The GPA is calculated using only the grades received in courses “a-g”, a list of fifteen mandatory one-year courses taken in grades 10 and 11 with additional points awarded for up to eight semesters of honors level courses. Although UC is open in terms of admission standards, private universities are generally not. Cumulative (Weighted) GPA: This GPA includes grades for all courses listed in the transcript. Weighted means that any course at the IB, AP or Honors level receives an additional point.
For example, AP biology would be weighted by A%3d5pts, B%3d4pts, C%3d3pts. Regular college preparatory classes are not weighted and are valued at A%3d4pts, B%3d3pts, C%3d2pts, D%3d1pt, F%3d0pt. Calculating a GPA involves averaging the grades of the course and considering the credits earned for each course. Many colleges and universities will not recalculate your GPA, but they will also look closely at the strength of your courses and the number of college prep, honors, AP and IB courses you have taken when evaluating your application.
So instead of worrying just about increasing their GPA, your child should opt for more challenging courses, such as AP or honors level courses when they can, even if that means getting a slightly lower GPA. For example, a 1-credit course (typical for mathematics and English) will have more weight in a GPA than a 0.25-credit physical education course.
