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The complete guide to computing your General Weighted Average — from the basic formula to semester GWA, cumulative GWA, and common mistakes to avoid.
Follow these five steps to compute your GWA accurately. This method is the standard used by all Philippine colleges and universities.
Here is a complete example showing how to compute a typical semester GWA for a college student in the Philippines.
| Subject | Units | Final Grade | Grade × Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics in the Modern World | 3 | 1.75 | 5.25 |
| Purposive Communication | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Understanding the Self | 3 | 1.50 | 4.50 |
| Natural Sciences (Lecture) | 3 | 2.25 | 6.75 |
| Natural Sciences (Lab) | 1 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
| PE 1 | 2 | 1.25 | 2.50 |
| NSTP | 3 | 1.00 | 3.00 |
| TOTAL | 18 | — | 29.50 |
Cumulative GWA is computed across all semesters — not just one. You include every subject from your entire college program.
| Semester | Total Units | Weighted Sum | Semester GWA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Year 1st Sem | 18 | 29.50 | 1.638 |
| 1st Year 2nd Sem | 21 | 35.70 | 1.700 |
| 2nd Year 1st Sem | 24 | 39.60 | 1.650 |
| 2nd Year 2nd Sem | 21 | 33.60 | 1.600 |
| CUMULATIVE | 84 | 138.40 | 1.647 |
Different colleges use the same formula but may have different grading scales. Here is how GWA is computed using a percentage-based grade scale (common in some programs).
| Subject | Units | Grade (%) | Grade × Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting 101 | 3 | 88 | 264 |
| Business Math | 3 | 92 | 276 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 85 | 255 |
| Business Communication | 3 | 90 | 270 |
| Computer Applications | 2 | 95 | 190 |
| TOTAL | 14 | — | 1,255 |
Many students just add all grades and divide by the number of subjects. This gives the wrong result. A 5-unit subject must count more than a 1-unit subject. Always use credit units as weights.
Subjects with an INC (Incomplete) grade or that were officially dropped from your enrollment are not included in the GWA computation until the grade is resolved. Check with your registrar for your school's exact policy.
Never mix grades from a 1.00–5.00 scale with percentage grades in the same computation. Make sure every grade in your list uses the same scale.
Lab subjects and PE classes have credit units too — even if they're just 1 unit. They must be included in your GWA computation. Leaving them out gives an inaccurate result.
To get your cumulative GWA, you cannot just average your semester GWAs. You must use the raw weighted sums and total units across all semesters. Averaging semester GWAs gives a wrong answer unless all semesters had the same number of units.
The GWA formula is the same across all Philippine universities, but grading scales and policies differ. Here is a summary:
| University | Grade Scale | Honors Cutoff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UP (University of the Philippines) | 1.0 – 5.0 | 1.45 (Magna) / 1.2 (Summa) | Uses UWA (Unit Weighted Average) |
| Ateneo | 4.0 scale (like GPA) | 3.5+ for honors | Different scale — use school-specific formula |
| UST | 1.0 – 5.0 | 1.75 for Cum Laude | Standard Philippine scale |
| FEU, PLM, PUP | 1.0 – 5.0 | 1.75 typical | Standard formula applies |
| Bicol University | 1.0 – 5.0 | 1.75 for Cum Laude | Standard formula applies |
| PSHS / PISAY | Percentage (0–100) | 92+ for honors | Percentage-based GWA computation |
Always verify with your school's registrar. Policies can change and vary by college/department within a university.
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