How colleges calculate GPA

<p>After poring over threads in the chances section of these forums for a while now, I have found an inconsistency concerning unweighted GPA. Actually, I am not really sure if it is a problem per se, but it conflicts with the standardized aspects of unweighted GPA, which colleges seem to desire.</p>

<p>As an example, I have seen people disclose their GPAs as roughly 3.7-3.8; they have gone on to explain that their less-than-perfect numbers are due to a "B and 3 B+" grades over the span of their high school careers. When they go on to say that the rest of their grades were A's, I found it weird that they had no A- grades, as you would think that someone with a B and 3 B+'s probably got an A- or two as well. </p>

<p>So I considered this circumstance to myself, and I finally came to the conclusion that unweighted GPA is not as equalized as I, for one, would like it to be. In my school, a fairly competitive private school, A- (90-93) grades count as a 3.7 when calculated for GPA. I may be splitting hairs, but isn't that unfairly comparing students? From my understanding, unweighted GPA is calculated on the school's end, but I could be totally mistaken. Any insight into this topic would be very much appreciated.</p>

<p>I think for high school, any A is a 4.0, B is 3.0, etc. regardless or + or -. Usually colleges will calculate your GPA separately from your school (because every high school is different) through the transcript and do it themselves.</p>

<p>At my daughter’s private college prep school, it is not possible to get an A -. The only possible grades are A, B+, B, C+, C, D+, D and F. A person with all As (93 - 100) would have a 4.0. A B+ is 89 - 92. This information is spelled out clearly on the transcript, as well as on the school profile that the guidance counselor sends to colleges.</p>

<p>If you are concerned about this, you might want to request a copy of your transcript and your school profile from your school so you can see how clearly they portray your scores.</p>

<p>They can’t just look at and numbers and directly compare them obviously. At my school, there are no + or -. I don’t get a 3.5 if I get a high B, I get a flat 3.0. Also, a 85-92 is a B, which makes it even worse. </p>

<p>If I were on a 90-100 scale, I’d have a 4.0 unweighted. But instead, I have a 3.83. Different schools are different.</p>

<p>That being said, colleges do receive a profile on your HS telling them how the grading system works. That way, they understand the context under which you earned your grades. They probably don’t actually recalculate GPAs, but they understand that perhaps a 3.8 on a strict grading system is equivalent to a higher GPA on a more lenient system. </p>

<p>Also, that is where class rank comes into play.</p>

<p>yes. I ended up with an 82/100 in high school and I was the salutatorian. Some places just grade harder. If your rank is good and your counselor sends some information about how your school grades, it should be ok</p>