Translation unavailable - this article is shown in English. View English version
Summary
GPA (Grade Point Average) is a standardized measure of academic achievement used by schools and universities, primarily in the United States. It converts letter grades into numeric values on a 4.0 scale and computes a weighted average based on the credit hours of each course. A higher GPA indicates stronger academic performance and is used for admissions decisions, scholarship eligibility, honors designation, and graduate school applications.
How it works
The GPA calculation is a weighted average where each course’s grade points are multiplied by its credit hours:
- Convert each letter grade to its numeric equivalent on the 4.0 scale (e.g., A = 4.0, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0).
- Multiply each grade’s point value by the number of credit hours for that course to get the quality points.
- Sum all quality points across all courses.
- Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.
The formulas
Where
Standard 4.0 scale
| Letter Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| F | 0.0 |
Worked examples
Semester GPA for three courses
Course 1: English (3 credits, A)
= 12.0
Course 2: Chemistry (4 credits, B+)
= 13.2
Course 3: History (3 credits, A-)
= 11.1
Sum quality points and credits
= 3.63
Result
Semester GPA: 3.63
Cumulative GPA across two semesters
Semester 1: 15 credits, 52.5 quality points
= 52.5 pts
Semester 2: 12 credits, 43.2 quality points
= 43.2 pts
Cumulative calculation
= 3.54
Result
Cumulative GPA: 3.54
Practical uses
- College admissions: Most US universities consider GPA as a primary factor. Competitive schools often look for GPAs above 3.5 on the 4.0 scale.
- Scholarships: Many merit-based scholarships require a minimum GPA (commonly 3.0 or higher) for eligibility.
- Academic standing: Schools use GPA thresholds to determine Dean’s List (typically 3.5+), honors (3.0-3.9+), and academic probation (below 2.0).
- Graduate school: Master’s and PhD programs frequently require a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 for admission.
Assumptions & limitations
- Uses the unweighted 4.0 scale. Some high schools use a weighted scale (up to 5.0) that gives extra points for honors or AP courses. This calculator uses the standard unweighted scale.
- Plus/minus grading varies by institution. Not all schools use +/- modifiers. Some assign A = 4.0 with no A+ or A- distinction.
- Pass/fail courses are typically excluded from GPA calculations since they carry no grade points.
- Transfer credits may or may not be included in GPA depending on institutional policy.