You’re probably wondering what the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA is, or perhaps more broadly, what a GPA is in general. GPA stands for Grade Point Average and is a tool used by schools to reflect how well students are performing in their classes. Cumulative GPAs are calculated by averaging a student’s grades throughout all four years of high school and assigning it a numerical value.

In this article, we will outline the differences between weighted vs unweighted GPAs. We will also discuss the question, do colleges look for weighted or unweighted GPAs? So, if you’re wondering what does weighted and unweighted GPAs mean? Continue reading for a full explanation!

Weighted and unweighted GPA meanings

The primary difference between weighted and unweighted GPAs is that a weighted GPA takes course difficulty into account, whereas an unweighted GPA does not.

College admissions officers work with both weighted and unweighted GPAs. That said, in addition to having a high GPA, college admissions officers want to admit students who are willing to challenge themselves. This is why it’s important to design your course load strategically and enroll in as many advanced classes as you can reasonably manage.

If you are trying to decide how many AP classes to take, you may want to look at a list of AP classes with their passing rates.

What Is an unweighted GPA?

An unweighted GPA is calculated on a 0-4 scale. This means that the highest GPA you can have is a 4.0 (this is not the case with a weighted GPA). Unweighted GPAs do not differentiate between regular, Honors, and AP classes. This means that an A is A, and a B is a B, regardless of the difficulty of the class.

What Is a weighted GPA?

Weighted GPAs take course difficulty into account, awarding extra points to students enrolled in advanced courses. If your high school calculates class rank, weighted GPAs are often a better indication of which students are the most academically gifted. After all, earning an A in an AP class is a lot more challenging than earning an A in a regular class! Overall, high schools use weighted GPAs as a way to recognize students taking Honors and AP courses.

Although weighted GPA systems vary from school to school, the most common system is calculated on a scale of 0-5. So what does this look like in practice?

Schools that use this method award an extra point to students enrolled in an AP course and an extra 0.5 for students enrolled in an Honors course. Let’s take a look at two of these examples.

Example 1:

  • If a student earns an A in a regular class, their GPA is 4.0.
  • If a student earns an A in an Honors class, their GPA is 4.5.
  • If a student earns an A in an AP class, their GPA is 5.0.

Example 2:

  • If a student earns a B- in a regular class, their GPA is 2.7.
  • If a student earns a B- in an Honors class, their GPA is 3.2.
  • If a student earns a B- in an AP class, their GPA is a 3.7.

What Is a good weighted GPA for the Ivy League?

The highest weighted GPA a student can earn is a 5.0. If you are interested in attending a highly-selective school, such as an Ivy League institution, and have a weighted GPA, you should strive to get as close to a 5.0 as you can. Although having a 4.0 is a great accomplishment, be sure to adjust your standards if your school calculates weighted GPAs.

How to calculate your GPA

Calculating your GPA can feel overwhelming at first. Thankfully, though, it’s pretty easy to do! In this section, we’ll discuss how to calculate weighted and unweighted GPAs. Let’s start with unweighted GPAs:

Letter Grade

Percentage

GPA

A+

97-100

4.0

A

93-96

4.0

A-

90-92

3.7

B+

87-89

3.3

B

83-86

3.0

B-

80-82

2.7

C+

77-79

2.3

C

73-76

2.0

C-

70-72

1.7

D+

67-69

1.3

D

65-66

1.0

F

Below 65

0.0

Now, let’s take a look at how to calculate your cumulative GPA. Once you calculate your GPA for each class, add all of your individual GPAs together and divide by the number of classes you’ve taken.

For example, say you took six classes and earned two A’s (4.0, 4.0), an A- (3.7), two B’s (3.0, 3.0), and a C (2.0). To figure out your cumulative GPA, add 4.0+4.0+3.7+3.0+3.0+2.0 and divide by 6 (the number of classes you took). According to our calculations, your cumulative GPA is 3.28.

If you want to calculate your cumulative GPA for all four years of high school, repeat this process with all of your grades!

Do colleges look at weighted or unweighted GPAs?

Some high schools calculate weighted GPAs, while others calculate unweighted GPAs. Although each school varies, it’s important to realize that colleges are not “tricked” by which type of GPA you submit. Some colleges will even recalculate each applicant’s GPA to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

While your high school GPA is an important college admissions factor, colleges do not look at your GPA out of context. They are equally concerned with the level of course rigor you are capable of handling. At the end of the day, college admissions officers want to admit students who are willing and able to challenge themselves by taking advanced courses.

Therefore, a student with a 4.0 enrolled in all regular classes will not be as competitive of an applicant as a student with a 3.7 (or perhaps even a 3.3) who enrolled in several AP and Honors courses. This means that even if your high school does not calculate weighted GPAs, you should still take plenty of AP classes!

Should I report a weighted or unweighted GPA?

You’re likely wondering, is a weighted or unweighted GPA better? And do colleges care more about weighted or unweighted GPAs?

Colleges look at both weighted and unweighted GPAs and adjust their standards accordingly when reviewing college applications. Therefore, if you’re trying to decide whether to submit a weighted or unweighted GPA, don’t spend too much time worrying! Colleges are well-versed in the differences between a weighted GPA and an unweighted GPA and can evaluate each one effectively.

