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Scoring & Grading

GWA (General Weighted Average)

Abbreviation: GWA

The average of your grades weighted by units — used for admissions, scholarships and Latin honors.

GWA (General Weighted Average) is the average of your grades, weighted by course units. Schools and programs use it for:

  • Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude)
  • College and graduate school admissions
  • Scholarship eligibility and renewal
  • Dean's list and honor rolls

Calculation:

GWA = Σ(Grade × Units) / Σ(Units)

Scales differ: many Philippine colleges use a 1.0–5.0 scale where 1.0 is highest, while others use a 4.0 scale or percentages. Senior high school grades are usually percentages.

What it means for you:

  • Your school's handbook sets the exact GWA cut-offs for honors and scholarships — they differ between schools
  • Some admission rules use a specific GWA: for example, PUP required a Grade 11 GWA of at least 82% to apply for the PUPCET, and PMA and PNPA ask for an SHS average of at least 85%
  • Track your GWA each term so there are no surprises

Frequently asked questions

How do you compute GWA?
GWA (General Weighted Average) is the sum of each grade multiplied by its course units, divided by the total units. Many Philippine colleges use a 1.0–5.0 scale where 1.0 is the highest mark.
What GWA do you need for cum laude?
It depends on the school. Each college sets its own Latin-honors cut-offs in its student handbook, so check your school's rules.

See also

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