G, P, and A are the three letters that almost every single college-bound high school student has had on their mind. It’s not so easy to figure out how colleges and institutions will use your grade-point average. Here we will see about What is a recalculated GPA?
The SAT was introduced to help level the field. It was designed to be a standardized, non-coachable test that assessed pupils’ intellectual abilities without the hassle of comparing multiple grading scales.
It has somewhat balanced the playing field, whether or not it has reached its purpose is questionable. However, it is far from flawless, and we are frequently left wondering how colleges interpret high school GPAs.
They might put 3.95 and 5.2 in the first place, and 4.0 and 111 in the second. You couldn’t tell by glancing at the GPA; you’d have to dig further into each student’s transcript. This situation exemplifies why institutions decide to adjust GPAs.
Typically, universities will use a student’s unweighted GPA, which is the average of all classes, irrespective of if they were honors, AP, IB, or other. Colleges will look at who took more challenging classes, but they may not factor that into a student’s GPA.
Calculate your GPA
Add the GPAs from each of the grading periods on your transcript and divide by the number of grading periods to get your cumulative GPA. GPA calculator from the College Board that explains how to convert GPAs to a 4.0 scale.
If you take AP English and World History classes and the high school uses a weighted grading process, your A in English might be worth 5 points while your B in World History might be worth 4. Report your weighted GPA on your applications if you have the option. It represents not only your grade but also the rigor of your coursework, unlike an unweighted GPA.
Weighted Average
A weighted average means certain classes have been awarded extra points than others. Typically advanced coursework will receive additional points.
Weighted points
Weighted courses may be awarded the following points:
A = 5
B = 4
C = 3
D = 2
F = 0 (F’s usually don’t get any points, even on a weighted system)
A student might graduate with a 4.3 GPA out of a 4.0 by earning A’s in all these weighted classes.
However, not every high school employs the same methodology or assigns the same weight to different classes. This makes it difficult for institutions to compare applicants fairly using GPA.
Let’s look at the figures from the previous example again:
4.0 – This is not a student who has received all A’s in his or her classes. This is the weighted average of a student who is taking a lot of honors classes and getting a majority of Bs.
5.2 – This is a weighted average on a scale of 5.0. This student is averaging A’s in a variety of honors classes.
This is an unweighted average of 3.95. Except for a B in AP Chemistry as a junior, this student has overall taken honors classes and has received A’s throughout high school.
111 — a weighted average on a 100-point scale once more. This student earned A’s and B’s in some honors-level courses.
In this case, we could be ranked 3.95 and 5.2 at the top, and 4.0 and 111 at the bottom. One couldn’t tell by glancing at the GPA; you’d have to dig further into each student’s transcript. This situation exemplifies why institutions prefer to adjust GPA.
Conclusion:
Follow general recommendations and enroll in hard classes that are appropriate for you to achieve the greatest possible grades; this information has no bearing on your four-year plan.
However, if you’ve been hearing stories about taking certain classes to boost your weighted average or GPA multiplier, or if you believe getting straight A’s in easy subjects will help you work the odds, you should reconsider your academic goals.
If honors, AP, or IB options are available, and you are capable of working at a greater level, select the more difficult course.
Not every student can take all of the advanced-level courses. That’s OK. When possible, take the more difficult course(s).
FQAS
Is Honors B still Honors B?
They are visible on the transcript as Bs, and they are counted as Bs if colleges calculate your unweighted GPA.
Is it possible for a student to boost grades from a B to an A by setting in a little extra time and effort?
Even if an extra four hours a day could be found, that student may not be able to improve his or her grade in a particular course. Working hard to get the greatest grades possible with a reasonable amount of effort.
What can be done to counteract poor grades?
Low grades are not mitigated by advanced courses.
Students who sign up for advanced classes (honors, AP, IB, etc.) should ideally get A’s and B’s. A-C may appear on occasion if a course got increasingly difficult after the withdrawal deadline, or if a student had a poor grade on his or her final exam.
Grades indicate that the student has been placed in a class that progresses too fast or is simply beyond their current academic capabilities. The reality that this course may have an additional average grade or GPA multiplier does not alter the fact that the student’s transcript shows a lower grade.