Your classes
Scale: 4.0 · plus/minus onChange
Match your school’s grading scale. These settings apply to every GradeHelm calculator.
Your GPA
Add your classes to see weighted and unweighted GPA.
Show the math
What do I need next term?
Unweighted GPA you want to reach
Credits you will take
This plan counts only the classes entered above. To plan with your whole transcript, use the cumulative GPA calculator.
Calculate a result first, then set a target.
How to use the high school GPA calculator
- Add each class with its letter grade (or switch to percentages).
- Enter credits. Many high schools give a full-year class 1 credit and a semester class 0.5. If yours doesn’t use credits, enter 1 for every class.
- Set the level: Regular, Honors or AP/IB.
- You’ll see both GPAs at once: unweighted (every class on the same 4.0 scale) and weighted (with the bonus for harder classes).
The default bonuses are +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP/IB, which are common in the US, but schools differ. Open the scale settings to change them, for example if your school gives Honors no bonus. This calculator always starts from a 4.0 (or 4.3) scale and adds the bonus per class, so there’s no separate 5.0 scale option here.
How weighted and unweighted GPA are calculated
Short answer: your unweighted GPA is the credit-weighted average of your grade points on a 4.0 scale, so an A counts as 4.0 in every class. Your weighted GPA is the same average after adding a bonus for harder classes, commonly +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP/IB, which is why it can go above 4.0.
Both use the same credit-weighted average. The only difference is that a weighted GPA adds a bonus to the grade points of Honors and AP/IB classes before averaging.
Unweighted GPA = Σ (grade points × credits) ÷ Σ credits
Weighted GPA = Σ ((grade points + level bonus) × credits) ÷ Σ credits
GradeHelm doesn’t add a bonus to an F, because most schools don’t reward a failing grade in an advanced class.
High school GPA chart: letter grades, percentages and points
These are the calculator’s default values: the usual US percentage bands, +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP/IB. If your school uses different percentage cutoffs or bonuses, change them in the scale settings and the calculator follows your school’s rules.
| Grade | Percent | Regular | Honors | AP/IB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A | 93–96 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A− | 90–92 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 83–86 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B− | 80–82 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C− | 70–72 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| D | 63–66 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| D− | 60–62 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
How to calculate high school GPA by hand (worked example)
- Turn each letter grade into grade points using the chart above (Regular column).
- For a weighted GPA, add the bonus for each Honors or AP/IB class.
- Multiply each class’s points by its credits, then add the results.
- Divide by the total number of credits.
| Class | Level | Grade | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Honors | A | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Biology | AP | B+ | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| Algebra II | Regular | A− | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| U.S. History | Regular | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
- Unweighted: (4.0 + 3.3 + 3.7 + 3.0) ÷ 4 = 14.0 ÷ 4 = 3.50
- Weighted: (4.5 + 4.3 + 3.7 + 3.0) ÷ 4 = 15.5 ÷ 4 = 3.875, which rounds to 3.88
To combine this year with earlier years, enter every class from your transcript here, or use the Cumulative GPA Calculator with your current GPA and credits. The how to calculate GPA guide explains each step in more detail.
How to convert a weighted GPA to unweighted
You can’t convert reliably from the weighted number alone, because it depends on how many Honors and AP/IB classes you took. You need your class-by-class grades: enter them above and the calculator shows both GPAs at once.
If you know which classes earned a bonus, you can also work it out by hand: subtract the total bonus points from the weighted GPA.
Unweighted GPA = Weighted GPA − Σ (bonus × credits) ÷ Σ credits
In the example above, the bonuses are 0.5 (Honors English) + 1.0 (AP Biology) = 1.5 over 4 credits, so 3.875 − 0.375 = 3.50 unweighted. This shortcut assumes no failed Honors or AP/IB class, since an F gets no bonus.
Which GPA do colleges look at?
Colleges see the GPA on your transcript, but many also recalculate GPA using their own method, for example counting only core academic classes or applying their own weighting. That’s why it’s useful to know both numbers. Read more in weighted vs unweighted GPA, and see what is the highest GPA? for the top of each scale.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good high school GPA?
It depends on your goals and school. On an unweighted 4.0 scale, a 3.0 is a B average and a 3.5 or higher is generally strong. Selective colleges also look closely at how challenging your classes were, not just the number.
Can a weighted GPA be higher than 4.0?
Yes. With bonuses for Honors and AP/IB classes, a weighted GPA can go above 4.0. With the defaults here, straight As in AP classes would give a 5.0.
Do all high schools weight GPA the same way?
No. Some give Honors +0.5 and AP/IB +1.0, some give the same bonus to both, and some don’t weight at all. Use the scale settings to match your school’s policy.
Where can I find my school’s GPA rules?
Check your school’s student handbook, course catalog or program of studies, or ask your school counselor. Look for the grading scale, the bonus for Honors and AP/IB classes, and which classes count toward GPA.
Should I enter semester grades or final year grades?
Enter whatever appears on your transcript. If your school records a grade each semester, add each semester as its own row with its own credits.
Do pass/fail classes count toward my GPA?
Usually not. A pass/fail class earns credit toward graduation but has no grade points, so leave it out, or enter 0 credits for that row and the calculator will skip it.
Do middle school grades count toward high school GPA?
Usually not. High school GPA normally covers grades 9–12. Some schools include high-school-level classes taken in middle school, such as Algebra I, so check your transcript: if a class appears there, enter it. For middle school grades on their own, use the middle school GPA calculator.