1. What is Weighted GPA?

Weighted GPA takes into account the difficulty level of courses by assigning higher point values to honors, AP, or IB classes. This provides a more comprehensive view of a student's academic performance.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the weighted GPA formula:

Where:

• \( weighted\_points \) — Grade points adjusted for course difficulty
• \( credits \) — Credit hours for each course
• \( total\_credits \) — Total credit hours attempted

Explanation: The equation accounts for both the grades earned and the difficulty level of courses taken.

3. Importance of GPA Calculation

Details: Weighted GPA is crucial for college admissions as it demonstrates a student's willingness to take challenging courses and their ability to succeed in them.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the weighted points for each course, the credits for each course, and the total credits. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is weighted GPA different from unweighted GPA?
A: Weighted GPA gives extra points for advanced courses (typically +0.5 for honors, +1.0 for AP/IB), while unweighted GPA treats all courses equally.

Q2: What is a good weighted GPA?
A: This varies by school, but generally 4.0+ is excellent, 3.5-3.9 is strong, and 3.0-3.4 is average for college-bound students.

Q3: Do all schools use weighted GPA?
A: No, policies vary. Some schools use only unweighted, some use both, and some have their own weighting systems.

Q4: How do colleges view weighted GPA?
A: Most competitive colleges recalculate GPAs using their own formulas, but they still consider course rigor when evaluating applications.

Q5: Can weighted GPA be higher than 4.0?
A: Yes, with grade points from advanced courses, weighted GPA often goes up to 5.0 or higher depending on the scale.