GPA Calculator
Add your courses, letter grades and credit hours to get your GPA on the standard 4.0 scale — instantly.
Your courses
Enter each course with its letter grade and credit hours.
Advanced options
Custom grade scale: if your school uses different grade points, edit them below and apply. Course weighting: use the Type menu on any course row to weight an individual honors, AP or IB course (+1.0 points, the weighted convention this page uses). Semesters: use Add semester break under the course list to split courses into semesters, each with its own subtotal.
Add your GPA and credits from previous terms to see your updated cumulative GPA below.
📈 GPA planner: what do you need next term?
Enter your target cumulative GPA and planned credits to see the semester GPA you need.
- The math is always the same: convert each grade to points, weight by credits, then divide — 46 grade points over 13 credits is a 3.54 GPA.
- Three preset scales are built in — the standard 4.0, a 4.3 scale if your school rewards an A+, and weighted 5.0 — plus a custom scale editor for your school’s own grade points, and grades can be entered as letters or percentages.
- The planner works backwards: give it a target cumulative GPA and your planned credits, and it tells you the semester GPA you need — 3.47 does it for a 3.50 target over 15 new credits on the default courses.
Your GPA on the 4.0 scale
The marker moves live as you edit your courses. Most schools treat 3.5+ as excellent, 3.0–3.4 as good, 2.0–2.9 as satisfactory, and below 2.0 as at-risk.
The complete guide to GPA
Everything about grade point averages — how the 4.0 scale works, weighted vs unweighted, cumulative GPA math, and how to plan the grades you need.
🧮One GPA calculator for high school and college
I built this page to work as both a high school GPA calculator and a college GPA calculator, because the math underneath is identical: convert each grade to points, weight it by credits, then divide. The only real differences are the scale and the stakes, and the tool above handles both — pick the standard 4.0 scale, the 4.3 scale if your school rewards an A+, or the weighted 5.0 mode when you need a GPA calculator weighted for honors and AP classes.
Everything here lands on the GPA 4.0 scale unless you switch modes, and you can enter letter grades or percentages — switch to “Percentage grades” above and the converter bands each score for you. Below, I walk through how I calculate GPA by hand, how high schools average grades differently from colleges, how to convert a percentage into grade points, and the planner math I use to work out which grades you need next term.
🏫High school GPA: how your school averages your grades
If you are using this page as a high school GPA calculator, the setup is simpler than college. Most high schools grade by semester, most courses carry the same weight (usually one credit for a year-long course, half a credit for a one-semester course), and your GPA is simply your course grades converted to points and averaged. Your school may report two numbers: an unweighted GPA on the 4.0 scale and, if you take honors or AP classes, a weighted GPA on a 5.0 scale where an A in an advanced class earns 5.0 instead of 4.0.
Here is a semester I see all the time — six courses at one credit each: English A (4.0), Algebra II B+ (3.3), Biology A− (3.7), US History B (3.0), Spanish A (4.0), PE A (4.0). The points add to 22.0, and 22.0 ÷ 6 = a 3.67 unweighted GPA. Now say the B+ was in honors Algebra II and the A− in AP Biology: on a weighted 5.0 scale those two grades become 4.3 and 4.7, the total rises to 24.0, and the same semester reads 4.00 weighted. Same report card, two very different numbers — which is exactly why many colleges recalculate your GPA on their own scale before comparing you with other applicants.
Two things trip up high school students. First, your cumulative high school GPA is the number colleges see: every semester folds into it, so a weak freshman year follows you — though admissions officers do forgive a clear upward trend. Second, semester grades are what count, not quarter grades: quarters are progress reports, and only the final semester (or year) grade usually lands on your transcript. When I check a transcript, I enter the final grade for each course above at 1 credit each (0.5 for a one-semester class) and read the unweighted result; then I switch to Weighted 5.0 to see the number the school itself reports.
🎓What GPA actually measures
Your GPA (grade point average) compresses a whole term of coursework into one number: each letter grade converts to grade points, each course is weighted by its credit hours, and the weighted average is your GPA. The formula is GPA = Σ (grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ credit hours.
