* Unweighted GPA: If your school uses an unweighted GPA, your AP and Honors classes will be treated the same as regular classes. A grade of A is worth 4 points, B is 3, C is 2, etc. Taking these more challenging courses won't change the numerical value of your grades. Your GPA would only improve if you earned higher grades in those courses than you did previously.
* Weighted GPA: If your school uses a weighted GPA, AP and Honors classes are given extra points. Common weighting systems add 0.5 or 1.0 point to the grade in the course. For example:
* A in a regular class: 4.0
* A in an Honors class (weighted by 0.5): 4.5
* A in an AP class (weighted by 1.0): 5.0
To determine how your GPA will change, you need to know your school's weighting system and your grades in the three AP/Honors courses. Let's illustrate with an example:
Example: Let's assume your school adds 1.0 point to AP/Honors grades and you get the following:
* AP Class 1: A (5.0)
* AP Class 2: B (4.0)
* Honors Class 3: A (5.0)
You'll need to figure out the total weighted grade points earned by these three courses and then recalculate your GPA based on your previous GPA and these weighted grades. You'll need the number of courses you've taken previously to do this calculation properly.
In short: You can't determine the impact on your GPA without knowing your school's weighting system and your grades in those classes. Check your school's grading policy or ask your guidance counselor.