🎒 High School GPA Calculator
Calculate Your Weighted & Unweighted GPA - Plan for College Success
Free calculator for AP, Honors, and regular courses
📊 Understanding High School GPA Calculation
The high school GPA calculator helps students track their academic performance in 2026 by calculating both weighted and unweighted grade point averages on the standard 4.0 and 5.0 scales. Whether you're a freshman planning your course schedule, a junior preparing college applications, or a senior monitoring scholarship eligibility, this tool provides instant GPA calculations with proper credit for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Honors courses. Use this calculator to make informed decisions about course selection, understand your competitive standing for college admissions, and project how future grades will impact your cumulative GPA throughout high school.
High School GPA Calculator Tool
📋 Course Breakdown
| Course | Grade | Type | Unw. Pts | Wt. Pts |
|---|
📝 How to Use the High School GPA Calculator
- Add your courses: Click "+ Add Course" to create rows for each class you're taking or have taken. Enter the course name (e.g., "AP Calculus AB", "Honors English 11") to help you track which classes contribute to your GPA.
- Select your letter grade: Choose the grade you earned or expect to earn from the dropdown menu. Options include A+ through F with plus/minus variations. Use your transcript for completed courses or projected grades for current classes.
- Choose course type: Select Regular, Honors, or AP/IB to apply the correct weighting. Regular courses use the standard 4.0 scale, Honors adds +0.5, and AP/IB adds +1.0 to your weighted GPA. Check your course catalog if unsure.
- Enter credit hours: Input the number of credits for each course (typically 1.0 for full-year courses, 0.5 for semester courses). Your transcript or school handbook shows credit values for each class.
- Calculate your GPA: Click "📊 Calculate GPA" to see both your unweighted GPA (4.0 scale) and weighted GPA (5.0 scale), along with detailed statistics including total credits, quality points, and course type breakdown.
What is High School GPA?
High School GPA (Grade Point Average) is a numerical measure of your academic performance throughout high school. It's one of the most important factors in college admissions, scholarship applications, and academic honors. High schools typically report both weighted and unweighted GPAs to give a complete picture of student achievement.
📖 Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA (4.0 Scale)
- All courses treated equally
- Maximum GPA is 4.0
- A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0
- Shows raw academic performance
Weighted GPA (5.0 Scale)
- Rewards challenging courses
- Can exceed 4.0 (up to 5.0)
- AP/IB: +1.0, Honors: +0.5
- Shows academic rigor
Grade Point Values
| Letter Grade | Percentage | Regular | Honors (+0.5) | AP/IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100% | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A | 93-96% | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 90-92% | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 87-89% | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 83-86% | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 80-82% | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 77-79% | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 73-76% | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C- | 70-72% | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D | 60-69% | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
GPA Calculation Formula
Unweighted GPA Formula
Weighted GPA Formula
Example Calculation
📝 Sample GPA Calculation
| Course | Grade | Type | Unw. | Wt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus | A (4.0) | AP | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Honors English | A- (3.7) | Honors | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| AP Biology | B+ (3.3) | AP | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| History | A (4.0) | Regular | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Average | — | — | 3.75 | 4.38 |
📊 High School GPA Calculation Examples
Example 1: Sophomore Planning for AP Courses - Emma
Scenario: Emma is a 10th grader taking a mix of regular and honors courses to prepare for AP classes junior year. She wants to see her current standing.
Courses This Year:
- Honors English 10 (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.5 weighted)
- Algebra II (1.0 credit) - A- (3.7 regular, 3.7 weighted)
- Honors Chemistry (1.0 credit) - B+ (3.3 regular, 3.8 weighted)
- World History (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
- Spanish II (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
- PE (0.5 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
Calculation:
Unweighted: (4.0 + 3.7 + 3.3 + 4.0 + 4.0) × 1.0 + (4.0 × 0.5) = 21.0 ÷ 5.5 = 3.82
Weighted: (4.5 + 3.7 + 3.8 + 4.0 + 4.0) × 1.0 + (4.0 × 0.5) = 22.0 ÷ 5.5 = 4.00
Result: Emma's 3.82 unweighted GPA is "Selective College Ready" and her 4.00 weighted GPA shows she's taking challenging courses. This strong foundation prepares her for AP classes next year.