On the standard unweighted 4.0 scale: A/A+ = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, D− = 0.7, F = 0.0. Worked example: Biology 101 (A, 4cr) → 16.0 points; Calculus I (B+, 3cr) → 9.9; English Comp (A−, 3cr) → 11.1; History 101 (B, 3cr) → 9.0. Total 46.0 ÷ 13 = 3.54.
The plus/minus increments are worth understanding: each step is usually 0.3 or 0.4 grade points (B+ 3.3 → B 3.0 → B− 2.7). Nudging a B+ (3.3) to an A− (3.7) in a 3-credit course adds 1.2 grade points — the same as moving a whole letter grade in a 1-credit course. Borderline grades are where study effort pays off most.
Some courses don’t affect GPA at all: pass/fail classes, withdrawals (W), incompletes (I), and audits are typically excluded from both the numerator and denominator. A 3-credit pass/fail A adds nothing to your points or your credits — invisible to the GPA formula, which is exactly why students use pass/fail to explore hard subjects risk-free.
Credit hours decide how much each course counts — a 4-credit A moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit A. One 4-credit A plus one 1-credit C gives (16.0 + 2.0) ÷ 5 = 3.60, much closer to the A because it carried four times the weight.
⚖️4.0 vs 4.3 vs weighted 5.0: which scale are you on?
Not every school uses the same scale, and the differences change your number. The 4.0 unweighted scale (this calculator’s default) caps at 4.0 — an A+ earns no more than an A. The 4.3 scale rewards A+ work with 4.3 points; everything else matches the 4.0 table. The weighted 5.0 scale, common in US high schools, adds a full bonus point for honors/AP courses: an A in AP Calculus is worth 5.0 instead of 4.0.
Same grades, different scales: A, B+, A−, B across 4/3/3/3 credits gives 3.54 on the 4.0 scale, 3.54 on the 4.3 scale (no A+ in the mix), but 4.54 on the weighted 5.0 scale (59.0 ÷ 13). Use the scale selector above to match your school — and when comparing GPAs with friends at other schools, always ask which scale they mean.
| Grade | 4.0 scale | 4.3 scale | Weighted 5.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
🔤What GPA is an A−? Every letter grade on the 4.0 scale
The question I am asked most is some version of “what GPA is A− worth?” — or B+, or “what GPA is all Bs?” Here is the full table I use, the standard 4.0 scale with every plus/minus step. An A− is worth 3.7 grade points, a B+ is worth 3.3, and straight Bs average exactly 3.0.
| Letter grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 |
| A | 4.0 |
| A− | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B− | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C− | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D− | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
Now the mix students ask about most: 6 A’s and 2 B’s. If every class counts the same, that is (6 × 4.0 + 2 × 3.0) ÷ 8 = 30.0 ÷ 8 = a 3.75 GPA. And the small steps matter more than people think: swapping one B for an A− adds 0.7 points to your numerator, which lifts an 8-course average by about 0.09. One borderline grade at a time — that is the whole game with plus/minus grading.
📊Semester GPA vs cumulative GPA
Your semester GPA covers one term. Your cumulative GPA covers everything: (all grade points ever earned) ÷ (all credits ever taken). Because it is credit-weighted, early terms with lots of credits anchor your cumulative GPA — a rough freshman year takes several strong semesters to fully offset.
Example: you earned a 3.20 over 45 credits, then a 3.54 semester over 13 credits. New cumulative = (3.20 × 45 + 46.0) ÷ 58 = (144 + 46) ÷ 58 = 3.28. Notice the strong semester only lifted the cumulative from 3.20 to 3.28 — the 45 prior credits dilute each new term. Enter your prior GPA and credits above to see your updated cumulative live.
Transfer credits complicate the picture: many schools accept the credits but not the grades, so transfer courses count toward graduation without touching your institutional GPA. Others fold them in. If you are transferring, ask the registrar which policy applies — it can shift your cumulative by tenths.
