A grade point average is a weighted mean: every letter grade becomes a number, each course counts in proportion to its credits, and the total is divided by the credits attempted. A single formula, but three things trip people up: how pluses and minuses are scored, whether the scale is weighted, and how a semester folds into a cumulative average. This calculator shows each step so you can see where the number comes from.
How it is calculated
- Each grade becomes grade points: A and A+ are 4.0, A− is 3.7, B+ is 3.3, B is 3.0, and so on down to F at 0.
- Grade points × credits for a course gives its quality points. A B+ in a 3-credit course is 3.3 × 3 = 9.9 quality points.
- Add the quality points, add the credits, divide. That is the GPA for the semester.
- For a cumulative GPA, add this semester’s quality points to your previous GPA × previous credits, then divide by all the credits together.
Example
Four one-credit courses graded A, B+, B and A− give 4.0 + 3.3 + 3.0 + 3.7 = 14.0 quality points over 4 credits, so the GPA is 3.50. If your transcript already showed a 3.20 over 30 credits, the cumulative becomes (14.0 + 96.0) ÷ 34 = 3.24: one semester moves a long record only a little, which is why early grades matter more than they feel like they should.
Weighted and unweighted
An unweighted GPA tops out at 4.0 no matter how hard the course was. A weighted GPA adds a bonus, usually 1.0 for AP and often 0.5 for honours, so a 5.0 becomes possible and an A in AP Calculus outranks an A in a standard class. Schools weight differently and some do not weight at all, so a weighted number is only comparable inside one school. Many universities ignore it entirely and recalculate an unweighted GPA from your transcript using their own course list.
Where the decimals differ
Two conventions exist for pluses and minuses. High school transcripts usually use tenths, 3.7 and 3.3, which is what this calculator uses. Many universities use exact thirds instead, 3.67 and 3.33, and the University of Illinois table is a typical example. The difference is a rounding of the same idea and moves a GPA by a couple of hundredths at most. Note also that some schools score A+ as 4.3; here it matches A at 4.0, the more common rule.
What counts and what does not
Admissions officers read the average next to the test score, so it is worth having both: the SAT score calculator turns section scores into a total and a percentile. Pass/fail, withdrawn, incomplete and transfer credits are normally left out of the GPA even when they count toward graduation, so leave those courses out here too. Repeated courses depend on the school: some replace the old grade, others average both. Your registrar’s policy page is the authority on both points.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credits, add those products, then divide by the total credits. Four one-credit courses graded A, B+, B and A− give 14.0 ÷ 4 = 3.50.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted caps every A at 4.0. Weighted adds a bonus for honours and AP courses, usually 1.0, so the maximum rises to 5.0. Only the unweighted number is comparable between schools.
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
It is a solid B+/A− average and inside the range most state universities admit. Selective private colleges usually report admitted averages above 3.8 unweighted, and they read it next to your course difficulty, not on its own.
Does an A+ count as more than an A?
At most schools, no: both are 4.0, which is the rule used here. A minority score A+ as 4.3. Check your transcript key.
How much can one semester change my cumulative GPA?
Less than people expect once there is a record behind it. A 4.0 semester of 8 credits on top of 3.2 over 30 credits gives 3.37. The table above works out the GPA you would need for each target.
Do pass/fail courses count?
Normally they are excluded from the GPA but still count toward graduation credits, so leave them out of this list.
Sources
- University of Illinois Office of the Registrar: Explanation of Grades (grade point values) — A+ and A both 4.00, A− 3.67, B+ 3.33
- University of Illinois Office of the Registrar: Calculate Your GPA — quality points ÷ GPA hours, with a worked example
- NCES / NAEP High School Transcript Study: How is Grade Point Average Calculated? — the four-point scale used for national statistics
By Calcelate Team. Formula from the sources above.
- 2026-09-15 · Formula and texts checked