Traditionally, the 4.0 unweighted grading scale starts with an A being worth 4.0, then descends with an A- being 3.7/3.67, a B+ being 3.3/3.33, etc. There are a number of high schools, however, that award A+ grades which count at some fraction above a 4.0 (4.3/4.5/whatever). This is all separate from the issue of applying weighting factors for Honors, AP, etc., classes.
Assuming the college recognizes “+” and “-“ distinctions in calculating an unweighted GPA for an applicant, do colleges simply count A+ grades as a regular “A” or do they award an extra fraction? While I am sure there are differences among colleges, is anyone aware of specific examples or of there being a “general” rule on this issue?
That sums it up.
There is no general rule.
If, and this is a big if, a college recalculates a GPA, particularly if the college itself does not give A+'s, I would assume that an A+=4.0. Since most HS’s don’t have A+'s, a college is not going to give an advantage to an applicant simply because their HS does give A+'s.
The only stated example I know is for California public colleges and universities, where A+= A = A- = 4.0.
At the end of the day, just file it under “It is what it is.”
If it is 4.0 max scale, A+ is the same as A.
You should check with the school your interested in. They can fill you in on what they do.
If a college doesn’t use a California system of recalculation, how might that college compare between high schools where one doesn’t have -/+ and the other one does? My kids’ school uses A+=4.33 and accordingly the UW GPA reported by the school will be higher than the UW GPA recalculated by a college where A+ = A = 4.0 and A- = 3.67. On the other hand, a California system of recalculation would come much closer to the school’s UW.