Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA? | HelloCollege (2024)

Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA? | HelloCollege (1)

AP courses, also known as Advanced Placement courses, have a range of benefits. These college-level classes prepare students for the rigors of higher education, as well as a chance to earn college credits. Participating in AP courses looks good on college applications since college admissions officers will see that you are willing to challenge yourself and take on more difficult classwork.

However, one of the biggest advantages of AP Courses courses is their potential to boost your GPA. It might not be immediately obvious how these classes affect your grade point average. That’s why we’ll talk more about AP courses and how they affect your GPA below.

How Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA?

Unlike your typical high school course, AP classes can boost your GPA above 4.0, because they are graded on a different scale. This is why some students will see a major boost to their GPA.

In regular classes in high school, students earn a grade worth numerical value from 1 to 4. A 4 represents an A, a 3 represents a B, a 2 represents a C, and a 1 represents a D. Each grade you get from your class is added together as a number and then averaged to create your unweighted GPA.

Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA? | HelloCollege (2)

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Because Advanced Placement classes are typically graded on a weighted scale, students can receive a higher GPA. Instead of being graded on a scale of 1 to 4, students are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing an A. Your AP classes will be added together, along with your other courses, then averaged to create a weighted GPA that is usually higher than an unweighted GPA.

How Much Can AP Courses Boost Your GPA?

If you do well in your AP courses, it’s possible that you will have a much higher GPA that goes well over 4.0. Due to their weighted scale, AP courses offer students the chance to really boost their GPA. Additionally, AP classes can also help students maintain their 4.0 or higher GPA, even if they don’t get an A.

In rare cases, if you take all AP classes and have particularly good grades, you could end up with a 5.0 GPA during certain years of your high school career.

Do Colleges Look At Weighted GPA or Unweighted GPA More?

When you take Advanced Placement classes, your GPA will be categorized in two ways. You will have a weighted GPA, that can potentially go up to 5.0, and an unweighted GPA, that only goes up to 4.0. Students often wonder which GPA is looked at by college admissions officers.

Admissions officers will look at both your weighted and unweighted GPA when you apply to schools. An unweighted GPA, along with your College Board or ACT test scores, serves as a standard of comparison for academic performance since most students list it.

However, your weighted GPA could have a big impact as well, because your weighted GPA indicates how hard your course load is. Especially if you are applying to more prestigious schools, your weighted GPA will factor more into Admissions Officers’ decisions, because more selective schools like to see students challenging themselves with more difficult classes.

In addition, certain programs will also require a higher GPA and strong academic abilities. A weighted GPA will be considered more heavily in these situations, since this type of GPA gives a fuller picture of your academic ability and your potential in a college setting. We recommend listing your weighted and unweighted GPA on your college application.

Should You Take an Online AP Courses?

Taking online AP classes can also positively impact your GPA. Again, remember that AP courses will be more challenging. If you can’t handle these classes, you should take regular high school-level courses.

However, if you think you are up for the challenge, online and in-person AP courses can improve your GPA. This could also be a great opportunity for students whose schools don’t have AP courses.

Do the AP Exams Have Any Impact on Your GPA?

The typical finale for an AP course is an AP exam. Many students use AP exams to earn college credits before they even apply to their chosen schools. But, will the AP exams have any impact on your GPA? Ina word, no. The only factor impacting your GPA is your final grade in your AP class.


Though you might not be able to bring up your GPA with an AP exam, you can still earn college credit if you do well. So, we definitely recommend taking your AP exam. It can’t hurt, and can only help!

AtHelloCollege, we know how difficult it can be to prepare for college and aim to make the process as simple and easy as possible. We want to help you get accepted into the university of your dreams!

Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA? | HelloCollege (2024)

FAQs

Do AP Courses Boost Your GPA? | HelloCollege? ›

Additionally, AP classes can also help students maintain their 4.0 or higher GPA, even if they don't get an A. In rare cases, if you take all AP classes and have particularly good grades, you could end up with a 5.0 GPA during certain years of your high school career.

