Guides
The ideas behind the calculators, explained briefly.
01How weighted grades work
A weighted grade gives each category a share of the course. If homework is 20% and the final is 40%, a point on the final is worth twice as much as a point in homework. Multiply each category's grade by its weight and add the results.
An unweighted average — adding scores and dividing by how many there are — only works when every item counts equally. Two practical rules: leave ungraded categories out rather than entering zero, and make sure the weights add up to 100% by the end of term. The grade calculator checks both.
02Semester vs cumulative GPA
| Semester GPA | Cumulative GPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | One term's courses | Every graded course so far |
| Weighted by | Credits in that term | All credits earned |
| Moves | Freely each term | Less each term as credits build up |
| Calculator | Semester | GPA, with earlier record |
The more credits you have, the less a single semester moves your cumulative GPA — a 4.0 term of 15 credits after 90 credits at 3.0 lifts you to about 3.14, not to 3.5. You can't average two GPAs unless they cover the same number of credits; combine quality points and credits instead.
03Reading grading scales
There is no single grading scale. The same letter can be worth different points, and the same percentage can earn different letters:
| Convention | Where you'll see it | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0, A+ = 4.0 | Many US schools | Default in GradeLogic |
| 4.3, A+ = 4.3 | Some US and Canadian colleges | A+ worth more than A |
| 5.0 weighted | US high schools with honors/AP | Bonus points by course level |
| A from 90% vs 93% | Varies by school | Which letter a percentage earns |
| 10- or 20-point | Many countries outside North America | Different maximum and pass mark |
That's why GradeLogic shows the scale behind every result and lets you edit it in the GPA calculator. When converting between systems with the GPA converter, treat the answer as a rough position on the scale, not an official equivalent.
04Planning for a final exam
Before a final, three numbers tell you almost everything: your current grade, how much the final is worth, and the grade you want.
- Needed is below your usual test average: you're in a comfortable position.
- Needed is well above it: check whether a lower target is still worth aiming for, and ask about extra credit or retake policies early.
- Needed is over 100%: the target isn't reachable through the exam alone.
- Needed is zero or less: the target is already secured — but check the course has no minimum-score rule on the final.
The final exam calculator shows all of these at once, including a table of common targets.