How do you calculate your GPA?
To calculate your GPA, give each course a grade point on the 4.0 scale (A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0), multiply each by the course's credit hours to get quality points, add up all the quality points, then divide by the total credit hours. The result, usually rounded to two decimals, is your GPA.
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In more detail
GPA stands for grade point average. It is the US system for turning your letter grades into a single number from 0.0 to 4.0. Two things go into it: the grade point for each course and how many credit hours that course is worth. A heavier course counts more, so a 4-credit class moves your GPA more than a 1-credit class with the same grade.
Plus and minus grades add detail. On the standard scale an A- is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, a B- is 2.7, and so on. Some schools use a straight letter scale with no plus or minus, and a few cap an A+ at 4.0 while others give it 4.33. Weighted GPAs for honors or AP classes can also go above 4.0. Always check your school's own scale, because the bands vary.
A cumulative GPA covers every course you have taken. A semester or term GPA covers just that term. To go from a term GPA to a new cumulative GPA, work in quality points: add the new term's quality points to your existing total, then divide by your new total credit hours. You cannot simply average two GPA numbers unless both terms carry the same credits.
US 4.0 scale: letter grade to GPA to percentage
| Letter grade | Grade points (GPA) | Typical percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 93 to 100 |
| A- | 3.7 | 90 to 92 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87 to 89 |
| B | 3.0 | 83 to 86 |
| B- | 2.7 | 80 to 82 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77 to 79 |
| C | 2.0 | 73 to 76 |
| C- | 1.7 | 70 to 72 |
| D | 1.0 | 60 to 69 |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60 |
Step by step
- 1
Write down each course, its letter grade, and its credit hours.
- 2
Convert each letter grade to its grade point on your school's scale (A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0).
- 3
For each course, multiply the grade point by the credit hours. This gives the quality points for that course.
- 4
Add up the quality points from all your courses.
- 5
Add up the total credit hours of all your courses.
- 6
Divide total quality points by total credit hours. That number, rounded to two decimals, is your GPA.
- 7
Example: an A (4.0) in a 3-credit class and a B (3.0) in a 4-credit class give (4.0 x 3) + (3.0 x 4) = 24 quality points over 7 credits, so 24 / 7 = 3.43 GPA.
How StudyPDF helps
StudyPDF does not calculate or report your GPA. What it does is help you earn the grades behind it. Upload your own lectures, PDFs and notes, and StudyPDF turns them into flashcards, quizzes and a practice exam, citing the exact page, then tracks the concepts you keep missing so you can fix them before the test. Better scores on real coursework are what raise a GPA.
See also
- AnswerWhat is the GPA scale?
- AnswerHow do you raise your GPA?
- AnswerWhat is a good GPA?
- AnswerIs a 3.0 GPA good?
- AnswerIs 24 a good ACT score?
- AnswerIs 28 a good ACT score?
- AnswerWeighted vs unweighted GPA: how do they differ?
- AnswerWhat is the average GPA?
- AnswerIs a 3.8 GPA good?
- AnswerIs a 3.7 GPA good?
- StudyPDFAI Practice Exams
More questions
What is a good GPA?
A 3.0 is generally seen as solid and roughly a B average. A 3.5 and above is strong and often the line for honors or competitive programs, and a 4.0 means straight A's. Below a 2.0 is usually a warning zone, since many schools require a 2.0 minimum to stay in good academic standing. What counts as good also depends on your field and your goal, so check the requirements for the program or job you are aiming at.
How do you raise your GPA?
Your GPA goes up when you score better on graded coursework, and the effect is bigger in high-credit courses, so focus your effort there. Retaking a failed class can replace the old grade at some schools. Past terms are locked in, so a new strong term moves a large cumulative GPA slowly. The practical move is steady active practice on the exact topics you are weak on, not last-minute cramming.
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