How much does an AP course add to your GPA? ›

While honors courses usually add 0.5 points to your GPA, AP classes often add 1 point. In other words, a 3.5 GPA would be boosted to a 4.0 in an honors class and a 4.5 in an AP class. This boost can prove particularly useful if you want to challenge yourself with more difficult training without punishing your GPA.

Does AP grade affect GPA? ›

AP scores won't affect your high school GPA or your chances of college admission. (The fact that you took AP courses when they were available is a different story!) But good AP scores can earn you college credit.

Do accelerated classes boost your GPA? ›

Many schools offer accelerated, Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes. To reflect the increased difficulty of these classes, schools will often award students with a slight GPA boost. The GPA generated as a result of this GPA boost is commonly referred to as a Weighted GPA.

Is it worth taking AP classes? ›

Students looking to earn admission to highly selective colleges should take multiple AP classes to bolster their applications and demonstrate they can handle challenging coursework. Some college admissions experts recommend taking as many as 7-12 AP courses before applying to the most elite universities.

How much will 2 AP classes raise my GPA? ›

It is reported on a scale that ranges from 0.0 to 5.0, instead of the typical 4.0 of the unweighted scale. So basically, you get 1.0 added to your GPA is you take AP® or honors classes.

Is a B+ in an AP class good? ›

AP classes are designed to be much more challenging than grade-level classes, and a "B" in an AP class is typically equivalent to an "A" in a grade-level class.

What GPA is a 93 in an AP class? ›

What Is a Weighted GPA?
Letter GradePercentageAP/IB GPA
A93-965.0
A-90-924.7
B+87-894.3
B83-864.0
8 more rows

What GPA is a 95 in an AP class? ›

What is a Weighted GPA?
Letter GradePercent GradeHonors/AP Level GP
A+97-1005.3
A93-965.0
A-90-924.7
B+87-894.3
8 more rows

Is getting a 1 on AP exam bad? ›

Key Takeaway: AP students who earn a score of 1 or 2, or average a score of 1 or 2 across their AP Exams in high school, have better college outcomes than academically similar college students who did not take an AP course and exam.

What is a C+ in an AP class? ›

AP Class Grading Scale
GradeStandardAP Weighted
B3.04.0
B-2.73.7
C+2.33.3
C2.03.0
4 more rows
Nov 14, 2020

Is 3.2 A good GPA in university? ›

A 3.2 GPA is a grade point average that falls between a B and a B- on the 4.0 grading scale commonly used in the United States. It represents a moderately good academic performance, indicating that the student has maintained above-average grades but may have some room for improvement.

Is an 80 in an AP class good? ›

If you scored an 80 in AP Psychics C, you could probably pat yourself on the back, as that can be considered quite the achievement. However, if you scored an 80 in AP Psychology or APUSH, you might want to consider studying harder or asking your teacher for more help.

Is 4 aps too much? ›

How many AP classes is too many? In general, college counselors recommend taking 5-8 AP courses. That said, there are lots of factors to consider when enrolling in AP classes, beyond the ones previously mentioned. The other biggest factor to consider is which AP classes your high school currently offers.

Which AP is easiest? ›

Easiest AP exams by pass rate
AP SubjectPass Rate (Exam Score of 3+)Median Score
Ap Physics C Mechanics73.4%3.41
AP Psychology58.3%2.71
AP Research82.7%3.3
AP Seminar82.6%3.19
34 more rows
Jan 13, 2023

Is 7 AP classes enough? ›

6–7 AP classes is plenty. Many people get admitted to UC with fewer than that. Instead of adding another AP course, look to make sure you have extracurriculars showing leadership and at least a couple teachers who know you well who can write you strong recommendations.

How do you calculate GPA with AP courses? ›

For Advanced Placement (AP) or Honors courses, give an A = 5 points, B = 4 points, C = 3 points, D = 2 points, and F = 0 points. Add up all the points from your grades. Count how many courses are on your list. Divide the total points by the number of courses to find your weighted GPA.

Is 13 AP classes good? ›

For students aiming for the Ivy League and Top 20 schools in the United States, a good target is to take (and pass) 10-14 AP classes throughout your high school career — or 3-4 each year.

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