GPA Calculator guide
Calculate a semester GPA from letter grades and credit hours on the standard US 4.0 scale, and see your weighted GPA with honors (+0.5) and AP or IB (+1.0) courses in the same view.
How GPA is calculated
GPA is a credit-weighted average. Convert each letter grade to grade points, multiply by the course's credit hours, add everything up, and divide by total credits. The standard US 4.0 scale used here: 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.
Some schools give A+ a 4.3 or treat it as 4.0; some use D+ and D−. Check your registrar's scale if you need an exact match.
Worked example: one semester
Three courses: an A in a 3-credit class, a B+ in a 4-credit lab science, and an A− in a 3-credit class. Quality points: 4.0 × 3 = 12.0, 3.3 × 4 = 13.2, 3.7 × 3 = 11.1. Total = 36.3 points over 10 credits. GPA = 36.3 ÷ 10 = 3.63.
Notice the 4-credit B+ pulls harder than either 3-credit grade. High-credit courses move your GPA the most, which is worth remembering when you decide where to put study time.
Cumulative GPA
To combine semesters, weight by credits, not by semester. If you have a 3.2 over 60 credits and earn a 3.8 over 15 credits this term: (3.2 × 60 + 3.8 × 15) ÷ 75 = (192 + 57) ÷ 75 = 3.32. Averaging the two GPAs would wrongly give 3.5.
This is also why GPA gets harder to move over time. With 90 credits banked, a perfect semester nudges the cumulative number far less than it did freshman year.
Weighted versus unweighted
Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0. Many high schools report a weighted GPA that adds 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP or IB, so an A in AP Calculus counts as 5.0. That is how students end up with GPAs above 4.0.
Colleges know this, and many recalculate applicants' GPAs on their own scale, often unweighted core academic courses only. Report exactly what your transcript shows and let rigor speak through course names.
Raising your GPA: the math of what is possible
Before setting a goal, check that it is reachable. Suppose you have a 2.8 over 45 credits and want a 3.0 by graduation at 120 credits. You need 360 total points (3.0 × 120) and have 126 (2.8 × 45), so the remaining 75 credits must earn 234 points, a 3.12 average. Very doable.
Now suppose you want a 3.5 instead. You would need 420 points, meaning 294 from 75 credits, a 3.92 average: nearly straight A's for five semesters. Knowing that early helps you decide whether to aim for it or put energy elsewhere, like internships or research.
Grade replacement and withdrawals
Many colleges let you retake a course and replace the earlier grade in your GPA, though both attempts usually stay on the transcript. A W for withdrawal generally does not affect GPA at all, while an F counts as 0 points for every credit. If you are failing a course before the withdrawal deadline, running both scenarios through this calculator makes the decision concrete.
Graduate and professional schools may recalculate your GPA including every attempt. Medical school applications through AMCAS, for example, include all grades from all attempts.
What GPA do you need?
Rough benchmarks: many scholarships require a 3.0 or 3.5 minimum. Dean's list is commonly 3.5 per semester. Latin honors often start around 3.5 (cum laude), 3.7 (magna), and 3.9 (summa), but each college sets its own cut-offs. Competitive graduate programs and first-job screens often look for 3.0 or higher.
To find the grades you need, add a row for each upcoming course with your target grade and see where the total lands. Pass/fail courses usually do not count toward GPA, and repeated courses may replace the original grade depending on school policy. This calculator runs in your browser and is not an official transcript calculation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Convert each letter grade to points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on), multiply by the course's credits, add the results, and divide by total credits. An A in a 3-credit class and a B+ in a 4-credit class give (12 + 13.2) ÷ 7 = 3.60.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the plain 4.0 scale for every class. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder classes, commonly 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP or IB, so an A in AP Chemistry counts as 5.0. Weighting rules vary by high school.
What GPA is an A-minus or B-plus?
On the most common US scale, A- is 3.7, B+ is 3.3, B is 3.0, B- is 2.7, C+ is 2.3, C is 2.0, C- is 1.7, D is 1.0, and F is 0. Some schools count A+ as 4.3 or add D+ and D- grades.
Do credit hours matter?
Yes. A 4-credit class moves your GPA a third more than a 3-credit class. That is why a low grade in a lab science often hurts more than the same grade in a 1-credit elective.
Is a 3.0 GPA good?
A 3.0 is a B average and meets the minimum for many scholarships, internships, and graduate programs. Competitive employers and programs often screen at 3.3 to 3.5.
Is this GPA official?
No. Your registrar calculates your official GPA and may handle repeated courses, pass/fail classes, withdrawals, and transfer credits differently. Use this to plan and double-check.
Are my grades kept private?
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded to a server or stored by us.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA?
Multiply each term's GPA by its credits, add those totals, and divide by all credits combined. Do not average semester GPAs directly.
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.5 is roughly an A−/B+ average and meets most scholarship and dean's list thresholds.