I have a 4.1 weighted grade point average and a 3.6 unweighted. On the Common App, however, I put that my GPA Scale was out of 5 and not out of 4. Honors classes are out of 5.0, so I assumed it was the former.
After reading some threads, it appears that I was supposed to put 4.1/4.
Am I screwed? Should I email every college that I applied to to tell them about this?
Your school report (submitted through the Common App by your high school) should list the correct GPA scale. Start with the college counselor at your high school to verify that it did.
No. You’re not the first person who has done this. As mentioned above, the Secondary School Report and/or the school profile will list the scale correctly. For schools that require the transcripts with the application, admissions officers will look to the school report for your GPA, not the CA.
I really wouldn’t worry. The transcripts and the school report are what colleges look at. They will take your transcript and recalculate it based information given by your school and on their own calculations.
You can also touch base with your guidance counselor regarding the issue and get his/her input.