Example 2: Junior Loaded with APs - Marcus
Scenario: Marcus is a competitive junior taking multiple AP courses while aiming for top-tier universities. He's calculating his junior year GPA.
Courses This Year:
- AP English Language (1.0 credit) - A- (3.7 regular, 4.7 weighted)
- AP Calculus BC (1.0 credit) - B+ (3.3 regular, 4.3 weighted)
- AP US History (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 5.0 weighted)
- AP Chemistry (1.0 credit) - B (3.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
- Spanish III Honors (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.5 weighted)
- Economics (1.0 credit) - A+ (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
Calculation:
Unweighted: (3.7 + 3.3 + 4.0 + 3.0 + 4.0 + 4.0) ÷ 6.0 = 22.0 ÷ 6.0 = 3.67
Weighted: (4.7 + 4.3 + 5.0 + 4.0 + 4.5 + 4.0) ÷ 6.0 = 26.5 ÷ 6.0 = 4.42
Result: Marcus's 3.67 unweighted GPA combined with a 4.42 weighted GPA demonstrates he's excelling in rigorous coursework. The significant gap (0.75) between weighted and unweighted shows maximum course rigor—exactly what Ivy League schools value.
Example 3: Senior Balancing GPA & Applications - Sophia
Scenario: Sophia is a senior in fall semester carefully managing her course load while working on college applications. She needs to maintain her GPA for scholarship requirements.
Fall Senior Courses:
- AP Literature (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 5.0 weighted)
- AP Statistics (1.0 credit) - A- (3.7 regular, 4.7 weighted)
- Government Honors (0.5 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.5 weighted)
- Environmental Science (1.0 credit) - A (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
- Art History (1.0 credit) - A+ (4.0 regular, 4.0 weighted)
- Teaching Assistant (0.5 credit) - Pass (not calculated)
Calculation (excluding Pass/Fail):
Unweighted: (4.0 + 3.7 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0) × 1.0 + (4.0 × 0.5) = 21.7 ÷ 4.5 = 3.93
Weighted: (5.0 + 4.7 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0) × 1.0 + (4.5 × 0.5) = 24.0 ÷ 4.5 = 4.38
Result: Sophia's 3.93 unweighted GPA maintains her "Highly Selective College Ready" status while her balanced schedule allows time for strong college applications. She strategically chose manageable courses senior year while still demonstrating rigor.
💡 Important Tips for Managing Your High School GPA
Strategic GPA Planning
- Start strong freshman year: Your freshman GPA establishes your foundation. A low first-year GPA (below 3.0) is mathematically difficult to raise to 3.5+ by senior year. Aim for at least a 3.5 from the start to keep all college options open.
- Quality over quantity with APs: Colleges value A's and B's in AP courses more than C's. Don't overload—4-5 APs total by graduation is solid; 8-12 is competitive for top schools. Taking 6 APs in one year with poor grades hurts more than helps.
- Understand weighted vs. unweighted context: State universities often use unweighted GPA for automatic admission (like Texas Top 10%). Private colleges look at both but recalculate using their own formula. Report both on applications when asked.
- Strategic course progression matters: Take Honors in 9th-10th grade, then stack APs in 11th. Senior year AP grades matter less since you apply to colleges in fall. But don't slack—colleges can rescind admission for significant GPA drops.
- Know your school's GPA scale: Some schools cap weighted GPA at 4.5, others allow 5.0. Some don't weight at all. This doesn't hurt you—colleges know your school's policy from the school profile sent with your transcript.
- Electives impact more than you think: A C in PE or art still counts in your unweighted GPA. Some colleges recalculate excluding non-academic classes, but your transcript shows everything. Take electives you can excel in.
- Calculate your core academic GPA separately: For UC schools, engineering programs, and many scholarships, only English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language count. Your overall GPA might be 3.6, but core could be 3.8—highlight the higher number when relevant.
