What's the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA is on a 4.0 scale and treats all classes equally. Weighted GPA gives extra points for harder courses (AP/Honors), usually on a 5.0 scale.
Most colleges recalculate your GPA using their own formula anyway, so the specific number matters less than the combination of course rigor and grades. A 3.8 unweighted with 8 APs is generally viewed more favorably than a 4.0 unweighted with no advanced courses. The context behind the number is what admissions officers actually evaluate.
Where it gets confusing is that different high schools use completely different weighting systems. Some give +1.0 for AP, others give +0.5. IB and A-Level students have entirely different grading scales. This is why raw GPA comparison across schools is misleading.
IvyClaw's GPA calculator handles multiple grading systems (AP, IB, A-Level, standard letter grades) and helps you understand where your academic performance sits relative to your target schools' typical admitted student profiles.
Weighted GPA 和 Unweighted GPA 有什么区别？
Unweighted GPA 用 4.0 制，所有课程同等对待。Weighted GPA 给高难度课（AP/荣誉课）加分，通常用 5.0 制。
大部分大学会用自己的公式重新算你的 GPA，所以具体数字没有"课程难度+成绩"这个组合重要。一个 3.8 Unweighted + 8 门 AP 的学生，通常比 4.0 Unweighted + 零高级课程的学生更受青睐。招生官看的是数字背后的含金量。
容易搞混的是，不同高中用完全不同的加权规则：有的 AP 加 1.0，有的加 0.5。IB 和 A-Level 学生的打分体系又完全不同。所以跨学校直接比 GPA 数字是有误导性的。
IvyClaw 的 GPA 计算器支持多种体系（AP、IB、A-Level、标准字母成绩），帮你理解自己的学术表现在目标学校的录取学生中处于什么区间。