A “weighted GPA” is one in which honors and/or Advanced Placement classes are given an extra point in their numerical calculations (A’s are worth 5 points instead of 4, B’s are worth 4 instead of 3). That’s how students who get A’s in multiple weighted classes can get GPAs higher than 4.0.
Weighted GPAs were originally intended to give measurable credit to a student who took a more challenging course load. But high schools and colleges can have very different GPA-weighting policies. Certain classes that earned extra grade points at your high school may not be weighted during the admissions process at your chosen colleges. This can create a lot of stress for families trying to assess whether a student will receive literal and figurative credit for taking more challenging courses.
Thankfully, this is another one of those areas of college admissions that families can safely remove from their worry list.
Every college in the country appreciates students who challenge themselves academically. In fact, the strength of your schedule is the first thing most colleges evaluate when you apply. But weighting a GPA is just one way a college can reward you for taking a more difficult course load. They might give you an individual score for the rigor of your courses when compared to what was available at your high school. They may tally the number of honors and AP classes you took and give you a rating. They may use a complex internal formula to assign a numerical value to the strength of your schedule. Each college will make its own decision on how to interpret and evaluate the rigor of your academic preparation. But rigor will always be rewarded in some way.
So worry less about weighting. Take the most challenging course load you can reasonably handle without sacrificing sleep or sanity. Show colleges that you’re taking your academic preparation seriously. You don’t get to control how your high school or potential colleges handle weighting grades. But you can take solace in the fact that rigor is always rewarded in some way, with or without the weight.