UC GPA calculations (geekery, academic interest only)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

So I’ve been looking at the UCs’ method of calculating GPA, and something odd has come up. Kids who get the max added points do better if they’ve taken FEWER classes because the add’l points are distributed over fewer classes. Additional classes beyond the required minimum dilute the effect of the extra 8 points.

Example:

Sam takes 6 classes sophomore year, and 6 more junior year for a total of 12 classes. Sam has a perfect 4.0 and gets the maximum of 8 extra points. Way to go, Sam!

Sam’s UC GPA is a 4.33 (Calcs done at Rogerhub, 1 class = 2 grades, one grade for each semester)

Pat takes 10 classes each year (8 each year at the HS plus 4 dual enrollment classes at the CC) for a total of 20 classes. Pat also has a perfect 4.0 and gets the maximum of 8 extra points. Way to go, Pat!

Pat’s UC GPA is 4.2. (Calcs done at Rogerhub, 1 class = 2 grades, one grade for each semester)

Wait, what??

Have I done the math wrong? Do they only count a-g such that both students would have the same number of courses? I know this whole idea of capped GPA is only for eligibility, but is it really the case that the UC method gives Pat a lower GPA than Sam?

2

This is correct because there are less non-honors points pulling the GPA lower for Sam. HOWEVER, Uc’s don’t just look at the GPA, they look at course rigor. Pat would, theoretically, have a higher admission chance because he took more a-g and honor/AP/college courses than Sam. This way, people can’t cheat the system