and academic performance amongst their peers.

Ultimately, it's essential to maintain a strong unweighted GPA while challenging yourself with rigorous coursework. This combination will best showcase your academic potential to colleges. Additionally, don't forget that colleges evaluate applications holistically, which means factors such as test scores, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation play a crucial role in determining your chances of admission as well.