Calculate your unweighted and weighted GPA instantly. Track your academic progress and plan your studies effectively.
Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the most important metrics of your academic performance. This comprehensive guide will help you understand everything you need to know about calculating, interpreting, and improving your high school GPA.
Your GPA is a critical factor in college admissions, scholarship opportunities, and even future job prospects. It provides a standardized measure of your academic performance that colleges and universities use to compare applicants from different schools and backgrounds.
Research shows that students with higher GPAs are:
GPA is calculated by converting your letter grades to a numerical value, then averaging these values based on course credits. High schools use two main GPA types:
Based on a standard 4.0 scale that doesn't consider course difficulty. All courses are treated equally regardless of their level.
Most colleges recalculate GPAs using their own formulas, but many still consider unweighted GPA for initial screening.
Rewards students for taking challenging courses by adding bonus points to the base grade. This system allows GPAs to exceed the standard 4.0 scale.
Many high schools use weighted GPAs for class rankings and honor roll designations.
| Letter Grade | Percentage | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100% | 4.0 |
| A | 93-96% | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89% | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86% | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79% | 2.3 |
| C | 73-76% | 2.0 |
| C- | 70-72% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67-69% | 1.3 |
| D | 65-66% | 1.0 |
| F | Below 65% | 0.0 |
| Course Level | Bonus Points | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 0.0 | A = 4.0 |
| Honors | +0.5 | A = 4.5 |
| AP/IB | +1.0 | A = 5.0 |
Understanding how GPA is calculated can help you make strategic decisions about your coursework. Here are the formulas:
Unweighted GPA = (Sum of Grade Points × Credits) / Total Credits
Example: If you took three 1-credit courses with grades of A (4.0), B (3.0), and A- (3.7):
(4.0 × 1) + (3.0 × 1) + (3.7 × 1) = 10.7
10.7 ÷ 3 = 3.57
Weighted GPA = (Sum of (Grade Points + Bonus) × Credits) / Total Credits
Example: Regular English (A, 4.0), Honors Math (A, 4.5), AP History (B+, 4.3):
(4.0 × 1) + (4.5 × 1) + (4.3 × 1) = 12.8
12.8 ÷ 3 = 4.27
Balance challenging courses with your capacity. Taking too many advanced classes can backfire if you can't maintain good grades.
Your freshman and sophomore year grades count just as much as later years. Build strong habits early.
Don't wait until you're struggling. Use teacher office hours, tutoring centers, and study groups.
If your GPA isn't where you want it to be, consider these recovery options:
Most colleges consider both, but many recalculate GPAs using their own standardized formulas to ensure fair comparisons between applicants from different schools.
The impact depends on how many credits you've earned. A single F in a 1-credit course will have less impact for a senior than for a freshman. Use our calculator to simulate different scenarios.
This varies by context: