Is there any point to Weighted GPAs?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I mean if colleges don't even see it or consider it why is it even there? I'm only asking because I just got my "transcript" (I'm a Junior) and I've seen that my weighted GPA is signifigantly higher than my unweighted GPA (3.25 UW, 3.89 W). I know that's not very high in terms of CC standards :), but I'm really concerned about how my GPA will effect my College admissions process (I'm not looking to go to Harvard or anything, but a good private out of state college). I've seen a lot of my friends transcripts and there Weighted to Unweighted GPA was usually around 2 point difference compared to my GPA(I suppose that's b/c of the AP classes I have taken--about 5 since Frosh year).</p>

<p>Any ways I'd really appreciate it if I could get some feedback on the role of Weighted GPAs regarding the college admissions process and how it will affect my chances at a good college (and maybe even some suggestions on colleges).</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Don’t some schools rank based on weighted GPA?
'Course, I wouldn’t know since my school neither has weighted GPAs nor does it rank.</p>

3

<p>Unweighted doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Suppose a person took all regular classes, got “stellar” grades in them, and ended up with an UW GPA of like 3.95. And then on the other hand, take a student who pushed and challenged him/herself and took many AP classes, occasionally getting B’s here and there, ultimately ending up with an UW GPA of 3.7. Without weighted, who looks better?</p>

<p>Obviously the admissions office would also receive your transcript and can see that student B took AP classes and challenging courses. But the W GPA simply helps with this. Not only that, but it gives students taking harder classes a sort of reward/motive to take them aside from learning at a faster/challenging pace. And, as CO pointed out, rank is in most cases determined using W GPA.</p>

<p>And there are many, many colleges that look at W GPA, and perhaps even consider it over UW. Higher UW GPAs tend to be paired with higher W GPAs, so for everyone UW is generally the number you want to focus on, AP/Honors or not.</p>

4

<p>For rank and context of the difficulty of courses.</p>

5

<p>I’m a junior too, but some of my senior friends said some colleges they applied to take the weighted GPA.</p>

<p>I have a 4.76 W but no idea UW, and I’m kinda scared to find out cuz I have a feeling it will be much lower, like you said yours is. :/</p>

6

<p>Of course weighted matters, it shows who challenged themselves to take hard honors/AP classes. It is very important.</p>

<p>^And yea when I applied I put the weighted GPA. If the school wants unweighted they simply will ask or just look at the transcripts.</p>

7

<p>At my school, part of the reason for weighting is to help get more kids into AP, and give them some cushion for taking challenging courses. Which is great and all, but since my school has changed the weight policy, I only know my UW 4.0 from freshman year.</p>

8

<p>Would schools that refuse to weight GPA put students at a disadvantage?</p>

<p>As in superficially say
Oh this person with 3.0 UW 5.0 W and this person with 4.0 UW, throw out the 4.0 dude?</p>

9

<p>colleges do see weighted GPAs. i know colleges will see my weighted gpa cause it’s the only gpa i have. plus, schools like northwestern say they look at whatever is on your transcript.</p>

10

<p>^^One college i applied to wanted the unweighted but weighted is on your transcript anyways. But even if they only want the unweighted they will see all the classes you take and see who took the harder classes and who didnt. Dont worry I was worried about that too when I applied:)</p>