Key takeaways and moving forward

In conclusion, is a weighted or unweighted GPA better? While neither one has a clear advantage over the other, weighted GPAs are often viewed as being a more accurate depiction of a student’s potential. Don’t worry too much about whether you should submit a weighted or unweighted GPA. Colleges are used to navigating these two different systems! So again, in response to the question, what GPA do colleges look at, weighted or unweighted?, the answer is both.

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With Ivy Leagues acceptance rates in the single digits, it’s no secret that college admissions are ultra-competitive. That’s why students and their parents are devoting even more resources towards college preparation — often in the form of hiring a college counselor.

While high school guidance counselors are a valuable resource for students, these professionals are often tasked with a large caseload of students. As a result, they cannot always devote the level of attention a student may need to reach all of their college-related goals. This is where college admissions counselors come in.

In addition to knowing how to get into an Ivy League, college admissions counselors can help students find the right college for them, as well as propose effective college application strategies. In this article, we will discuss what makes a good college counselor, what professionals are charging, and what kinds of services may be available to you.

What Is an admissions counselor?

College counselors teach students what to expect from the college application process so that they are able to complete their application materials with greater insight into the admissions process.

These professionals may be former admissions officers, graduates of prestigious universities, or people with professional backgrounds in counseling and/or education. Depending on the specific college counselor you are working with, they may be a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and/or the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

When working with a college counselor, the list of services they provide may vary. Still, essentially, the goal of a college counselor is to help students articulate their goals and learn to speak confidently about their academic and extracurricular abilities. A college consultant should not directly prepare college application materials but rather mentor and guide students so that they become capable of writing compelling personal statements, succeeding in their college interviews, and creating thoughtful college lists according to a clear set of values and criteria.

What to expect from college counseling services

So, what does a college consultant do? And when should you get a college counselor? It all depends on your goals and financial resources. Some students work with college counselors as early as their freshman year of college, whereas other students will only work with a college counselor for a few hours during their senior year.

For students working with college counselors over the course of several years, a college counselor may help you choose your class schedule, decide which extracurricular activities to focus on, and suggest pre-college summer programs that could help you meet your academic goals. They may also double as an SAT tutor or help you design an SAT study plan and schedule.

Most students, however, will not begin working with a college consultant until they are preparing their college applications. But what exactly do college counselors do, and do you really need a private college counselor?

College counselors often work with dedicated students intent on attending a highly-selective college or university, such as an Ivy League. As you probably know, Ivy League colleges are incredibly difficult to get into, regardless of how qualified of a student you may be. A college counselor knows all of the ins and outs of the college admissions process and may even have personal connections with a number of elite institutions. A college counselor will use these resources, along with their expertise, to help you create a college application that is memorable and compelling.

List of college counseling services

Depending on your specific goals and needs, a college counselor may:

How to choose a college admissions counselor

There are countless college counseling and guidance services to choose from, so how do you decide who to hire? And once you decide, are college consultants really worth it?

There are lots of factors to consider when hiring a college counselor, including their credentials, their teaching style, their personal and professional connections, and their pricing model. The most important factor to consider, however, is whether or not they are a good fit — this applies to their interests, their niche, and their overall personality. In order to find a college admissions counselor who’s a good fit, come up with a list of Questions to Ask a College Counselor Before Hiring One.

You will also want to make sure that the college counselor you hire has had a background check and that you complete a thorough internet search on them. This will be especially important if they are working as an individual consultant.

Are college counselors worth it? understanding the cost

College consultants may work independently or as an employee of a larger company. Depending on their business model, they may charge hourly or offer larger “package deals.” College counseling prices vary, but it is never cheap.

But how much do private college counselors charge exactly?

According to the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), as of 2017, college admissions consultants charged an average rate of $200 an hour. Furthermore, according to US News: “ A quarter of consultants charge more than $200 per hour while 15 percent charge less. Comprehensive package fees can range from a low of $850 up to a high of $10,000.”

That said, some college counselors do pro bono work. There are also lots of valuable college admissions resources available for free, such as those listed on the IECA website.

Now that we’ve talked numbers, is college admissions counseling worth it? College counseling can be a significant financial investment for sure, but for many families, it is worth it — especially when they consider the cost of attending college. Hiring a college admissions consultant could help a student gain the competitive edge that they need to get into their top school. That said, college counselors cannot make promises.

Here at Prepory: an overview of our services

Prepory college admissions coaches work to build confidence so that students navigate the admissions process feeling prepared. Our student-centric curriculum, developed by former admissions officers and college admissions strategists, builds the self-awareness high school students need to leverage their strengths and showcase their talents in their college applications.

Prepory college admissions coaches hail from the nation’s top colleges and universities, including Harvard, Duke, and Columbia. When you work with our team, you receive the most strategic college guidance with a personable and professional touch. Our coaches are relatable, approachable, and invested in your success. Reach out to learn more about our services and how we can help you gain admission to some of the top schools in the country!