College Guidance Q & A

Larry receives numerous questions regarding college admissions from applicants and their families. This week he addresses a topic that comes up quite often and creates a lot of confusion - weighted vs. unweighted GPAs.

Q: How do colleges compare students at different schools with weighted and unweighted GPAs?

A: Selective colleges are interested in the unweighted GPA. Then they factor in the rigor of the student's program, sometimes using a uniform weighting rubric but often without a rubric but by subjective evaluation. Although you didn’t ask, many colleges recalculate GPA using only core subjects. Those A+’s in Gym and Driver’s Ed therefore disappear.

If you have questions pertaining to college admissions or would like to learn more about our program, please contact Larry Blumenstyk at larry@learningassoc.com.