AP GPA Calculator
Calculate your weighted GPA for Advanced Placement courses. Toggle the Weighted GPA switch, select AP as your course type, and see both your weighted and unweighted GPA side by side.
How AP Courses Affect Your Weighted GPA
AP courses add 1.0 bonus grade point to every letter grade on the weighted 5.0 scale. An A in AP earns 5.0, a B+ earns 4.3, and a B earns 4.0 meaning a B in AP equals an A in a standard course for weighted GPA purposes.
The AP bonus applies to every AP course on your transcript, regardless of subject. AP Calculus, AP English Language, AP US History, AP Biology all carry the same 1.0 weighted bonus. The boost is automatic and applies to the grade your teacher assigns, not to your AP exam score.
A in AP = 4.0 + 1.0 = 5.0 | B+ in AP = 3.3 + 1.0 = 4.3
B in AP = 3.0 + 1.0 = 4.0 | B- in AP = 2.7 + 1.0 = 3.7
AP Weighted Grade Point Table
Every AP grade earns 1.0 more than the same grade in a standard course. The table below shows the full AP weighted scale alongside standard course grade points.
| Letter Grade | Standard GPA | AP Weighted GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| A | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| D | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 |
When AP Courses Help and When They Hurt GPA
AP courses help weighted GPA when you earn a B- or higher. They match standard course GPA at a C+, and actually hurt your GPA relative to standard courses at a C or below. Compare your high school GPA with and without AP bonuses using the calculator above.
The Break-Even Grade in AP
A B in AP earns 4.0 weighted the same as an A in a standard course. If you can earn at least a B in an AP course, your weighted GPA benefits from the AP enrollment. If you earn a B-, you earn 3.7 weighted, which still outperforms an A- (3.7) in standard and matches a B- in Honors.
A C+ in AP earns 3.3 weighted, the same as a B+ in a standard course. A C in AP earns 3.0 weighted, the same as a B in standard. Below a C in AP, weighted GPA falls below what you would earn from B-level performance in a standard course.
AP Exam Scores vs AP Course Grades
AP exam scores (1 through 5) are independent of your AP course grade. A score of 3, 4, or 5 on the AP exam may earn college credit, but no exam score changes your transcript grade or GPA. Your teacher assigns the course grade, and that grade alone determines your weighted GPA contribution for that AP course.
How Many AP Courses Selective Colleges Expect
Selective colleges review the school profile alongside your transcript to see how many AP courses were available and how many you took. Applicants to schools with admissions rates below 20% typically present 8-12 AP courses over four years. Applicants to mid-tier selective schools (30-50% acceptance rate) typically present 4-8. The number matters less than whether you challenged yourself relative to what your school offered.
AP GPA and Class Rank
High schools that rank students typically use weighted GPA for class rank calculations. The AP bonus directly raises weighted GPA and therefore class rank for students earning B- or higher in AP courses. Students who avoid AP courses to protect unweighted GPA often fall in weighted class rank compared to peers taking AP courses with similar or even slightly lower raw performance.
AP GPA Worked Example
A student taking 4 AP courses and 1 standard course earns a 4.61 weighted GPA while the same grades produce a 3.69 unweighted GPA.
| Course | Grade | Credits | Grade Pts | Quality Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus BC | A | 4 | 4.0 | 16.0 |
| AP Biology | B+ | 4 | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| AP English Language | A- | 3 | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| AP US History | B | 3 | 3.0 | 9.0 |
| Regular PE | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Totals | 15 | 53.3 | ||
The AP GPA (5.0 weighted) applies 1.0 bonus points to each AP course grade: AP Calculus A earns 5.0, AP Biology B+ earns 4.3, AP English A- earns 4.7, AP History B earns 4.0. Weighted quality points: (5.0×4 + 4.3×4 + 4.7×3 + 4.0×3 + 4.0×1) = 20+17.2+14.1+12+4 = 67.3. Weighted GPA = 67.3 ÷ 15 = 4.49.