How to calculate Level GPA?

I've been seeing stuff about Level GPA and not entirely sure what it means or how it’s calculated. Anyone know how I can compute this accurately? Does this look different for honors or AP classes?

Level GPA, also commonly referred to as a "weighted GPA", is generally used to acknowledge and reward the extra effort students put into taking more challenging courses, such as Honors, AP classes, or IB classes. It helps to level the playing field between students who take all regular courses and those who challenge themselves with more difficult ones.

To calculate a level GPA, you follow the traditional GPA scale (A count as 4 points, B counts as 3 points, and so on) but add extra points for your honors and AP classes. Usually, a school system assigns an extra 0.5 point for Honors courses and 1 extra point for AP or IB courses, although different school system may have some variation.

For instance, if you've received an 'A' in an AP class, instead of the traditional 4.0 points you'd earn an 'A', it would be 5.0 in a weighted GPA calculation (4 for the 'A' + 1 for the AP level). Same applies for a 'B' in an AP class, it would be 4.0 (3 for the 'B' + 1 for the AP level).

However, keep in mind, not all schools use this practice. For instance, some schools might only add 0.5 credit to your score, regardless if it's for an Honors or AP class. Alternatively, your school might add a full 1.0 credit to your score for both Honors and AP classes. It's important to learn how your particular school handles it. You can usually find this in your school's student handbook or by directly asking your counselor.

Remember, when applying to colleges, your level GPA is going to be of interest, but colleges also look at course rigor, that is, the difficulty of the courses you've chosen to take. So don't shy away from those more demanding classes!