How to Calculate Weighted Grades in College

Weighted grades are becoming more common in upper-level classes in both high school and college. A school may "bump up" a grade to reflect the greater difficulty of an honors or advanced placement class. For example, a 3.0 (typically a B) grade may be counted as a 3.5 (or A-) if it is earned in an honors-level class. These weighted grades boost students' rankings in their classes and their overall grade point averages (GPA). However, many colleges base their admission requirements on unweighted GPAs only, so it is best to check with the individual school to determine what method it uses to gauge student qualifications.

Things You'll Need

  • Class schedule
  • Grades
  • Calculator
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make a list of all your classes, including the number of credit hours for each, and the corresponding grades you've earned. Obtain a list of the weighted grade point average scale from the college you are attending or the one to which you are applying. The scales can vary between schools. Lay it next to your list.

    • 2

      Note the grade for your first class, and convert it based on the school's weighted scale. For example, if you received a B (3.0) in an honors course and your school adds .5 to the student's earned grade for honors courses, your weighted grade would be a 3.5. Write this new number next to the original grade for the course. Repeat this step for each class.

    • 3

      Multiply each grade number by the number of earned credit hours. For example, if you earned the weighted 3.5 in a four credit course, your total would be 14.0. Write this number next to the weighted grade number. Repeat this step for each class, then add all of these numbers together.

    • 4

      Add the total number of credit hours on your list of classes. For example, if you took five classes this semester and each class is worth four credit hours, your total would be 20 credit hours for the semester.

    • 5

      To determine your average, weighted GPA for the semester, divide the number from step 3 (total grade points) by the number in step 4 (total credit hours).

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