GPA Calculator: Working Out Your Grade Point Average
Grade point average converts letter grades into a single number on a 4.0 scale, weighted by how many credits each course carries. A four-credit A counts twice as much as a two-credit A, which is why simply averaging your letter grades gives the wrong answer.
The standard 4.0 scale
- 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
- Weighted scales add 0.5 for honours and 1.0 for AP or IB, allowing a GPA above 4.0.
How the calculation works
Multiply each course's grade points by its credit hours to get quality points, add all quality points, then divide by total credits attempted. Cumulative GPA repeats the same calculation across every semester rather than averaging semester GPAs — those are only equal when each term carries identical credits.
Raising a GPA realistically
The more credits you have already completed, the harder your average is to move. Retaking a failed course helps most where the institution replaces rather than averages the original grade. Prioritise heavy-credit courses, use pass/fail options where they are excluded from GPA, and check whether your target programme recalculates GPA using only major courses.
Key takeaways — GPA Calculator
- GPA = total quality points ÷ total credit hours.
- Credit-heavy courses move your average the most.
- Confirm your school's scale — weighted, unweighted and plus/minus systems differ.