Understanding GPA Calculations
Unweighted GPA (4.0 Scale)
| Letter Grade | Percentage | GPA Points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93-96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.7 |
| D | 60-69 | 1.0 |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 |
Weighted GPA (Typical 5.0 Scale)
AP/IB courses typically add 1.0 to GPA points:
- A in AP class = 5.0
- B in AP class = 4.0
- C in AP class = 3.0
Honors courses typically add 0.5:
- A in Honors = 4.5
- B in Honors = 3.5
How Colleges Evaluate GPA
- Recalculation: Many colleges recalculate GPAs using their own scales
- Context: GPA is evaluated relative to your school's offerings
- Trends: Upward trends are viewed positively
- Core Subjects: Some schools focus on academic core (English, Math, Science, History, Foreign Language)
UC GPA: University of California uses a special GPA calculation that only counts 10th-11th grade and caps honors/AP bonus points.