How GPA is calculated
Each grade is converted to grade points, multiplied by the course's credits to give quality points, and the total is divided by the total credits:
GPA = Σ(grade points × credits) / Σ credits Cumulative GPA = (prior GPA × prior credits + quality points) / (prior credits + credits)
Worked example: GPA for four courses
| Course | Grade | Points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Calculus | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| History | B− | 2.7 | 3 | 8.1 |
| Spanish | A− | 3.7 | 2 | 7.4 |
| Total | 12 | 40.7 |
- Look up the grade points for each letter grade.
- Multiply grade points by credits for each course to get quality points.
- Add up the quality points (40.7) and the credits (12).
- Divide: 40.7 ÷ 12 ≈ 3.39 term GPA.
- For a cumulative GPA, add in your record. With a prior 3.20 GPA over 45 credits: (3.20 × 45 + 40.7) ÷ (45 + 12) = 184.7 ÷ 57 ≈ 3.24.
Notice that the 4-credit B+ moves the result more than the 2-credit A−. Courses with more credits carry more weight, so they are the best place to focus when you want to raise your GPA.
Grade point scale
| Letter grade | Grade points | Typical percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 93–100 |
| A− | 3.7 | 90–92 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89 |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86 |
| B− | 2.7 | 80–82 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79 |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76 |
| C− | 1.7 | 70–72 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69 |
| D | 1.0 | 63–66 |
| D− | 0.7 | 60–62 |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60 |
This is the most common unweighted scale in the US. Some schools give 4.33 for an A+, don't use plus and minus grades, or weight honors and AP classes more heavily, so check your school's own policy.
Raising a cumulative GPA
The more credits you have completed, the harder your cumulative GPA is to move. In the example above, a 3.39 term lifts a 3.20 record only to 3.24, because 45 earlier credits outweigh 12 new ones. Use the prior GPA fields to test different term results and see what is realistic before you set a target.