How this calculator works — formula, examples & limitations
How the 4.0 scale works
GPA is a credit-weighted average of your grades converted to points. Every letter grade maps to a number — A is 4.0, and A− is 3.7, B+ is 3.3, and F is 0. Use the full table; the steps are not all equal. Each course contributes its points multiplied by its credit hours ("quality points"), and your GPA is total quality points divided by total credits. The defaults above — an A and a B+ at 3 credits each, an A- at 4 credits, and a 1-credit A — work out to (12.0 + 9.9 + 14.8 + 4.0) ÷ 11 = 3.70.
Letter grade to grade point conversion
| Letter | Grade points | Typical percent |
|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 93–100 |
| A- | 3.7 | 90–92 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89 |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86 |
| B- | 2.7 | 80–82 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79 |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76 |
| C- | 1.7 | 70–72 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69 |
| D | 1.0 | 63–66 |
| D- | 0.7 | 60–62 |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60 |
Why credits change everything
Students often estimate their GPA by eyeballing their letter grades — "mostly A's, a couple of B's, so around 3.7." The eyeball method fails because it ignores credits. A B in a 4-credit organic chemistry course pulls your GPA down as much as B's in four separate 1-credit seminars. When you're deciding where to spend limited study time in finals week, the credit-weighted view is the honest one: protecting the grade in your highest-credit course is usually worth more GPA than perfecting a light elective.
Semester GPA vs. cumulative GPA
This calculator computes the GPA of whatever courses you enter — typically one semester's worth. For your overall record, the cumulative GPA calculator combines each semester's GPA weighted by its credits, and it reads the terms you save here automatically — finish a semester, archive it there, and start the next. In college? The college GPA calculator adds repeat-replacement and pass/fail handling to this same course list; in high school, thehigh school version computes weighted (5.0) and unweighted GPA side by side. Repeated courses follow your school's replacement policy — some replace the old grade entirely, others average the attempts — so the transcript, not any calculator, is the final word.
Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Each letter grade converts to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0, using A− = 3.7 and B+ = 3.3). Multiply each course's points by its credit hours, add them up, and divide by total credit hours. Three credits of A and three credits of B = (4.0×3 + 3.0×3) ÷ 6 = 3.5.
Is an A+ worth more than an A?
At most US schools, no — both are 4.0, so the scale caps there. A minority of institutions award 4.3 for an A+; if yours does, your official GPA will run slightly higher than this calculator shows for A+ grades.
Do credit hours really matter that much?
Yes. A grade in a 4-credit course moves your GPA twice as much as the same grade in a 2-credit course. This is why a low grade in a high-credit science course with lab is so costly, and why 1-credit electives barely register.
What GPA do I need for honors?
Honours and Dean’s List criteria vary by school, award and year. Use the published requirement for your programme or award; this calculator does not determine eligibility.