Repeated courses also vary: some schools replace the old grade entirely (the highest-ROI GPA move available — turning a 3-credit F into a B adds 9.0 points), others average both attempts. The calculator above assumes simple replacement; check your school’s policy for the official number.
This dilution cuts both ways: one bad semester among many good ones barely dents a cumulative GPA, which is why colleges look at trends. An upward trajectory (2.8 → 3.2 → 3.6) tells a better story than a flat 3.2, even if the cumulative numbers match.
🎯Major GPA vs overall GPA
Your major GPA is the average of only the courses inside your major. Your overall GPA (the cumulative figure) counts everything, electives and general-education classes included. Graduate programs and many employers ask for the major GPA specifically, because it measures how you performed in the subject you are actually being admitted or hired for. When I calculate a major GPA, I filter the transcript down to major courses and run the same math: say your major courses this year are an A (3 credits), an A− (3 credits), a B+ (3 credits), and an A in the 4-credit lab sequence. That is 12.0 + 11.1 + 9.9 + 16.0 = 49.0 points over 13 credits — a 3.77 major GPA, even if a rough gen-ed semester is holding your overall GPA nearer 3.4. If your major GPA is the stronger number, lead with it wherever an application lets you report both.
🧮Credit hours explained
The other question I hear constantly is “what are credits in GPA terms, exactly?” A credit hour is your school’s unit for how much a course counts: roughly, one credit means about one hour of class per week across the term. In the GPA formula, credits are the weights — each course’s grade points are multiplied by its credits before anything is averaged. So a 4-credit A contributes 16.0 points, while a 1-credit B contributes just 3.0. Put those two courses together and you get (16.0 + 3.0) ÷ 5 = 3.80 — much closer to the A, because the A carried four times the weight. That is why I tell every student the same thing: protect your grades in high-credit courses first. They move your GPA the most, in both directions.
📈Planning: what GPA do you need next term?
To hit a target cumulative GPA, the math is: required semester GPA = (target × total credits − current points) ÷ planned credits. Say you have a 3.00 over 30 credits, want a 3.20, and plan 15 credits: (3.20 × 45 − 90) ÷ 15 = (144 − 90) ÷ 15 = 3.60. You need a 3.60 semester — roughly A−/B+ across the board.
Two reality checks the planner enforces: if the required GPA exceeds your scale’s maximum (4.0, 4.3, or 5.0), the target is mathematically impossible in one term — you need more credits or a lower target. Run the downside scenario too: at 3.40 over 60 credits, a 2.0 semester over 15 credits gives (204 + 30) ÷ 75 = 3.12 — painful but survivable. Recovery then needs (3.40 × 90 − 234) ÷ 15 = 4.80 in one term — impossible on a 4.0 scale — so plan on two good semesters, not one. And the more credits you have banked, the harder each tenth of a point becomes: raising a 3.00 to 3.20 takes a 3.60 semester at 30 prior credits, but a 4.20 semester at 60 prior credits — impossible on a 4.0 scale.
Strategy: front-load difficult required courses into terms where you can afford the risk, and protect your GPA with strong performance in high-credit courses — they move the needle most per hour of study.
💯Percentage grades and conversions
Many schools record percentages (0–100) and convert to letters. The standard US mapping: 93–100 = A (4.0), 90–92 = A− (3.7), 87–89 = B+ (3.3), 83–86 = B (3.0), 80–82 = B− (2.7), 77–79 = C+ (2.3), 73–76 = C (2.0), 70–72 = C− (1.7), 67–69 = D+ (1.3), 63–66 = D (1.0), 60–62 = D− (0.7), below 60 = F (0.0). Toggle “Percentage grades” above to enter scores directly.
