The 4.0 GPA Scale
The definitive guide to understanding how letter grades, percentages, and honors classes convert into your Grade Point Average.
In the United States, most high schools and colleges use the 4.0 grading scale to measure academic performance. This scale assigns a numerical value between 0.0 and 4.0 to each letter grade you earn.
Standard 4.0 Unweighted Scale
This is the standard scale used by most colleges to calculate your unweighted GPA. An unweighted GPA maxes out at 4.0 and does not give extra points for difficult classes.
| Letter Grade | Percentage | GPA (Unweighted) | Honors / AP / IB (Weighted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 93% - 100% | 4.0 | 4.5 (Honors) / 5.0 (AP) |
| A | 93% - 100% | 4.0 | 4.5 (Honors) / 5.0 (AP) |
| A- | 90% - 92% | 3.7 | 4.2 (Honors) / 4.7 (AP) |
| B+ | 87% - 89% | 3.3 | 3.8 (Honors) / 4.3 (AP) |
| B | 83% - 86% | 3.0 | 3.5 (Honors) / 4.0 (AP) |
| B- | 80% - 82% | 2.7 | 3.2 (Honors) / 3.7 (AP) |
| C+ | 77% - 79% | 2.3 | 2.8 (Honors) / 3.3 (AP) |
| C | 73% - 76% | 2.0 | 2.5 (Honors) / 3.0 (AP) |
| C- | 70% - 72% | 1.7 | 2.2 (Honors) / 2.7 (AP) |
| D+ | 67% - 69% | 1.3 | 1.8 (Honors) / 2.3 (AP) |
| D | 63% - 66% | 1.0 | 1.5 (Honors) / 2.0 (AP) |
| D- | 60% - 62% | 0.7 | 1.2 (Honors) / 1.7 (AP) |
| F | 0% - 59% | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA treats all classes equally. An A in regular Biology and an A in AP Biology both equal 4.0 points.
Weighted GPA gives extra points for taking difficult classes. Typically, Honors classes get a +0.5 boost (an A becomes 4.5), and AP/IB classes get a +1.0 boost (an A becomes 5.0).
How Colleges Use the Scale
Most colleges will ask for your weighted GPA on applications, but many highly selective universities (like the Ivy League or Stanford) will actually recalculate your GPA on the unweighted 4.0 scale to standardize applications across different high schools.
To stand out, you need both: a high unweighted GPA and a rigorous schedule of AP/Honors classes.