A weighted GPA is built on the premise that not all high school classes are created equal. Some are more difficult than others. For instance, it’s more challenging to earn an “A” in an advanced placement math class than in a remedial math class. A fairly calculated GPA should reflect this reality. It sometimes means that your GPA will be above 4.0.

Public high schools differ in the amount of “weight” given to classes. In general, Advanced Placement (AP), Honors, and Dual Enrollment courses are given one or two extra points, depending on the grade you received. For homeschoolers, it’s wise to keep your extra weighted amount within these parameters. An example would be giving “5 points” for an AP science class rather than “3 points” for a traditional science class.

We recommend including both your weighted and unweighted GPA on your high school transcript. That way, colleges can see both. Some colleges prefer to see a weighted GPA, while others focus on unweighted or simply look at the specific courses taken.