GPA Calculator
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Results
GPA 3.58 over 16 credits.
| Course | Credits | Grade | Points | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Composition | 3 | A− | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| Calculus I | 4 | B+ | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| Biology with lab | 4 | A | 4 | 16 |
| US History | 3 | B | 3 | 9 |
| Studio Art | 2 | A | 4 | 8 |
Scale: 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. Schools set their own scales and weighting rules, so check your handbook or transcript.
How to use the GPA calculator
- Pick the scale your school uses. Many cap an A+ at 4.0; choose the 4.3 scale if yours gives extra credit for an A+.
- Choose Weighted if your high school adds points for honors or AP classes, then set each course's level.
- Enter each course's credits (or credit hours) and letter grade. Mark pass/fail courses as P so they stay out of the average.
- For a cumulative GPA, add the GPA and credits from your transcript so far. For a goal, add a target GPA and the credits you still have to take.
GPA formula
GPA = Σ quality points ÷ Σ credits
Cumulative GPA = (GPA so far × credits so far + new quality points) ÷ total credits
GPA needed = (target × (credits so far + new credits) − GPA so far × credits so far) ÷ new credits
A GPA is a credit-weighted average. Each grade is turned into grade points, multiplied by the course's credits to give quality points, and the total is divided by the credits. A 4-credit course therefore moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit one. Pass/fail courses earn credits but no grade points, so they are left out of both totals. In the weighted version, the honors or AP bonus is added to the grade points before multiplying.
Worked example
A student takes five courses: English Composition (3 credits, A−), Calculus I (4, B+), Biology with lab (4, A), US History (3, B) and Studio Art (2, A). The quality points are 3 × 3.7 + 4 × 3.3 + 4 × 4.0 + 3 × 3.0 + 2 × 4.0 = 57.3 over 16 credits, a term GPA of 3.58.
If they came into the term with a 3.20 GPA over 45 credits, the cumulative GPA becomes (3.20 × 45 + 57.3) ÷ 61 = 3.30. To finish on a 3.40 after 30 more credits, they would need to average 3.60 over those credits.
Letter grades to grade points
The scale below is the common US 4.0 scale with plus and minus grades. Honors and AP columns show the typical weighted values. Your school's handbook is the final word: some don't use minus grades, some give a D− no points, and some weight only certain courses.
| Grade | 4.0 scale | 4.3 scale | Honors (+0.5) | AP / IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5 |
| A | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 |
| B− | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 2 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 |
| C− | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| D | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 2 |
| D− | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| F | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
How much can you raise your GPA?
The more credits you already have, the more slowly your GPA moves. This table shows the average needed to lift a 3.00 GPA earned over 60 credits, the usual point at the end of a second year of college. Values above 4.00 can't be reached on an unweighted scale.
| Target | Over the next 15 credits | Over the next 30 credits | Over the next 60 credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.20 | 4.00 | 3.60 | 3.40 |
| 3.30 | 4.50 (not possible) | 3.90 | 3.60 |
| 3.50 | 5.50 (not possible) | 4.50 (not possible) | 4.00 |
| 3.70 | 6.50 (not possible) | 5.10 (not possible) | 4.40 (not possible) |
Tips for an accurate GPA
- Use the credits on your transcript. A lab science may carry 4 credits and a seminar 1; treating every course as equal gives the wrong average.
- Retaken courses. Many colleges replace the first grade when you retake a course; others average both. Enter only the grades your school counts.
- Weighted and unweighted GPAs aren't comparable. A 4.3 weighted GPA can sit beside a 3.8 unweighted one. Colleges often recalculate GPAs their own way, so report the version an application asks for.
- Round only at the end. Transcripts usually show two decimals; rounding each term first can shift the cumulative figure by a hundredth.
To see what you need on a final exam in one course, use the grade calculator. For any other average, try the average calculator, and to turn a score into a percentage, the percentage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credits, add the results and divide by the total credits. A 3-credit A− (3.7), a 4-credit B+ (3.3), a 4-credit A (4.0), a 3-credit B (3.0) and a 2-credit A (4.0) give 57.3 quality points over 16 credits, a GPA of 3.58.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
An unweighted GPA uses the plain 4.0 scale for every course. A weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder classes, commonly 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP or IB, so a B in an AP class counts as 4.0 instead of 3.0. Schools set their own weighting rules.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Multiply your GPA so far by the credits it covers, add this term’s quality points and divide by all the credits. A 3.20 over 45 credits plus 57.3 quality points over 16 new credits gives (144 + 57.3) ÷ 61 = 3.30.
Is an A+ worth 4.0 or 4.3?
It depends on the school. Many US colleges cap an A+ at 4.0, the same as an A, so the highest possible GPA is 4.0. Some colleges give 4.3 for an A+. Pick the scale your school uses; the calculator handles both.
What GPA do I need to raise my cumulative GPA?
Use (target × total credits − current GPA × current credits) ÷ new credits. With a 3.30 over 61 credits, reaching 3.40 after 30 more credits needs (3.4 × 91 − 3.3 × 61) ÷ 30, an average of about 3.60 over those credits.