Uses of High School GPA
🎓 College Admissions
- Community Colleges: 2.0+ minimum
- State Universities: 3.0+ competitive
- Selective Schools: 3.5+ expected
- Ivy League: 3.9+ unweighted typical
💰 Scholarships
- Merit-Based: Often require 3.0+
- Full Scholarships: Usually 3.5+
- National Merit: High GPA + PSAT scores
- Athletic: NCAA requires 2.3+ core GPA
🏆 Academic Honors
- Honor Roll: Typically 3.5+
- National Honor Society: 3.0+ minimum
- Valedictorian: Highest weighted GPA
- Class Rank: Based on weighted GPA
📋 Other Uses
- Extracurriculars: Some require 2.5+
- Sports Eligibility: 2.0+ for many
- Driver's License: Good student discounts
- Summer Programs: Competitive use GPA
GPA Requirements by College Selectivity
| College Type | Unweighted GPA | Weighted GPA | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy League | 3.9+ | 4.5+ | Harvard, Yale, Princeton |
| Highly Selective | 3.7+ | 4.3+ | Stanford, MIT, Duke |
| Selective | 3.5+ | 4.0+ | UCLA, UMich, Boston College |
| Moderately Selective | 3.0+ | 3.5+ | Many state universities |
| Less Selective | 2.5+ | 3.0+ | Regional colleges |
🔗 Related Calculators
How to Calculate Your GPA
- List all your courses from your transcript including course names and types (Regular, Honors, AP/IB).
- Convert letter grades to points using the standard scale (A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0).
- For weighted GPA, add +0.5 for Honors courses and +1.0 for AP/IB courses.
- Multiply each grade by its credit hours (usually 1.0 for full-year, 0.5 for semester courses).
- Add up all points and divide by total credits for your unweighted and weighted GPAs.
Official Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Colleges look at both! They recalculate your GPA using their own formula. However, they value course rigor highly—a 3.5 with AP courses often beats a 4.0 with only regular courses. The weighted GPA shows you challenged yourself.
Quality over quantity matters. For top schools, 8-12 APs over high school is typical, but take subjects you're interested in. A strong grade (4 or 5) in fewer APs is better than struggling through many. Take the most rigorous schedule you can handle well.
Yes, freshman year counts toward your cumulative GPA. Some colleges (like UC schools) recalculate using only 10th-11th grade. However, most use all four years. An upward grade trend can help if freshman year was rough.
Absolutely! Colleges love to see an upward trend. If you had a 2.5 freshman year but improved to 3.8 by senior year, that shows growth and resilience. Focus on doing your best going forward—you can still reach competitive GPAs.
A 4.0 unweighted is excellent—it means straight A's! Combined with rigorous courses (AP/Honors), it makes you competitive for top schools. However, a 3.7+ with great extracurriculars, essays, and test scores can also get you into selective colleges.
Plus/minus grading adds granularity: A- = 3.7 (not 4.0), B+ = 3.3 (not 3.0). This means your GPA can be higher or lower than with straight letter grades. Not all high schools use +/-, and colleges account for this.
Class rank is your position among classmates based on weighted GPA (top 10%, valedictorian, etc.). Some colleges consider it, especially for automatic admission (Texas top 6% rule). Many schools no longer report rank because of competitiveness concerns.
It depends on your school. Some include all courses in GPA; others calculate a "core GPA" (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language). Colleges often recalculate using only core academic courses, so focus on those.
Generally, AP with a B shows more rigor. Weighted: AP B (4.0) = Regular A (4.0). But unweighted, the A wins. Colleges value challenge—take the AP if you can earn at least a B. If you'd get a C or lower, the regular A might be better.
Add all your grade points from all semesters and divide by total credits. For example: (Freshman 3.0 × 6 credits + Sophomore 3.5 × 6 credits) ÷ 12 total credits = 3.25 cumulative GPA. Our calculator does this automatically.
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Last Updated: January 2026