General Weighted Average

The General Weighted Average (GWA) is a standard measure of academic performance used in the Philippines. It is calculated by averaging all final course grades, weighted by their credit units, for a specific semester or academic program.^[1]

Calculation Method

GWA is calculated using:

${\displaystyle \mathrm {GWA} ={\frac {\sum ({\text{grade}}\times {\text{units}})}{\sum {\text{units}}}}}$

This includes every graded subject—pass or fail. Some institutions may choose to exclude non-credit or remedial courses.^[2]

Grading Scale

The most commonly used grading scale in the Philippines runs from 1.00 (highest) to 5.00 (failing), with 3.00 being the minimum passing mark. For example, the University of the Philippines uses:

Grade	Description
1.00	Excellent
1.25–1.75	Very Good
2.00–2.50	Good
2.75–3.00	Satisfactory / Passed
4.00	Conditional
5.00	Failure

A 4.00 typically means "conditional" and may be removed by taking a re-examination within a year; otherwise, it becomes a failing 5.00.^[3]

Academic Uses

GWA is used by schools and scholarship boards for:

• Awarding Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, etc.)
• Determining eligibility for scholarships and financial aid
• Academic standing evaluations such as academic probation or honors lists^[4]
• Admissions to graduate or professional programs

Comparison with GPA

GWA uses a descending scale —where 1.00 is the highest grade—while GPA systems (like those used in the U.S.) use an ascending scale, with 4.00 or 5.00 as the top grade. The direction reflects different grading traditions and how numerical ranks were historically applied.

Challenges and Variability

Since each university may have slightly different grading thresholds and rules (e.g. use of percentage, letter grades, handling of conditional or incomplete marks), GWA comparisons across schools can be misleading.

Additionally, subjective grading standards and grade removal policies—such as whether a 4.00 is dropped or converted—can affect consistency.^[5]

Related pages

• Academic grading in the Philippines
• Grade Point Average
• Latin honors