learners4life Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 What are the arguments for and against weighted and unweighted gpa. I think the weighted looks better since dd will have AP courses to increase the weighted. However, I have seen so many ways to do the weighted and am not sure which way is correct for the common app. I always thought it was on the scale of A = 4, etc, with AP courses having A = 5, then do the math the same way as for unweighted. Is this correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Because various schools have different grading scales, colleges will look at the courses themselves and the degree of difficulty. Generally unweighted GPA is more important than weighted GPA. Also, the reason for weighting is to determine class rank within a school. Obviously a homeschooler has no need for that sort of differentiation. You'll want good course descriptions so that degree of difficulty is easy to determine. In the end though, as long as you are consistent, you can grade in the way that best suits you. The colleges will reinterpret the grades so as to be able to make apples to apples comparisions among applications. Edited September 20, 2016 by Gr8lander 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I have at least one college that recommended weighting for AP and DE because gpa is part of merit aid. I give a short explanation on the transcript and a longer one on the school profile. Last year there were some blocks on the CA where I just said "see profile" and some blocks where I copied info or have additional info. I also have unweighted GPA on the transcript. I can't assume to know how each school will recalculate the GPA. They don't always advertise how grades are assessed. I present what I have in clear terms and leave them to process it as they will. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Both weighted and unweighted GPAs are listed on dd's transcript. Like Sebastian, I have a short blurb on the transcript and a longer explanation in the school profile. I included the weighted GPA because some of dd's schools explicitly state that weighted GPA is used in their merit aid decisions. Dd is applying to very large state flagships schools around the country because they are the only schools that fit her unusual language needs. Perhaps if she were applying to small LACs only I might do differently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
learners4life Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 So, was my way of calculating correct? For example, 4 A's in AP coursework and 2 A's in regular coursework would be: 5+5+5+5+4+4=28; 28/6=4.67 weighted gpa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 So, was my way of calculating correct? For example, 4 A's in AP coursework and 2 A's in regular coursework would be: 5+5+5+5+4+4=28; 28/6=4.67 weighted gpa? IF you are giving a one point bump for AP classes, then that would be a correct GPA for the grades you listed. I think what is essential is being clear in your documentation about what you are doing. Specifically state what your grading scale is. State if you weighted some courses and what criteria you used. If you used outside courses that gave +/- grades, did you keep the +/- or do something else. And you have to be consistent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
learners4life Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Would I note this with a footnote next to the words "Weighted GPA" and then write the footnote that "AP course grade points were weighted on a 5 point scale" or something like that. Maybe a box by the two GPA's that says "Unweighted GPA is based on a 4 point scale. Weighted GPA includes AP grades based on a 5 point scale." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Both weighted and unweighted GPAs are listed on dd's transcript. Like Sebastian, I have a short blurb on the transcript and a longer explanation in the school profile. I included the weighted GPA because some of dd's schools explicitly state that weighted GPA is used in their merit aid decisions. Dd is applying to very large state flagships schools around the country because they are the only schools that fit her unusual language needs. Perhaps if she were applying to small LACs only I might do differently. We did this as well for those very same reasons. And we were only applying to small LACs and the admissions counselors told me that I should do it that way. The only way those schools were even slightly affordable was due to the merit scholarships they received for their GPAs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I also was told weighted is what they looked at for scholarships. If I didn't include it, I would worry they won't bother trying to figure it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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