Step 1: Convert each letter grade to grade points
The first step is to turn every letter grade into its grade-point value on the 4.0 scale. Most U.S. colleges publish the same values; they differ mainly on whether an A+ is worth more than an A.[2][3][1]
| Letter | Points | Letter | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 (4.3 at some colleges) | C+ | 2.3 |
| A | 4.0 | C | 2.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | C− | 1.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | D+ | 1.3 |
| B | 3.0 | D | 1.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | F | 0.0 |
If your school only gives whole letters, use 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0. College Board points out that the 4.0 scale is “just one common example” and that your school may calculate GPA differently.[4]
Step 2: Multiply by credits to get quality points
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credits or credit hours. The result is called quality points (or honor points), and it is how bigger courses count for more. A B+ in a 4-credit course is 3.3 × 4 = 13.2 quality points; an A in a 3-credit course is 4.0 × 3 = 12.0.
In high school, a year-long course is usually 1 credit and a semester course 0.5. If every course counts the same, give each 1 credit and skip this step: the GPA is then the plain average of your grade points.
Step 3: Add up and divide
Add all the quality points, add all the credits of graded courses, and divide. Stanford’s student services page shows the method with three courses: (2.7 × 3) + (3.7 × 4) + (3.3 × 3) = 32.8 quality points over 10 units, a GPA of 3.28.[1]
A worked example with a pass/fail course
The University of Michigan’s example: B+ in a 4-credit course (13.2), a pass in a pass/fail course, C+ in a 4-credit course (9.2) and A− in a 4-credit course (14.8). The pass is left out, so 37.2 honor points ÷ 12 hours = 3.1.[3]
Grades that carry no points, such as P (pass), W (withdrawn) and I (incomplete), are left out of both totals at the colleges cited here. A failing grade is different: an F counts as 0.0 with its credits, and at Stanford even a “no pass” (NP) counts as 0.0 in the GPA.[2][1]
How to calculate a weighted GPA
To calculate a weighted GPA, add the course-level bonus to each grade’s points before you multiply by credits. South Carolina and North Carolina, for example, add 0.5 for honors courses and 1.0 for AP, IB and college courses, so an A in AP counts 5.0.[5][7] Everything else stays the same. The weighted GPA calculator lets you pick your school’s bonuses, and the high school GPA calculator shows both versions side by side.
How to calculate GPA from percentages
If your grades are percentages, convert each one to a letter first and then follow the steps above: on a 10-point scale 90–100 is an A, 80–89 a B and so on. Some systems skip the letter. South Carolina’s chart turns a numerical average straight into points, so a 95 is worth 4.5 in a college-prep course and a 90 is worth 4.0.[6] Use the percentage to letter grade converter for the letters.
How to calculate cumulative GPA
To combine terms, multiply each term’s GPA by its credits, add those quality points and divide by all the credits. Never average the term GPAs directly unless every term had the same credits: a 3.2 over 45 credits and a 3.6 over 15 credits make a 3.30, not a 3.40. The cumulative GPA calculator does this and shows the term GPA you need for a goal.
Common mistakes
- Averaging percentages or letters without credits. A 1-credit elective then counts as much as a 4-credit lab science.
- Counting pass/fail or withdrawn courses. They add credits but no points, which pulls the GPA down if you include them.
- Rounding early. Keep two or three decimals until the end. South Carolina rounds the final GPA to the third decimal, and the University of California tells applicants not to round theirs at all.[5][8]
- Mixing scales. A weighted 4.3 and an unweighted 3.9 cannot be averaged. Pick one scale for every course.
Faster than doing it by handUse the GPA calculator for any school, the college GPA calculator for credit hours and pass/fail, or the GPA scale guide to compare 4.0, 4.3 and 5.0 systems.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Turn each grade into points (A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0), multiply by the course’s credits, add the results and divide by the total credits.
How do you calculate GPA on a 4.0 scale with plus and minus grades?
Use A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B− = 2.7 and so on, then follow the same steps. Most colleges count an A+ as 4.0; a few, such as Stanford, count it as 4.3.
How do I calculate my GPA without credits?
If all courses count equally, add the grade points and divide by the number of courses. A, B, B and C give (4 + 3 + 3 + 2) ÷ 4 = 3.0.
Should I round my GPA?
Report it the way your school does. The University of California tells applicants not to round up or down; South Carolina rounds to three decimals.
Sources
- How Do I Calculate My Grade Point Average (GPA)?
- Grades & Grading
- Computing Your Grade Point Average
- How to Calculate Your GPA on a 4.0 Scale
- South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy
- Administrative Procedures, South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy (10-point conversion chart)
- Policy GRAD-009, High School Grading and Transcript Standards
- GPA requirement