Unweighted GPA Calculator
Calculate your GPA on the standard 4.0 scale — the scale most colleges use to compare applicants. Enter your courses and grades to get your unweighted GPA instantly.
What is an Unweighted GPA?
The unweighted GPA is the great equalizer. It measures your grades on a strict 0.0–4.0 scale where every course, regardless of difficulty, is worth the same number of points. An A in AP Calculus earns 4.0. An A in Intro to Art also earns 4.0.
This is in contrast to a weighted GPA, which adds +1.0 for AP/IB courses and +0.5 for Honors courses, allowing GPAs above 4.0.
Unweighted GPA — Frequently Asked Questions
What is an unweighted GPA?
An unweighted GPA is calculated on a standard 0.0–4.0 scale where every class is treated equally regardless of difficulty. An A in AP Physics earns the same 4.0 points as an A in Regular Art. There are no bonus points for harder courses.
How is unweighted GPA calculated?
Unweighted GPA = Σ(Grade Points × Credit Hours) ÷ Total Credit Hours. Grade points are assigned by letter: A/A+=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0, C-=1.7, D+=1.3, D=1.0, F=0.0.
Do colleges use weighted or unweighted GPA?
Most selective colleges recalculate your GPA using their own unweighted 4.0 scale for fair comparison across thousands of high schools with different weighting policies. Your weighted GPA still appears on your transcript and signals course rigor, but the unweighted number is what they standardize on.
What is a good unweighted GPA?
3.9–4.0 is excellent and competitive for top-10 universities. 3.7–3.89 is strong for top-25 schools. 3.5–3.69 qualifies for most flagship state universities. 3.0–3.49 is above average. Below 3.0 still has many options but limits choices at more selective schools.
Can unweighted GPA exceed 4.0?
On a standard unweighted scale, no — 4.0 is the maximum. Some schools award A+ as 4.3, but most unweighted systems cap at 4.0. Only weighted systems allow GPAs above 4.0.
Is unweighted GPA more important than weighted GPA?
Neither is strictly more important. Selective colleges look at both, along with your transcript and course rigor. An unweighted 3.7 with 6 AP courses is typically stronger than a 3.9 unweighted with all regular classes.