How does the GPA work?

<p>I am currently a senior high school student, who will be attending an undergraduate Canadian university in Fall 2010 (I am Canadian and live in Ontario).</p>

<p>I really want to go to a US graduate or law school in three-four years from now, so I have been emailing schools, trying to find out what the requirements are for such programs.</p>

<p>I don't understand how the GPA system works. A quote from Stanford Law School:</p>

<p>"The GPA ranges for the first year students admitted for fall 2009 was 3.29-4.18 with an average of 3.85."</p>

<p>How can one have a 4.18 GPA? I thought 4.0 was the highest?</p>

<p>Any explanation would be awesome!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Weighted GPA</p>

<p>For example, some classes like AP Classes will count as a 5.0 if you get a A in them on the weighted GPA scale, as opposed to a 4.0 on the normal un-weighted scale.</p>

<p>There are AP classes in college/university?</p>

<p>At my school, if you get an A in an AP class, you get .05 added to your GPA. If you take an honors class, you get .04 added to your GPA if you get an A. Right now, I have a 4.58and I have taken 4 AP classes and 9 honors classes along with a half year weighted class.</p>

<p>I graduated from Simon Fraser in BC. There, as in (most) colleges/universities in the US, A+=4.33, A=4.00, A-=3.67, … That is how GPA can go beyond 4.</p>

<p>Goldstar - I’ve attended and worked for several universities in the US and I’ve never seen that grade scale. The classic A=4, B=3., etc is the norm, with one school doing A=4, A-= 3.7, B+=3.3, B=3, etc.</p>

<p>Grcxx3, I guess I would take back the A+ gpa reference on US colleges. I always don’t feel good about rushed answers. This can be a good reminder. I hope you can help PureLife with his question. Thanks.</p>