GPA Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a term GPA and a cumulative GPA?

A term GPA covers only the courses taken in a single semester or quarter. A cumulative GPA covers all courses taken across every term. To calculate cumulative, enter all courses at once or use the weighted-average formula to combine a previous cumulative GPA with the current term.

Does repeating a course affect GPA?

It depends on your institution's repeat policy. Some schools replace the original grade with the new grade; others average both grades; still others keep the original and note the repeat. Check your registrar's academic regulations for the exact policy.

What is a 4.0 GPA in letter grades?

A perfect 4.0 GPA means an A in every course. Because credit-weighting applies, a single B+ in a heavy course will pull your GPA below 4.0 even if every other course is an A.

How do I calculate my GPA after adding one more course?

Add the new course to the list and recalculate. Alternatively, use the formula: new_GPA = (current_GPA × current_credits + new_grade_points × new_credits) ÷ (current_credits + new_credits).

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How This Calculator Works

Your grade point average is not a simple average of your letter grades - it is a credit-weighted average, so an A in a four-credit course counts more than an A in a one-credit lab. You list each course with its letter grade and credit hours. The calculator converts every letter to its point value on the standard US 4.0 scale, multiplies by the course's credits to get quality points, sums those across all courses, and divides by total credits. The result is your weighted GPA alongside the total credits and total grade points so you can see exactly how the figure was built.

Formula

For each course, quality_points = grade_point_value × credit_hours. GPA = (Σ quality_points) ÷ (Σ credit_hours). Standard US grade point values: A+ and 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, F = 0.0. Courses missing a valid grade or credit value are excluded from the calculation.

Worked Example

Two courses: an A (4.0) worth 3 credits, and a B+ (3.3) worth 4 credits. Quality points = (4.0 × 3) + (3.3 × 4) = 12.0 + 13.2 = 25.2. Total credits = 3 + 4 = 7. GPA = 25.2 ÷ 7 = 3.600. Notice the heavier B+ course pulls the average below what a simple letter-grade average would suggest, because credits weight the result toward the larger class. Removing the B+ course would leave only the A, giving a 4.0 - but the combined GPA reflects the full picture.

Common Mistakes

Averaging the grade point values directly. You must weight by credit hours, not treat every course as equal.

Assuming A+ equals 4.3. On the standard scale used here A+ equals 4.0, same as A; some schools do award 4.3 but it is not universal.

Including pass/fail or audit courses. These typically carry no GPA points and should be left out of a GPA calculation.

Mixing term and cumulative courses. Enter only the courses for the specific GPA you want to calculate.

Entering zero credits for a real course. Zero-credit courses are silently excluded since they contribute zero to both numerator and denominator.

Tips and FAQ

Term versus cumulative GPA? Enter only the current term's courses for a term GPA, or all courses across every term for a cumulative GPA. To combine them: cumulative = (old_GPA × old_credits + new_GPA × new_credits) ÷ total_credits. Why does one bad grade hurt so much? A low grade in a heavy course adds many quality points below your average, while a poor one-credit lab barely moves the needle. What GPA do I need? Roughly: 3.9–4.0 is summa cum laude territory, 3.7+ is magna cum laude, 3.5+ is cum laude, and 3.0+ keeps most graduate and employer doors open. Does my school use this exact scale? Most US schools do, but some weight honors or AP courses higher; confirm with your registrar for official figures.

GPA Calculator

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