A weighted GPA is a grade point average that gives extra points for harder classes, such as honors, Advanced Placement (AP) or IB courses, so an A in an advanced class counts for more than an A in a standard one.
How the bonus works
Every school sets its own weights, but a common pattern looks like this:
- Standard class: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2
- Honors class: +0.5 (A = 4.5)
- AP or IB class: +1.0 (A = 5)
Some schools only weight AP classes, some weight from 10th grade onward, and some don’t weight at all. Your student handbook or transcript key spells out the rule.
Weighted vs. unweighted: same grades, two numbers
Take a student with four classes:
| Class | Grade | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Chemistry | A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Honors English | B | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Algebra II | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Spanish II | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Average | 3.50 | 3.88 |
The grades are identical. Only the weighting changes the result. Run your own classes through the GPA calculator, which has a weighted option, and compare with the plain unweighted GPA.
Why it exists
Weighting is meant to stop students from avoiding hard classes to protect their GPA. The side effect is that weighted GPAs from two different high schools aren’t directly comparable, which is why colleges recalculate. If you’re deciding whether an AP class is worth it, look at what the AP exam score could earn you in college credit too, and see how individual values like a 3.8 GPA are read.
Related: grade point average · Advanced Placement