How to Compute Your GWA: Step-by-Step Guide for College Students
How the General Weighted Average works on the 1.00–5.00 scale and with percentages, which subjects to include, worked examples, and how to combine terms.
Updated
Your GWA (General Weighted Average) is the single number most Philippine colleges use to rank students, decide scholarships, and award Latin honors. It is an average of your grades, but weighted by units: a 3-unit subject counts three times as much as a 1-unit one.
The formula
GWA = sum of (grade × units) ÷ total units
That’s all there is to it. The method is the same whether your school uses the 1.00–5.00 scale or percentages.
Step by step
- List every subject that counts toward your GWA, with its final grade and units.
- Multiply each grade by its units.
- Add up those products.
- Add up the units.
- Divide the total from step 3 by the total from step 4.
Example on the 1.00–5.00 scale
| Subject | Grade | Units | Grade × units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus | 1.25 | 3 | 3.75 |
| Physics | 1.50 | 3 | 4.50 |
| Philippine History | 2.00 | 3 | 6.00 |
| Chemistry Lab | 1.75 | 2 | 3.50 |
| Total | 11 | 17.75 |
GWA = 17.75 ÷ 11 = 1.6136.
On this scale lower is better: 1.00 is the highest grade, and 3.00 is usually the lowest passing grade.
Example with percentage grades
Some schools record grades as percentages. The computation doesn’t change:
| Subject | Grade | Units | Grade × units |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 92 | 3 | 276 |
| Accounting | 88 | 3 | 264 |
| Statistics | 85 | 2 | 170 |
| Total | 8 | 710 |
GWA = 710 ÷ 8 = 88.75. Here, higher is better.
Which subjects count?
It depends on your school. Common rules:
- PE and NSTP are often left out of the GWA, or carry zero academic units.
- Failed subjects usually count at their failing grade until you retake them.
- Dropped subjects may count as failing grades if dropped without official approval.
- Incomplete (INC) grades are typically excluded until completed.
Check your student handbook. When in doubt, compute it both ways and compare with the GWA on your official grades.
Combining semesters
To get your cumulative GWA, don’t average the semester GWAs. A heavy semester should count more than a light one. Instead, use the totals:
Cumulative GWA = (all grade × units products) ÷ (all units)
If you know only your previous GWA and units, multiply them to get your previous grade points. For example, a 1.75 GWA over 42 units is 73.5 grade points. Add this term’s grade points and units, then divide. The GPA Calculator does this with a “previous GPA and units” field.
GWA and Latin honors
Latin honors depend on the school. Most set a GWA range for summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude, often with extra conditions like no failing grades, no dropped subjects, and a minimum number of units taken at the school. Your handbook lists the exact rules.
Rounding
Compute to four decimal places and round only at the end. Rounding each subject first can shift the result, which matters near an honors cutoff.
Compute yours with the GWA Calculator, combine terms with the GPA Calculator, or find the score you need on a final exam with the Required Grade Calculator.