Everything You Need to Know about Weighted GPA

Weighted GPA is a common grading measure used by colleges and high schools in the United States.  There are several key differences between weighted and unweighted GPA.  This article pulls together all that you need to know about weighted GPA.

Grading Scales
The main thing that separates weighted GPA from a traditional grading system is the weighted GPA scale.  A weighted grade scale assigns additional grade points to more difficult classes.  These are usually AP or honors classes.  Each school can use a slightly different type of grading system.
Calculate Weighted GPA
Once you know the grading scale used by your school, you can figure out how to calculate weighted GPA.  GPA can be calculated either by hand or with a weighted GPA calculator.

GPA Conversion
One important question is how to convert weighted GPA to unweighted GPA, or vice versa.  In order to figure this out, you need to do a GPA scale conversion.  After converting the grade points for each class from weighted to unweighted, simply calculate the unweighted GPA for your classes to determine your grade point average.

Weighted GPA is Important
Weighted grade point average will always be at least as high as regular GPA for a student.  This is because weighted GPA is essentially a traditional GPA with extra credit given for tough classes.