Enter your AP and non-AP courses to see exactly how your AP classes affect your weighted GPA. Compare weighted vs unweighted side by side.
Enter your current courses. Mark each as AP, Honors, or Regular — the calculator applies the correct weight automatically.
AP (Advanced Placement) courses receive a +1.0 bonus on the weighted GPA scale. This means an A in an AP class is worth 5.0 instead of the standard 4.0, a B in an AP class is worth 4.0, and a C is worth 3.0. The bonus applies regardless of whether you take the AP exam or what score you receive on it.
The purpose of the weight is to reflect academic rigor — AP courses are college-level, and the grading scale acknowledges that earning a B in AP Chemistry is a stronger academic achievement than earning a B in a standard chemistry course.
| Grade | Regular | AP (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 3.0 |
Report cards often show a percentage, not a letter. To convert an AP grade, find the letter your school assigns to the percentage, then add the AP bonus. The table uses a common high school scale; many schools use these cutoffs, but check your handbook, because some count 90–100 as a plain A with no minus.
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| Percent | Grade | Regular | AP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93–100 | A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| 90–92 | A− | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| 87–89 | B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| 83–86 | B | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| 80–82 | B− | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| 77–79 | C+ | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| 73–76 | C | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| 70–72 | C− | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| 60–69 | D | 1.0 | 1.0 or 2.0 |
| Below 60 | F | 0.0 | 0.0 |
So an 89 in AP Biology is a B+, worth 3.3 unweighted and 4.3 weighted. A 90 is an A−, worth 4.7 weighted, unless your school counts 90 as a full A, in which case it is 5.0. On the 10-point scale some schools use (90–100 A, 80–89 B, 70–79 C), an 89 is a B and earns 4.0 in an AP class.
D and F grades: schools split here. Many give no AP bonus below a C, so a D stays at 1.0; others add the full point. An F is 0.0 everywhere. If you are at risk of a D, it is worth checking your school's rule before deciding whether to stay in the class.
Half-credit AP classes: a semester-long AP course worth 0.5 credits gets the same bonus per grade, but it counts half as much in the average. The weighted GPA calculator lets you enter credits for each class.
One AP class adds 1.0 point to that class's grade, then the bonus is spread across all your classes. With 6 classes in a term, one A in an AP class raises a 4.0 unweighted average to about 4.17 weighted (1.0 ÷ 6). With 7 classes it adds about 0.14, and with 8 it adds 0.125. Across a full high school record of 24 to 32 year-long courses, each AP class moves your cumulative weighted GPA by only about 0.03 to 0.04, which is why a long run of APs matters more than any single one.
The +1.0 bonus per AP course looks significant, but its impact on your overall weighted GPA depends on how many total courses you take and what grades you earn. Here is what different AP course loads produce when you earn all A's:
| AP classes (of 6) | Weighted | Unweighted |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| 1 | 4.17 | 4.00 |
| 2 | 4.33 | 4.00 |
| 3 | 4.50 | 4.00 |
| 4 | 4.67 | 4.00 |
| 6 (all) | 5.00 | 4.00 |
Notice that the unweighted GPA stays at 4.0 in every scenario — the AP bonus only affects the weighted number. This is why colleges use both: weighted GPA signals rigor, unweighted GPA provides a standardized baseline for comparison.
No — and this is one of the most common misconceptions about AP courses. A B in an AP class earns 4.0 weighted points, which is the same as an A in a regular class (also 4.0 unweighted). On the weighted scale, a B in AP is neutral compared to an A in regular. On the unweighted scale, a B in AP (3.0) is lower than an A in regular (4.0) — but colleges understand this context.
The practical implication: taking AP courses and earning B's does not hurt your weighted GPA. If you are on the borderline between taking AP and not taking it because you are worried about a B, the weighted GPA math does not justify that concern. The bigger risk is overloading — taking too many AP courses at once and performing poorly across all of them.
Your AP course grade (the letter grade on your transcript) is separate from your AP exam score (1–5, set by College Board). Colleges see both, but they affect different things:
For college credit purposes, a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam can allow you to skip introductory college courses entirely — saving both time and tuition.
AP courses receive a +1.0 bonus; Honors courses typically receive a +0.5 bonus. For weighted GPA purposes, two AP classes produce a larger weighted bump than four Honors classes (assuming equal grades). However, AP courses also carry higher workload and exam pressure. The right choice depends on your capacity and goals:
Do all high schools weight AP courses the same way? No. The +1.0 bonus is the most common convention, but some schools use different scales (like a straight 5.0 A regardless of the +1.0 math, or a smaller +0.5 bonus). Check your school's specific weighting policy — it's usually in the student handbook or course catalog.
Will taking more AP courses always raise my GPA? Only if you maintain strong grades. Taking on too many AP courses at once and earning C's or D's can lower both your weighted and unweighted GPA compared to earning A's in fewer, more manageable AP courses.
Does AP Capstone or AP Seminar get weighted the same as other AP courses? Generally yes — most schools apply the same +1.0 bonus to any College Board-designated AP course, including AP Capstone and AP Seminar, though policies vary by district.
How many AP courses should I take for competitive college admissions? There's no universal number — admissions officers evaluate your course rigor relative to what's offered at your specific high school. Taking the most challenging schedule you can handle while maintaining strong grades matters more than hitting a specific AP course count.
What GPA is an 89 in an AP class? On a common high school scale an 89 is a B+, worth 3.3 unweighted and 4.3 weighted with the usual +1.0 AP bonus. On a 10-point scale where 80–89 is a B, it is worth 4.0 weighted.
Do D and F grades get the AP bonus? It depends on the school. Many give no AP bonus below a C, so a D stays at 1.0, while others add the full point. An F is 0.0 everywhere.
Weighted GPA Calculator — calculate your full weighted GPA including AP, IB, and Honors.
GPA Calculator — calculate your unweighted cumulative GPA.
IB GPA Calculator — convert IB grades to US GPA scale.
GPA Raise Calculator — how many A's do you need to reach your GPA goal?
AP Credit Calculator — estimate college credit and tuition savings from your AP exam scores (not your course grade).
Weighted GPA Guide for AP Classes — full breakdown of how AP weighting works.
What GPA Do You Need for Med School? — how AP GPA factors into admissions.