<p>My counselor told me that UCs only weight 8 classes maximum when recalculating your gpa by adding 8 points to your raw unweighted gpa score and dividing it by the number of semesters you've taken even if you've taken more than 8 weighted classes. Is that true? Wouldn't that mean that its a total waste to take more than 8 weighted classes then?</p>
<p>Some schools don't weight your courses at all...so that is why you should make sure your unweighted gpa is still strong</p>
<p>Take the time to recalculate your GPA based upon the admissions standards for each school you apply to: weighteg GPA, unweighted GPA, unweighted GPA including only core academic courses</p>
<p>If that's true, taking more than 8 weighted classes would be a total waste iff you're taking them just to boost your weighted GPA. Most people have other reasons for taking classes that happen to be weighted.</p>
<p>xopattiecakeox, </p>
<p>You may have misunderstood your counselor or heard incorrectly. The UC System will allow a maximum of 8 "semesters" of appropriate AP/Honors classes to be given additional GPA weighting (i.e., 4 classes x 2 semesters each = 8 total semesters).</p>
<p>The UC GPA is based on grades from your 10th and 11th years (sophomore/junior) for UC approved "A-G Courses". The UC cap is 4 annual courses (or 8 semesters) for these courses. </p>
<p>It is not a "waste" to take additional AP/Honors classes. The obvious advantage is that it demonstrates to the most selective colleges that you have challenged yourself fully to the academic rigor available at your high school. This factor of "academic rigor" is a very important consideration in the admissions evaluation process for the most selective schools. Of course, this assumes that you feel that you are academically prepared to successfully handle the elevated challenge of these AP/Honors courses. For example, if you are not a wiz at science, it would not serve you well to try AP Physics on for size.</p>
<p>See the following link for UC and scroll down to "About the Grade Point Average" for more information. Also click on the link for "A-G Courses" to understand UC's subject requirements:</p>
<p>Concerning block scheduling...is 1 semester considered the same as it would be for regular scheduling? If so, it seems somewhat unfair that somebody would need to take an entire year worth of honors/AP classes whereas somebody with regular scheduling would only need to take half of there classes in that manner. Clarification?</p>
<p>I think that the cap gets taken off for UCLA and Cal though, and that they only use the cap for eligibility, but then not many with a 3.5 are going to be taking more than 4 AP's a year right?</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think that the cap gets taken off for UCLA and Cal though, and that they only use the cap for eligibility, but then not many with a 3.5 are going to be taking more than 4 AP's a year right?
[/quote]
Vgcoder,</p>
<p>No and yes. Technically, the UC system does not take the cap off for UCLA/UCB. The method is consistent for calculating the UC GPA and capping number of extra grade points (max. of 4) across all campuses. Also, technically, the cap is used preliminarily for eligibility, but the calculated/weighted GPA continues its life's purpose in the review process for admission. Each campus, not just UCLA and UCB, has limited latitude to evaluate an applicant's academic record by practices such as examining/comparing "fully weighted GPA" and/or unweighted GPA. For practical purposes, these variations will not have much (if any) effect for most students, and certainly UC's "comprehensive review process" will consider many more factors than just the weighted GPA.</p>