GPA Guides

Everything about high school GPA in plain English — how the scales work, what colleges actually look at, and how to run the numbers yourself.

• Weighted vs Unweighted GPA: What's the Difference?

  Two GPAs, one transcript. Which number matters, when, and why a 3.8 can beat a 4.2.

• The GPA Scale Explained: 4.0 vs 5.0

  Letter grades, grade points, percentages, and why the same grades produce different GPAs at different schools.

• How AP, Honors, and IB Classes Affect Your GPA

  The bonus-point math, when the B-in-AP beats the A-in-regular, and how colleges re-weight it all anyway.

• How Colleges Actually View Your GPA

  Recalculation, rigor, trend lines, and context — what happens to your GPA inside an admissions office.

• How to Calculate Your GPA by Hand

  The full method with a worked example — no tool needed, just your report card and a divide button.

• GPA by Grade: How 9th–12th Grade Years Differ

  Why freshman credits anchor your average, which years colleges scrutinize, and semester-by-semester recovery math.

• GPA Rules by State: California, Florida, Georgia & More

  State university systems that recalculate GPA their own way — UC, Bright Futures, HOPE, and others.

• What Is a Good High School GPA?

  Benchmarks by college tier, national averages, and how to judge your number in context.