What's the deal with GPA scale on the Common App, and how should I report mine?

Hey everyone, quick question - I'm a bit puzzled about what to put for the 'GPA scale' section on the Common App. My school uses a standard 4.0 scale, but I know some friends have different scales. How should I make sure I'm reporting this correctly?

Hey there! Reporting your GPA in the Common App can indeed be a bit confusing. Since your school uses a standard 4.0 scale, that's what you'll want to select in the GPA scale section. If your school doesn't weigh AP or honors classes, then your scale is unweighted and you should report your GPA as is. However, if your school does weigh these classes, you likely have a weighted GPA which could be above a 4.0, and you should note that as well. For instance, an A in an AP class might be a 5.0 in your school's system. It's important to put the correct scale so that colleges understand the context of your GPA. Just make sure whatever you report matches what's on your official transcript – this goes for the scale and the GPA itself. And don't worry about converting or calculating anything on your own; colleges will do their own recalculations to fit their evaluation system. Hope this helps!