GPA formula
Grade point scale (4.0)
| Letter | Points | Typical % |
|---|---|---|
| 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+ / D / D− | 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7 | 60–69 |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60 |
Percentage cut-offs vary by school and instructor. Need a specific score on an exam? Try the final grade calculator.
How to use the calculator
- For each course, select the letter grade and enter its credit hours (units).
- Leave unused rows blank — they are ignored.
- Read your GPA for these courses, total credits and total grade points.
Cumulative GPA
To combine this term with earlier ones, you need your previous cumulative GPA and total credits. Multiply them to get previous grade points, add this term’s grade points, and divide by all credits:
Example: a 3.20 GPA over 45 credits (144 grade points) plus this term’s 40.3 points over 12 credits gives 184.3 ÷ 57 = 3.23. The more credits you have completed, the harder it is to move a cumulative GPA, so early semesters carry a lot of weight.
Weighted vs. unweighted GPA
Most colleges use the unweighted 4.0 scale shown above. Many U.S. high schools also report a weighted GPA that adds points for harder courses — typically +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP or IB classes, so an A in an AP course counts as 5.0. Colleges often recalculate applicants’ GPAs using their own rules, so check how each school reports it.
What is a good GPA?
- 3.5 and above: often required for honors programs, competitive scholarships and graduate schools; Latin honors (cum laude and higher) usually begin around 3.5.
- 3.0: a common minimum for internships, graduate programs and many scholarships.
- 2.0: the usual minimum to remain in good academic standing and to graduate.
How retakes and pass/fail courses count
Pass/fail, withdrawn (W) and audited courses usually don’t affect GPA. When a course is repeated, many schools replace the old grade or average the two — policies differ, so check your registrar’s rules. Plus and minus grades also vary: some schools don’t use A+ or count it as 4.3.