Watch the boundary effects: an 89.6% and a 90.0% can be a full 0.3 grade points apart (B+ vs A−) depending on rounding policy — always check whether your school rounds or truncates. And percentage-to-GPA is not linear: the gap from 60→70 (0.7 to 1.7, a full point) dwarfs 93→100 (both 4.0).
| Percentage | Letter | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| 93–100 | A | 4.0 |
| 90–92 | A− | 3.7 |
| 87–89 | B+ | 3.3 |
| 83–86 | B | 3.0 |
| 70–72 | C− | 1.7 |
| Below 60 | F | 0.0 |
💯Convert a percentage to a GPA
If your school reports percentages instead of letter grades, treat this page as your gpa calculator from percentage: switch the tool above to “Percentage grades”, type each score in, and it bands them exactly the way this table does. When I convert a percentage to a GPA by hand, I use the standard US bands — find your percentage, then read across to the letter and the points.
| Percentage | Letter grade | GPA points |
|---|---|---|
| 93–100 | A | 4.0 |
| 90–92 | A− | 3.7 |
| 87–89 | B+ | 3.3 |
| 83–86 | B | 3.0 |
| 80–82 | B− | 2.7 |
| 77–79 | C+ | 2.3 |
| 73–76 | C | 2.0 |
| 70–72 | C− | 1.7 |
| 67–69 | D+ | 1.3 |
| 63–66 | D | 1.0 |
| 60–62 | D− | 0.7 |
| Below 60 | F | 0.0 |
A worked example: a single score of 88% lands in the 87–89 band, so it converts to a B+ — 3.3 grade points. A whole semester converts course by course: percentages of 92, 88, 95, and 84 in four 3-credit courses become 3.7, 3.3, 4.0, and 3.0, which is (11.1 + 9.9 + 12.0 + 9.0) ÷ 12 = 42.0 ÷ 12 = a 3.50 GPA. Running it backwards, a 3.5 GPA in percentage terms sits between the B+ and A− bands — roughly an 89–90% average.
Two scale notes before you convert. On a weighted 5.0 scale, add 1.0 to the table’s points for honors and AP courses only — an 88 in AP Biology counts 4.3, not 3.3; regular classes still use the standard bands. And if your transcript is on a 10-point CGPA scale, the common conventions are percentage = CGPA × 9.5 (so 8.5 becomes about 80.8%) or the rough linear estimate (CGPA ÷ 10) × 4 = 3.4 for that same 8.5. Do not chain the two together, and treat both as estimates: US admissions offices apply their own credential evaluations, not a formula.
One warning from experience: schools draw these bands differently. Some put an A at 90, some at 94, and some skip plus/minus grades entirely, so your official conversion always follows your own school’s table. This one is the widely used standard — and it is the one the calculator above applies.
🎯What counts as a “good” GPA — and what to do about yours
On the 4.0 scale: 3.5+ is excellent (honors territory, the cutoff for many scholarships and competitive programs); 3.0–3.4 is good (solid B+ average, meets most program minimums); 2.0–2.9 is satisfactory (meets graduation requirements at most schools); below 2.0 risks academic probation. Context matters — graduate schools and competitive employers often screen at 3.5, while many jobs never ask.
To raise a GPA efficiently, target high-credit courses first: improving a 4-credit course from B to A adds (4.0−3.0)×4 = 4.0 points, versus 1.0 point for a 1-credit course — the same grade jump, four times the GPA impact. Retaking a course you failed can be the highest-ROI move: replacing an F (0.0) with a B (3.0) in a 3-credit course adds 9.0 points (check your school’s retake policy — some average the attempts instead of replacing).
Protect the downside too: withdraw before the deadline rather than eating an F if a course goes badly — a W typically doesn’t touch your GPA. International note: many countries don’t use GPA — the UK uses degree classifications (First, 2:1, 2:2), India often uses a 10-point CGPA. A US 3.5 is roughly a UK 2:1, but conversion tables vary; never present a converted GPA as official without the school’s equivalency.
GPA repair is a multi-semester project. From 2.50 over 60 credits, reaching 3.00 needs (3.00 × 90 − 150) ÷ 30 = 4.00 over the next 30 credits — straight As. More realistic: two semesters of 3.50 gets (150 + 105) ÷ 90 = 2.83. Set stair-step targets (2.50 → 2.75 → 3.00) rather than one heroic leap.
And remember GPA is one signal among many: internships, projects, and recommendations often outweigh a tenth of a GPA point.
