Weighted GPA Calculator
Calculate your weighted GPA for AP, IB, and Honors courses. Toggle the Weighted GPA switch and select course type the calculator shows both your weighted and unweighted GPA instantly.
How to Calculate Weighted GPA
Weighted GPA adds bonus grade points to AP, IB, and Honors courses before averaging. AP and IB courses add 1.0 bonus point; Honors courses add 0.5 bonus points. The result is a GPA that can exceed 4.0, commonly called the 5.0 scale.
- Enable the Weighted GPA toggle at the top of the calculator. A course type column will appear in each row.
- Select your course type Standard, Honors, AP, or IB for each row. The calculator automatically applies the correct bonus.
- Enter your grade for each course. The grade point value shown reflects the unweighted grade; the calculator adds the bonus internally.
- Read both GPA values in the result panel: your weighted GPA (with bonuses) and your unweighted GPA (without bonuses).
Example: B+ in AP = 3.3 + 1.0 = 4.3 weighted | A in Honors = 4.0 + 0.5 = 4.5 weighted
Weighted GPA Scale: AP, IB, and Honors Grade Points
The weighted scale adds fixed bonus points to each grade based on course level. An A in an AP course earns 5.0 weighted grade points the maximum on the 5.0 scale. Standard courses remain on the 4.0 scale.
| Grade | Standard | Honors (+0.5) | AP / IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Weighted GPA, Course Rigor, and College Admissions
Weighted GPA signals academic ambition to colleges but cannot be compared across schools because weighting systems differ. Admissions officers use weighted GPA alongside the school profile to assess how aggressively a student pursued advanced coursework.
Why Colleges Prefer Unweighted for Cross-School Comparison
A student at a school that adds 1.0 for Honors will have a higher weighted GPA than an identically performing student at a school that adds 0.5 for Honors. Neither is wrong the systems just differ. Unweighted GPA on the 4.0 scale is consistent across all schools: an A is always 4.0 regardless of course level. Admissions officers convert all weighted GPAs to unweighted for apples-to-apples comparison.
This does not mean weighted GPA is useless. A high weighted GPA signals that a student took advanced courses. Admissions officers check the school profile report to see which AP, IB, and Honors courses were available, then check how many the applicant took versus the school average.
The AP Course Strategy for Maximum Weighted GPA
Weighted GPA benefits from AP courses only when grades remain B- or higher. A B in AP (4.0 weighted) matches an A in a standard course (4.0 unweighted), producing no net GPA difference. A B+ in AP (4.3 weighted) exceeds an A in standard (4.0 unweighted), producing a 0.3 weighted GPA premium. Students targeting a weighted GPA above 4.0 should take AP courses where B+ or higher is achievable and standard courses where the subject is a weakness.
IB Diploma and Weighted GPA
International Baccalaureate (IB) courses receive the same 1.0 bonus as AP courses on the standard weighted scale. IB Higher Level (HL) courses are generally considered equivalent to AP in rigor. IB Standard Level (SL) courses vary some high schools apply only the Honors 0.5 bonus to SL courses rather than the full AP 1.0 bonus. Check your school's specific weighting policy to see whether SL courses receive full or partial bonus.
Maximum Possible Weighted GPA
The maximum weighted GPA is 5.0, earned by achieving A+ or A in every AP or IB course. A student taking 6 AP courses per semester with a 4.0 unweighted average would have a 5.0 weighted GPA. In practice, most high-achieving students applying to selective colleges have weighted GPAs between 4.3 and 4.7, reflecting a mix of A grades in AP courses with some A- and B+ grades.
Worked Example: Weighted vs Unweighted GPA Comparison
A junior year schedule with three AP courses, one Honors course, and one standard course produces a significant gap between weighted and unweighted GPA demonstrating how course rigor increases the weighted score.
| Course | Type | Grade | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP US History | AP (+1.0) | B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| AP Chemistry | AP (+1.0) | B | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| AP English Lang. | AP (+1.0) | A- | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| Honors Pre-Calc | Honors (+0.5) | A | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Spanish III | Standard | A+ | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| GPA (5 courses) | 3.60 | 4.30 | ||
Unweighted 3.60 / Weighted 4.30. The 0.70 gap reflects three AP bonuses and one Honors bonus. Admissions sees 3.60 as the performance baseline and 4.30 as evidence of challenging course selection. Both numbers together tell the full story.