Introduction
Unweighted and weighted GPAs are two different ways of calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA). Unweighted GPAs simply average the grades a student earns in all their classes, while weighted GPAs give more weight to grades earned in more challenging classes.
There are pros and cons to both unweighted and weighted GPAs. Unweighted GPAs are easier to calculate and are more transparent, while weighted GPAs can give a more accurate picture of a student’s academic achievement.
How to Find Unweighted GPA from Weighted
If you know your weighted GPA, you can find your unweighted GPA by following these steps:
- Convert your weighted grades to unweighted grades. To do this, simply divide each of your weighted grades by the weight of the class. For example, if you earned an A in a class that was weighted at 1.1, your unweighted grade would be 90/1.1 = 81.82.
- Average your unweighted grades. Once you have converted all of your weighted grades to unweighted grades, simply average them to get your unweighted GPA. For example, if you earned the following unweighted grades: 90, 85, 95, and 92, your unweighted GPA would be (90+85+95+92) / 4 = 90.5.
Example
Let’s say you have the following weighted GPA:
- English: A (4.0 weighted)
- Math: A (4.0 weighted)
- Science: A (4.0 weighted)
- Social Studies: A (4.0 weighted)
To find your unweighted GPA, you would first convert your weighted grades to unweighted grades:
- English: 4.0 / 1.0 = 4.0
- Math: 4.0 / 1.0 = 4.0
- Science: 4.0 / 1.0 = 4.0
- Social Studies: 4.0 / 1.0 = 4.0
Then, you would average your unweighted grades:
- (4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0) / 4 = 4.0
Therefore, your unweighted GPA would be 4.0.
Why Would You Need to Find Your Unweighted GPA?
There are a few reasons why you might need to find your unweighted GPA:
- You are applying to colleges. Many colleges and universities require applicants to submit both their weighted and unweighted GPAs.
- You are comparing your grades to other students. If you are comparing your grades to other students, it is important to use unweighted GPAs, as weighted GPAs can be misleading.
- You want to track your academic progress. If you are tracking your academic progress, it is helpful to use unweighted GPAs, as they are more stable than weighted GPAs.
Conclusion
Finding your unweighted GPA from your weighted GPA is a simple process. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily calculate your unweighted GPA.