🏛️GPA in college admissions and scholarships
Admissions offices read GPA in context. A 3.8 in rigorous courses (AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, honors everything) beats a 4.0 in the easiest available classes at most selective schools — course rigor is the multiplier on your GPA. This is exactly why weighted GPAs exist: they let a B+ in AP Physics (4.3 weighted) outrank an A in regular gym (4.0 unweighted), reflecting the harder work.
Scholarship cutoffs are often hard lines: many merit awards require 3.5+, some 3.0+. A 3.49 versus 3.50 can be worth thousands of dollars, which makes end-of-term grade grubbing rational, not petty. If you sit at 3.48 with one exam left, compute exactly what score pushes you over — the planner above does this math.
For graduate and professional school, GPA is one of the two big numbers (alongside test scores). Law schools publish median GPAs around 3.7–3.9 for top programs; medical schools similar. But trends matter: a 3.1 freshman year followed by 3.8, 3.9, 3.9 shows growth that a flat 3.5 doesn’t, and personal statements can frame the arc.
Test-optional admissions made GPA more important, not less: when SAT/ACT scores are missing, GPA carries more weight in the file review. A strong upward trend plus rigorous courses is the best test-optional profile you can build.
After your first job, GPA fades fast. Two years into a career, nobody asks — work product replaces transcripts. Optimize GPA hard while it counts (school, first job hunt), then let it go.
🗓️Semester planning: engineering a strong term
Treat each semester as a credit-weighted portfolio. Total your planned credits, then assign each course a realistic grade range. Multiply through: 4 courses at (A−, 3cr), (B+, 4cr), (A, 3cr), (B, 3cr) gives (11.1 + 13.2 + 12.0 + 9.0) ÷ 13 = 3.48. If that misses your target, you know before the term starts which course needs to move.
Balance difficulty across terms. Stacking organic chemistry, physics II, and differential equations in one 18-credit semester is how 3.7 students become 2.9 students. Spread the killers across terms, pair each hard course with a lighter one, and keep total credits in the 14–16 range unless you have a proven track record higher.
Know your drop deadlines. Every school has a date after which a withdrawal becomes a WF (counts as F) instead of a W (invisible). Mark it on day one. If a course is heading for a D in week 8 and the W deadline is week 10, withdrawing protects your GPA — a 3-credit D (3.0 points) versus a W (0 credits, 0 points) can swing a semester GPA by 0.2+.
Front-load the term. Grades are disproportionately set in the first third: early assignments establish your trajectory and give you data. If you are below a B+ by midterms in a 4-credit course, that is 4 credits of GPA damage — intervene immediately (office hours, tutoring, study groups) rather than hoping the final saves you. Summer courses are a GPA tool too: a 4-credit summer A adds 16.0 points, and the lighter schedule makes As more likely — but verify the credits transfer and count toward your institutional GPA before enrolling. The math is unforgiving: even a perfect final often can’t lift a 70% midterm average above a B.
More tools to try
Handy calculators for students and everyday math.
How to calculate your GPA
Three steps, instant answers.
List each course with its letter grade — add or remove rows anytime.
Type the credit hours per course. Heavier courses count more.
Semester GPA, total credits and grade points update live.
🎓How GPA is calculated
On the standard 4.0 scale, each letter grade converts to grade points: A/A+ = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, D− = 0.7, F = 0.0. Each course’s points are weighted by its credit hours:
Worked example: Biology 101 (A, 4cr) → 4.0 × 4 = 16.0 · Calculus I (B+, 3cr) → 3.3 × 3 = 9.9 · English Comp (A−, 3cr) → 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 · History 101 (B, 3cr) → 3.0 × 3 = 9.0.
Total: 46.0 grade points ÷ 13 credits = 3.54 GPA.
This calculator defaults to the standard unweighted 4.0 scale — an A is 4.0 whether the class is regular, honors or AP. To weight individual courses, set the Type menu on a course row to Honors, AP or IB: those courses earn +1.0 bonus points, the same bonus the Weighted 5.0 mode applies to every course. Some schools use a weighted scale that adds bonus points (often +0.5 or +1.0) for honors and AP courses, so a weighted GPA can exceed 4.0 and reach 5.0 or even higher. If your school reports weighted GPAs, your official number may be higher than what this calculator shows. For cumulative or honors-adjusted GPAs, check your school’s scale first.
