Unweighted GPA Question

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello CC Community,</p>

<p>I have a really simple question I was hoping I could get answered (and please excuse my ignorance with this issue). How does one calculate an unweighted gpa, the gpa that people post on the results thread I mean? I was confused looking at other threads.</p>

<p>Is the scale: any A=4.0 any B=3.0, etc regardless of pluses or minuses, or is it A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3. Basically what I am asking is, is the gpa on the results thread calculated using the second way or the first way?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>To calculate your own UWGPA using the generic formula, use A=4, b=3, etc.</p>

<p>However keep in mind every college will “recalculate” your GPA for admissions purposes, giving extra weight to honors courses, and many will take into account A-, B+, C- etc.</p>

3

<p>So hypothetically, if I had:</p>

<p>Freshman: A-, A-, B+
Sophomore: A-, A, A-
Junior: B+, B+, B+</p>

<p>I would calculate it as and post on the results thread as: 4+4+3+4+4+4+3+3+3/9= UWGPA?</p>

4

<p>No A is a 4.0, A- is a 3.7, B+ is 3.3, B is 3.0. Thats the general usage of UWGPA some places do it differently however.</p>

5

<p>Your GPA should be what is listed on your transcript; don’t recalculate. HS’s calculate GPA differently, and colleges may/may not recalculate GPA based upon their own standards.</p>

6

<p>Yes @SWeLLT‌ that’s how I thought it was as well. Can anyone else chime in and confirm either of the answers?</p>

7

<p>Competitive schools (Ivy’s) use the numbers I mentioned earlier. I think recalculating GPA is necessary some schools say Honors is +1 and AP is also +1, while others say only AP is +1 and HN is +0.5 even though both GPA’s are technically out of 5… The only reasonable comparison is UW GPA.</p>

8

<p>Basically, on the results threads when people post their unweighted gpa, are they using the plus minus (4.0, 3.7, 3.3) system or the other system (A=4, B=3, etc)? I’m just trying to see where I fall GPA wise in the results thread, so I wanted a comparison like that. </p>

9

<p>Most use the + and - system but its impossible to tell for some people stats</p>

10

<p>On the results thread, I would venture to say that the posters are using whichever scale works in their favor.</p>

11

<p>The generally accepted method is to use 4.0, 3.7, 3.3, 3.0, 2.7, etc. Otherwise a B+ would be the same as a B-, which clearly it isn’t.</p>

12

<p>Are any of you who say A- = 3.7 located in California? My impression is that most CA schools calculate as A- = 4.0 because that is what the UC system does (though their calculation is slightly different than a weighted GPA, because they allow only a limited number of weighted grades).</p>