GPA, or Grade Point Average, is a metric analogous to your final grade, percentage, or CGPA. There are two types of GPA: weighted and unweighted.
Unweighted GPA: This type considers all your classes and examines if you maintain an average of 90 or above. If you achieve more than 90% in all your classes each year, you will attain a 4.0/4.0 GPA. For unweighted GPA, the specific classes you take, whether they are AP, advanced, honors, or on-level, do not influence the calculation.
Weighted GPA: In contrast, a weighted GPA takes into account the rigor and difficulty of the classes you choose. Recognizing that earning a 100 in an AP class is more challenging than achieving the same score in an on-level class, the weighted GPA adjusts for this. Weighted GPAs are commonly on a 5.0 scale, although some ISDs, like mine, use a 6.0 scale. This implies that AP classes are scored on a 6.0 scale, advanced classes on a 5.5 scale, honors on a 5.0 scale, and regular classes on a 4.0 scale. You can find the % to scale conversion by searching up your ISD’s student handbook.
Schools often use weighted GPAs to determine class ranks, although not all schools adopt a ranking system. When applying to college, unweighted GPAs tend to hold more significance. Colleges acknowledge that each school calculates weighted GPAs differently and on various scales. While they can observe your weighted GPA through your transcripts, and through your class ranks, if available, recognizing the variations in grading practices across schools.