Each letter grade maps to a fixed number of grade points: A+ and A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, D− = 0.7, F = 0.0. Note the gap between A and A− is 0.3, and an A+ gives no bonus over an A on this scale. Some schools skip plus/minus grades or omit A+ entirely — in those cases the same scale still works, you just use fewer letters.
Credit hours decide how much each course counts. A 4-credit A (4.0 × 4 = 16.0 points) moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit A (8.0 points). Example: one 4-credit A plus one 1-credit C (2.0 × 1 = 2.0) gives (16.0 + 2.0) ÷ 5 = 3.60 — much closer to the A than the C, because the A carried four times the weight. Always enter credit hours exactly as your school lists them.
📚Semester, cumulative and major GPA — and the SGPA and CGPA names
A semester GPA grades one term. A cumulative GPA grades everything so far, with every course weighted by its credit hours — never a plain average of semester GPAs unless the semesters carried equal credits. A major GPA counts only the courses in your major. Two other names mean the same two ideas: SGPA is a semester GPA, and CGPA is a cumulative GPA; the letters differ by system, the arithmetic does not.
Worked example: a first semester of 3.20 over 15 credits and a second semester of 3.60 over 15 credits give (3.20 times 15 plus 3.60 times 15) divided by 30, which is 3.40. With equal credits the plain mean of the two semester GPAs happens to agree — with unequal credits it does not, and the credit-weighted sum is the number that counts.
🏛️How schools recalculate your GPA — and why the number can change
Every school and admissions office applies its own rules when it reads a transcript: its own grade-point scale, its own treatment of plus and minus grades, its own policy on repeated courses, and its own decision about whether to keep or strip weighting bonuses from advanced courses. The same transcript can therefore produce different GPAs at different schools, and none of them is wrong — each follows its own published method.
Graduate and professional schools recalculate too, each under its own rules. The practical defence is simple: keep your transcript and the scale it was graded on, and when an application asks for a GPA, use the receiving school’s stated method and say which method you used. Never convert a GPA from one scale to another by a guessed ratio — the scales are tables, not proportions, and ratios invent precision that the tables do not contain.
Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Convert each letter grade to grade points on the 4.0 scale, multiply by the course’s credit hours, add those up, and divide by total credit hours. Formula: GPA = Σ (grade points × credits) ÷ Σ credits. Example: 46.0 grade points ÷ 13 credits = 3.54.
Do pass/fail courses count toward my GPA?
No. A pass/fail course earns its credits when you pass, but the grade is never converted into grade points, so the course stays out of both halves of the GPA formula — no points earned, and its credits are not in the denominator either. Tick the Pass/fail box on any course row above and the calculator excludes that course automatically, noting the excluded credits under your result. Schools differ on whether a fail in a pass/fail course can still hurt you, so check your own catalog for the fine print.
What is the difference between this GPA calculator and the weighted grade calculator?
This GPA calculator works per course: it takes letter grades from several courses and produces a semester GPA on the 4.0 scale. The weighted grade calculator works inside one class: it averages percentage-based categories like homework, quizzes and exams to find your final grade in that single course. Use this page for “what is my semester GPA?” and the grade calculator for “what is my grade in Chemistry?”
What is a good GPA?
On the standard 4.0 scale: 3.5+ is excellent (honors territory, mostly A− and A grades), 3.0–3.4 is good (solid B+ average, the cutoff for many scholarships and programs), 2.0–2.9 is satisfactory (meets most minimum requirements), and below 2.0 can put you at academic risk at many schools. Context matters — competitive colleges and graduate programs often look for 3.5 or higher.
Do A+ and A give the same grade points?
Yes. On the standard unweighted 4.0 scale, both A+ and A are worth 4.0 grade points. The plus/minus steps only change values below A: A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, and so on. A+ gives no bonus unless your school uses a weighted scale.
