Calculate your high school GPA — weighted or unweighted — with full support for AP, IB, and honors courses. See both the 4.0 and 5.0 scale side by side.
Your high school GPA is a credit-weighted average of all your course grades converted to grade points. Each letter grade maps to a number on the 4.0 scale: an A equals 4.0, a B equals 3.0, a C equals 2.0, a D equals 1.0, and an F equals 0. Schools multiply each grade point by the number of credits for that course, add them all together, then divide by total credits earned.
Most high school courses carry 1.0 credit per semester. Some schools use half-credits for electives or PE, and a few use a 5-point scale where each course is worth 5 credits (essentially the same math). Check your school's handbook if you're unsure how many credits each class carries.
An unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for every class, regardless of how difficult the course is. A student who earns an A in a standard English class and an A in AP English both receive 4.0 grade points for that grade on the unweighted scale.
A weighted GPA rewards more challenging coursework by adding extra grade points before calculating the average. A common convention — and the one this calculator uses — adds +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP or IB. Districts differ: Broward County, Florida adds +1 for honors and +2 for AP, IB, AICE and dual enrollment, and the University of California recalculates its own GPA with one extra point per semester of approved honors, AP or IB coursework, capped at 8. That means an A in AP Calculus earns 5.0 weighted grade points, and an A in an Honors course earns 4.5. This allows weighted GPAs to exceed 4.0 — top students in rigorous programs often reach 4.5 or even 5.0.
Colleges typically review both versions. A high weighted GPA signals you took on difficult coursework, while the unweighted GPA gives admissions officers a standardized comparison across schools with different weighting systems.
| Letter Grade | Standard (4.0) | Honors (+0.5) | AP / IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Note: Some schools cap A+ at 4.3 on the unweighted scale. If your district uses that policy, your results may differ slightly. D grades typically don't receive a weighting bonus since they fall below the threshold for advanced course expectations.
Say you took five courses this semester, each worth 1.0 credit:
| Course | Grade | Type | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus | A | AP | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Honors English | B+ | Honors | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| US History | A- | Standard | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Spanish III | B | Standard | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| AP Biology | A | AP | 4.0 | 5.0 |
Unweighted GPA = (4.0 + 3.3 + 3.7 + 3.0 + 4.0) ÷ 5 = 3.60
Weighted GPA = (5.0 + 3.8 + 3.7 + 3.0 + 5.0) ÷ 5 = 4.10
There's no universal cutoff, and the most reliable numbers are the ones each college publishes:
Look up the Common Data Set. Most colleges post a Common Data Set; section C12 gives the average high school GPA of enrolled first-year students and section C11 shows what share fell in each GPA band (3.75 and above, 3.50–3.74, and so on). That is far more useful than a generic "top 25" rule.
Know the hard minimums. Some public systems publish a floor. The University of California requires at least a 3.0 GPA in A-G courses for California residents and a 3.4 for nonresidents — and it recalculates that GPA itself rather than using your school's weighted number.
Check program-level requirements. Competitive majors such as nursing, engineering or business can set higher bars than the university's general admission threshold.
Keep in mind that colleges see your GPA in context — your school's grading scale, the courses available to you, and grade trends over time all factor into how your transcript is evaluated.
Your GPA is a cumulative average, which means every grade you've earned so far has an effect on it — and the more credits you've already completed, the harder any single semester can move the needle. A student with 10 credits on record can raise their GPA more dramatically in one semester than a student with 30 credits already locked in.
The most effective strategy is to target courses where you're currently earning C's and move them to B's. A C (2.0) drags your average down significantly; moving it to a B (3.0) gains a full grade point. Going from B to A gains the same one point, but eliminating low grades gives you the highest leverage. Taking additional AP or honors courses also helps your weighted GPA, though it won't change your unweighted average unless you earn strong grades in those courses.
If you want to know exactly how many A's you'd need to reach a target GPA, try the GPA Raise Calculator.
Does PE or electives count in my GPA? It depends on your school. Most districts include all graded courses in GPA, including PE, health, and electives. Some schools exclude physical education. Check your school's grade reporting policy or transcript to confirm which courses are factored in.
What happens if I retake a class? Grade replacement policies vary by district. Some schools replace the original grade entirely; others average both attempts; some keep both grades on the transcript but only count one in GPA. If you're retaking a course to improve a D or F, confirm your school's repeat policy before assuming the old grade disappears.
Do AP scores affect my GPA? AP exam scores (1–5) are separate from your GPA. Your GPA is determined by the letter grade your teacher awards for the course, not the AP exam score. A 5 on the AP exam doesn't help your GPA if you earned a B in the class — though earning college credit may matter for placement once you arrive at college.
Is a 3.5 a good high school GPA? A 3.5 unweighted GPA is solid and clears published minimums like the University of California's 3.0 (residents) and 3.4 (nonresidents). For a specific selective college, compare it with the GPA distribution in that college's Common Data Set (section C11), and remember that course rigor is read alongside the number.
When do colleges stop looking at my GPA? Colleges base their admissions decisions on your GPA through junior year and first-semester senior grades. Once you're admitted, they may still request your final transcript and rescind admission if senior grades drop significantly. Your GPA continues to matter for merit scholarships and academic standing requirements after you enroll.
Looking to calculate your college GPA or plan for what you need on an upcoming exam? These tools cover next steps: