What is GPA and How is it Calculated?

A Grade Point Average (GPA) summarizes academic performance on a numeric scale—commonly 4.0 in North America. This article explains GPA scales, grade points, and how to compute GPA from letter grades or percentages.

GPA scales

The standard 4.0 GPA scale assigns 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=1.0, F=0.0. Some schools use 5.0 or 7.0 scales, and others weight honors/AP courses with additional points.

From letters to points

Convert each letter grade to the corresponding grade points. Example: A (4.0), B+ (3.3), B (3.0).

Credits and weighting

Multiply grade points by course credits (or contact hours). Sum the products, then divide by the total credits attempted. That ratio is your GPA.

Percentage to GPA

If you start with percentages, first map each percentage to a letter using your institution’s scale (e.g., ≥90=A). Then convert letters to grade points as above.

Example

You completed three courses: 3 credits at A (4.0), 4 credits at B+ (3.3), 3 credits at B (3.0). Compute: (3×4.0 + 4×3.3 + 3×3.0) /* (3+4+3) = (12 + 13.2 + 9) /* 10 = 3.42 GPA.

Weighted GPAs

Some high schools use weighted GPAs where honors and AP courses earn an extra 0.5 or 1.0 on the scale. When colleges recalculate GPAs, they often remove weight or apply their own policy.

Cumulative vs. term GPA

Term GPA covers a single grading period, while cumulative GPA averages across all completed terms. Both rely on the same formula; only the course set differs.

Improving your GPA

Boosting GPA takes time: focus on high‑credit courses, seek feedback early, and retake classes if your institution permits grade replacement.

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