Why do credit hours change my GPA?
Because each course is weighted by its credit hours. A 4-credit course counts four times as much as a 1-credit course. So a B in a 4-credit lab hurts (or helps) more than a B in a 1-credit seminar. Enter credit hours exactly as your school lists them for an accurate GPA.
Is this the same 4.0 scale my school uses?
Most likely yes — the unweighted 4.0 scale above is the most common in the US. Exceptions exist: some schools skip plus/minus grades, some use a weighted 5.0 scale for honors/AP, and a few use different point values. If your school publishes its own conversion table, use that for your official GPA; this calculator gives the standard-scale result.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0 — an A is 4.0 whether the class is regular or AP. Weighted GPA adds bonus points (usually +1.0) for honors/AP courses, so it can reach 5.0 or higher. Use the scale selector above to match your school’s system.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Add up all grade points ever earned and divide by all credits ever taken. Or enter your prior cumulative GPA and credits earned in the fields above — the calculator folds them in with your current courses automatically.
What GPA do I need next semester to reach my target?
Use the GPA planner above: enter your target cumulative GPA and how many credits you plan to take. It computes the exact semester GPA required — and tells you if the target is mathematically impossible on your scale.
What is a major GPA (and should I report it)?
Your major GPA averages only the courses inside your major, while your overall GPA counts every course you have taken. Many graduate programs and employers ask for the major GPA because it reflects your performance in your field. To calculate it, add up grade points × credits for your major courses only and divide by those credits — for example, 49.0 points over 13 major credits is a 3.77 major GPA. If your major GPA is higher than your overall GPA, list both on applications whenever the form allows it.
How do I know my GPA?
The fastest way is your official record: your GPA appears on your transcript, in your student portal under grades or academic standing, or on your end-of-term grade report. If none of those is handy, work it out here — list each course with its letter grade and credit hours, and the calculator gives you the same number your school computes: total grade points divided by total credit hours. For a cumulative figure, also enter your prior GPA and the credits you have earned so far.
What is a perfect GPA?
On the standard unweighted 4.0 scale, a perfect GPA is 4.0 — straight As in every course, since an A+ earns the same 4.0 as an A on this scale. On a 4.3 scale, perfection is 4.3 and requires A+ grades. On a weighted 5.0 scale, a perfect GPA can reach 5.0 if every course is an honors or AP class taken for an A. So when someone quotes a GPA above 4.0, always ask which scale — the number only means something with its scale attached.
How do I calculate my unweighted GPA?
Use the plain 4.0 scale and ignore course difficulty: convert every letter grade to points (A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, and so on), multiply each by its credit hours, add them up, and divide by total credits. The key difference from a weighted GPA is that an A in an AP or honors class counts 4.0, not 5.0. In the calculator above, that means choosing the 4.0 scale — it is the unweighted result colleges most often recalculate for themselves.
How do I convert a percentage to GPA?
There is no single formula, because percentage-to-grade-point mappings are tables published by individual schools, and the same percentage can map to different grade points on different tables. Use the table your school publishes — the one in the guide above is the standard 4.0 mapping this calculator uses — and if you are converting for an application, use the receiving school’s table and say which table you used. A conversion without a named table is a guess, not a GPA.
What do SGPA and CGPA mean?
SGPA is a semester GPA: the credit-weighted average of one term. CGPA is a cumulative GPA: the credit-weighted average of every term so far. The arithmetic is identical — grade points times credits, summed, divided by total credits — only the scope differs. On most transcripts the CGPA is the headline number, and the SGPA is the number that moves it each term.
What is a weighted GPA?
A GPA in which advanced courses — AP, IB and honours classes — earn bonus grade points above the standard 4.0 scale, so an A in an advanced course can count as more than 4.0. How much bonus, and for which courses, varies by school: there is no universal weighted scale. The worked comparison of the same grades under weighted and unweighted scales, with AP, IB and honours treated separately, is in the weighted GPA guide linked below.
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How weighting works, why it varies by school, and the same grades under weighted and unweighted scales.