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Each letter grade converts to grade points on the 4.0 scale (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.). Points are multiplied by credit hours, summed, then divided by total credit hours — so heavier courses count more.
GPA is a credit-weighted average. Each letter grade converts to grade points, and each course's points are multiplied by its credit hours. The formula is:
GPA = sum(grade points × credits) / sum(credits)
Worked example — four courses in one semester:
| Course | Grade | Credits | Quality points | |---|---|---|---| | Calculus I | A (4.0) | 4 | 16.0 | | English Comp | B (3.0) | 3 | 9.0 | | Chemistry | B+ (3.3) | 3 | 9.9 | | Wellness Lab | A- (3.7) | 1 | 3.7 | | Total | - | 11 | 38.6 |
Semester GPA = 38.6 / 11 = 3.51.
Notice that the A in 4-credit Calculus contributed 16.0 quality points — more than four times the 1-credit lab's 3.7. High-credit courses dominate your GPA.
This calculator uses the standard US-style 4.0 scale:
| Letter grade | Grade points | |---|---| | A / 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 |
Some schools award 4.33 for A+ or use a 5.0 weighted scale for honours classes; always check your registrar's official scale for transcript purposes.
Weighted GPA scales award extra points for honours or AP-level classes and can exceed 4.0; the unweighted 4.0 scale used here caps at 4.0.
Credit hours decide how much each course counts. A 4-credit course carries twice the weight of a 2-credit course, so one low grade in a heavy course can drag your GPA down more than a weak elective ever will.
Two consequences follow. First, your best effort belongs in your highest-credit courses — an A instead of a B in a 4-credit class adds 4 extra quality points. Second, cumulative GPA gets harder to move as you complete more credits: early grades set the foundation, while a senior with 105 credits needs far more than one strong semester to shift the average.
Type one course per line in the format Grade:Credits, for example:
A:3 B+:4 A-:3 B:3
Plus and minus grades are supported. Leave pass/fail courses out of the list — they carry no grade points and do not affect your GPA. The calculator shows your semester GPA, total credits and a per-course quality-point breakdown instantly.
Built for college and university students on the standard 4.0 scale.
Semester GPA covers only the courses in one term. Cumulative GPA (CGPA) combines every course across all semesters, weighted by credits:
Cumulative GPA = (prior GPA × prior credits + new quality points) / (prior credits + new credits)
Colleges, scholarship committees and graduate schools care most about the cumulative number. To combine a prior record, just add your earlier courses to the list — the calculator weights everything correctly.
Focus where the maths pays off:
1. Attack high-credit courses first — the same grade jump is worth four times more in a 4-credit class than in a 1-credit lab. 2. Check grade-replacement rules before a retake: if your school replaces the old grade, one retaken high-credit course can beat a whole semester of modest improvement. 3. Balance each term: pair difficult courses with ones where an A is realistic. 4. Know your target: divide the quality points you still need by remaining credits to see the semester GPA your goal requires — if it comes back above 4.0, plan across two terms.
Pass/fail: a Pass earns credit but carries no grade points, so it neither raises nor lowers your GPA — just leave those courses out of the list (any line whose grade is not on the scale is ignored). A Fail under pass/fail grading usually counts as 0.0 and lowers it.
Withdrawals: a standard W changes nothing. Retakes: under grade replacement the new grade replaces the old one; under grade averaging both count. Transfer credits usually apply toward your degree but stay out of your institutional GPA. Policies vary by school, so confirm with your registrar before relying on the numbers for official purposes.
On the 4.0 scale, 3.0 (a B average) is generally considered good. A 3.5 or higher qualifies for the Dean's List at most schools, and 3.7+ is strong for graduate school applications. Most schools require a 2.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.
Convert each letter grade to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on), multiply by the course's credit hours to get quality points, add them all up, then divide by total credit hours. For example, a B (3.0) in a 4-credit class equals 12 quality points.
Semester GPA reflects only one term's courses. Cumulative GPA (CGPA) combines every course across all semesters, weighted by credits — it is the number colleges use for academic standing, scholarships, honours and graduation.
A Pass earns credit toward graduation but carries no grade points, so it does not affect your GPA — simply leave pass/fail courses out of the list. A Fail under pass/fail grading, however, usually counts as 0.0 and lowers your GPA.
Heavily. GPA is a credit-weighted average, so a 4-credit course counts twice as much as a 2-credit one. An A instead of a B in a 4-credit class adds 4 quality points; the same jump in a 1-credit lab adds only 1.
At most schools, transfer credits count toward your degree requirements but the grades do not enter your institutional GPA. Graduate and professional schools, however, often recalculate GPA across every institution you attended.
Most graduate programmes require a minimum GPA of 3.0 for admission. Competitive programmes — medical school, law school, top MBAs — often expect 3.5 or higher, and research-focused programmes weigh experience alongside GPA.
It ends the perfect 4.0, but the damage shrinks as you complete more credits. One B in a 3-credit course among 30 total credits leaves you at 3.90; among 60 credits, 3.95. A 3.9+ still clears effectively every scholarship and honours threshold.
Rounding to the nearest tenth is generally accepted — a 3.48 can be shown as 3.5. Rounding to a whole number is not: a 2.81 cannot be presented as 3.0. When precision matters, use the exact number from your transcript.