How GPA is calculated
Grade point average turns letter grades into a single number. Each grade is worth a number of points on a 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, D− = 0.7 and F = 0. Multiply each course’s grade points by its credit hours to get quality points, add them up, and divide by the total credits. A student with an A in a 3-credit course, a B+ in a 4-credit course, an A− in a 3-credit course and a B in a 3-credit course earns 12 + 13.2 + 11.1 + 9 = 45.3 quality points over 13 credits, a GPA of 3.48.
Most US colleges and many high schools count an A+ as 4.0, which is what this calculator uses. Some schools use 4.3 for an A+, so check your school’s scale if precision matters.
Weighted and unweighted GPA
High schools often weight advanced classes to reward students who take harder courses. A common system adds 0.5 points for honors classes and 1.0 point for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or dual-enrollment classes, so an A in an AP class counts as 5.0. Set the level for each course and the calculator shows both your unweighted GPA, on the plain 4.0 scale, and your weighted GPA. Colleges look at both, and many recalculate GPA using their own method, so taking challenging courses matters even beyond the number.
Updating your cumulative GPA
Your cumulative GPA covers every term so far. To update it, you need your current cumulative GPA and the number of credits it is based on, both of which appear on your transcript. The calculator multiplies them to get your existing quality points, adds this term’s quality points, and divides by the combined credits. For example, a 3.2 GPA over 60 credits plus a 3.6 term over 15 credits gives (192 + 54) ÷ 75 = 3.28. Notice how the more credits you have completed, the harder it is to move your cumulative GPA, so early semesters have an outsized effect.
Things that may not count
Pass/fail courses, withdrawals and audited classes usually carry no grade points and are left out of the GPA. Repeated courses are handled differently by different schools: some replace the old grade, others average both. Transfer credits often count toward graduation but not toward your GPA at the new school. Leave a course’s grade blank to exclude it from the calculation. When a scholarship, honor society or graduate program sets a GPA cut-off, always confirm how they calculate it, as their method may differ from your school’s.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credits, add the results, and divide by the total credits.
What is a good GPA?
A 3.0 is a B average and meets many requirements. A 3.5 or higher is generally considered strong, and selective colleges often see applicants above 3.7 unweighted.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses a 4.0 scale for every class. Weighted GPA adds extra points for honors and AP/IB courses, so it can exceed 4.0.
Do pass/fail classes affect GPA?
Usually not. They count for credit but carry no grade points.