UC GPA Calculation Help

State Forums
1

Sophomore Year (the following are all 2 semester courses)
Gym/Health: A
Honors Chemistry: A
Honors Algebra 2/Precalc: A
Honors American Literature: A
Honors US History I: A
French III: A
Biotech + Forensics (each 1 semester, together 2 semesters): A
AP Economics: A
Junior Year (again, all 2 semester courses) (predicted grades, based on previous performance in respective subject areas + conversations I’ve had with upperclassmen who had a similar schedule)
Honors Anatomy and Physiology: A
Honors French IV: A
AP Calculus BC: A
AP Lang: A
APUSH: A or B
AP HUG: A
AP Chem: A
AP Physics: A

  • Regarding my transition from 1 to 6 APs: My school does not cap the number of APs a student can take, but due to graduation requirements/ grade-restricted APs, the maximum you can take as a sophomore is 2, and the maximum as a junior is 6. Virtually no one takes 2 during their sophomore year, and I was extremely discouraged from doing so- although I wish now that I had (oh well, hindsight is 20/20).
  • I'm unsure whether the intro to biotech & forensic science classes will contribute to my UC GPA, so any insights there would be helpful.
  • Considering the cap at 8 credit points, will it hurt my UC GPA to have taken so many courses each semester (despite them all being two semester courses)? Will this be considered when my application is reviewed? Would the UCs recalculate it to be as if I took 4 classes per one semester? I say this since I know of schools where students only take 5 or 6 courses per year.
2

I like to use the Roger Hub UC GPA calculator. https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

All the UC’s will use the capped weighted UC GPA (maximum 8 semesters of Honors points for UC approved Honors/AP/IB or DE courses taken 10-11th grade). Also maximum 4 semesters of these weighted classes during 10th grade.

UCLA/UCB will also use the Fully weighted UC GPA with unlimited honors points for these courses in10-11th grade.

You can check which of your HS courses are UC approved for the extra Honors points and if Intro to Biotech and Forensic Science are considered a-g courses using this website (if attending a California HS):

https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/institution

The more classes you take, the less impact the 8 extra honors points will have on your capped weighted UC GPA, but your transcript will also show a rigorous course schedule which is a plus.