How GPA is calculated
Every letter grade has a point value. Multiply it by the course's credits to get quality points, add up the quality points, and divide by the total credits.
Credits matter: an A in a 4-credit lab pulls your GPA up more than an A in a 1-credit seminar.
Inputs
- CalculusA− · 4 cr
- EnglishB+ · 3 cr
- ChemistryB · 4 cr
Calculation
- 3.7×4 + 3.3×3 + 3.0×4
- = 14.8 + 9.9 + 12.0 = 36.7
- 36.7 ÷ 11 = 3.34
Result
3.34
GPA on the 4.0 scale
Inputs
- Earlier GPA3.25 · 45 cr
- This term36.7 pts · 11 cr
Calculation
- 3.25 × 45 = 146.25
- 146.25 + 36.7 = 182.95
- 182.95 ÷ 56 = 3.27
Result
3.27
cumulative GPA
Averaging 3.25 and 3.34 would wrongly give 3.29 — the new term has far fewer credits.
- Grade points
- the value of a letter grade on the scale (B+ = 3.3 by default)
- Credits
- credit hours or units for the course
- Quality points
- grade points × credits for one course
Reading your result
- Big courses move GPA most. Look at the quality-points line for each course in the working: the courses with the most credits carry the most weight.
- Cumulative GPA moves slowly. After 90 credits, even a perfect 15-credit term only lifts a 3.0 to about 3.14.
- Weighted and unweighted aren't comparable. Colleges often recalculate GPA their own way, so report whichever one your school puts on your transcript.
The default scale
| Letter | Points | Letter | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | C+ | 2.3 |
| A− | 3.7 | C | 2.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | C− | 1.7 |
| B | 3.0 | D+ / D / D− | 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7 |
| B− | 2.7 | F | 0 |
This is a common US scale, not a universal one. Some schools give A+ a 4.3, some have no D− or no plus/minus at all. Open “Grading scale” above the Calculate button to match yours.
Limits
- Honors and AP bonuses vary — some schools add them only to certain courses, cap them, or don't use them.
- Repeated courses, grade replacement and transfer credits follow institutional rules we can't know.
- Your official GPA is the one on your transcript.
For a single term from percentage grades, the semester grade calculator is quicker. To express a GPA on another scale, use the GPA converter.
Questions
What is a quality point?
It's a grade's point value multiplied by the course's credits. An A− (3.7) in a 4-credit course is 14.8 quality points. GPA is total quality points divided by total credits.
What's the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the same scale for every course, normally topping out at 4.0. Weighted GPA adds bonus points for harder courses — commonly +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP or IB — so it can exceed 4.0. Schools vary a lot here, which is why weighting is off by default.
Does an A+ count as 4.0 or 4.3?
It depends on the school. We default to 4.0, which is the most common for US high schools and many colleges. If yours uses 4.3, change it in the grading scale table.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA?
Enter your GPA and total credits from previous terms in “Earlier record”, then this term's courses. We combine the quality points and credits — you can't simply average two GPAs unless both terms had the same number of credits.
Should I include pass/fail courses?
Usually not. Pass/fail and withdrawn courses typically don't carry grade points. Check your transcript or registrar's policy.