Calculate your Unweighted, Capped, and Fully Weighted GPAs using the official UC methodology. See how you stack up against admits at UCLA, Berkeley, and all UC campuses.
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Calculate your Unweighted, Capped, and Fully Weighted GPAs
No +/- grades: Enter letter grades only (A, B, C, D, F). The UC system does not use plus or minus grades in GPA calculations.
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Add at least one 10th or 11th grade course to calculate your GPA
Understanding the UC GPA calculation can be confusing. Get answers to the most common questions about capped vs. uncapped GPA, honors points, and freshman grade policies.
The UC Capped Weighted GPA is the primary GPA metric used by University of California admissions officers to evaluate applicants on a consistent scale. It's called "capped" because the UC system limits the number of honors points that can be added to your GPA, preventing students with access to many AP and honors courses from gaining an unfair advantage.
The cap works as follows: You can earn a maximum of 8 semesters worth of honors points (equivalent to 4 year-long courses). Of these 8 semesters, no more than 4 can come from 10th grade courses. This means if you took 5 AP classes in 10th grade, only 4 of them would count toward your honors bonus in the capped GPA.
Why the cap matters: The cap creates what admissions experts call the "denominator effect." If you take more honors courses than the cap allows, your base GPA (unweighted points) includes all those courses, but your honors bonus stays fixed at 8 points. This can actually result in a lower capped GPA for students who overload on honors courses, which surprises many high-achieving applicants.
For example, a student with 20 A grades and 8 honors semesters would have: (80 base points + 8 honors) / 20 = 4.40. But a student with 20 A grades and 12 honors semesters still gets: (80 + 8) / 20 = 4.40 for their capped GPA, while their fully weighted would be (80 + 12) / 20 = 4.60.
No, the UC system does not include 9th grade grades in GPA calculations. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of UC admissions, and it's actually good news for students who struggled early in high school.
The UC GPA is calculated using grades from courses completed during:
However, while 9th grade courses don't factor into your UC GPA, admissions officers can still see your freshman grades on your transcript. They review your complete academic record for context, looking at grade trends and course selection patterns. A strong upward trend from freshman to junior year can work in your favor.
Important note: Freshman grades DO count for meeting UC's A-G subject requirements. You need to complete 15 A-G courses with a grade of C or better, and freshman courses can satisfy these requirements even though they don't affect your GPA calculation.
If you're worried about poor freshman grades, focus on demonstrating growth. Many successful UC applicants had rocky freshman years but showed significant improvement. Your essays can address any circumstances that affected your early performance.
The UC system actually calculates three different GPAs for each applicant, and understanding the difference is crucial for accurately assessing your competitiveness.
Unweighted GPA: This is your base GPA with no honors bonus. All grades are calculated on a 4.0 scale: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. This shows your raw academic performance without considering course rigor.
UC Capped Weighted GPA: This adds honors points to your unweighted GPA, but limits the bonus to 8 semesters maximum (with no more than 4 from 10th grade). For qualifying courses, you receive an extra 1 point per semester. This is the GPA most commonly referenced in UC admissions statistics.
Fully Weighted GPA: This adds honors points for ALL qualifying honors, AP, IB, and college courses with no cap. It can be significantly higher than the capped GPA for students who took many advanced courses.
Which one do UCs use? All three are considered, but the capped weighted GPA is the primary metric used for comparing applicants and determining eligibility. The fully weighted GPA provides additional context about your course load and academic ambition.
When you see statistics about admitted students (like "average GPA of 4.20"), this typically refers to the capped weighted GPA. If your fully weighted GPA is much higher than your capped GPA, it signals you took a particularly rigorous course load.
Understanding which courses qualify for the honors bonus point is essential for accurate GPA calculation. The rules differ significantly depending on whether you're a California resident or applying from out of state.
For California Residents:
For Out-of-State Applicants:
The requirements are stricter. Only AP courses, IB Higher Level courses, and transferable college courses qualify for honors points. Regular honors courses designated by your high school do NOT qualify, even if they would qualify for a California student.
Important considerations:
California students should verify their school's UC-approved honors list through their counselor, as not all "honors" courses automatically qualify for the UC honors bonus.
UC admission is holistic, meaning there's no single GPA that guarantees admission. However, understanding the middle 50% ranges helps you assess your competitiveness at each campus.
Most Selective UCs (Capped Weighted GPA Middle 50%):
Competitive UCs:
More Accessible UCs:
What if you're below the range? Being below the middle 50% doesn't mean rejection. The "50%" means half of admitted students fall within this range, which means 25% were below it. Strong essays, unique circumstances, and compelling extracurriculars can offset a lower GPA. Your Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) become especially important if your numbers are below average.
The 10th grade honors cap is one of the most confusing aspects of UC GPA calculation, but it's crucial to understand for strategic course planning.
The rule: Of the maximum 8 semesters of honors points allowed in your capped GPA, no more than 4 semesters can come from 10th grade courses. This effectively means you can count at most 2 year-long honors/AP courses from sophomore year toward your honors bonus.
Why this exists: The UC system implemented this to prevent excessive academic pressure on younger students and to ensure more equitable comparison between students from schools with different honors availability. It rewards junior year rigor while limiting the advantage of schools that offer many AP courses to sophomores.
Example calculation:
Strategic implications: If you're planning your course load, know that taking 3+ AP/honors courses in 10th grade means those extra ones won't help your capped GPA (though they will help your fully weighted GPA). Many students strategically save some advanced courses for junior year to maximize their capped GPA benefit.
Our UC GPA calculator implements the official UC GPA calculation methodology as published by the University of California. It accurately applies:
Important limitations to understand:
Our calculator uses self-reported data. The official UC GPA is calculated by the UC system using your actual transcript. Small differences may occur due to:
For the most accurate calculation, use the official UC GPA calculator on the University of California admissions website after confirming your UC-approved honors courses with your high school counselor. Our calculator provides an excellent estimate for planning purposes and understanding your competitiveness at different UC campuses.
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