How this calculator works
A grade point average converts letter grades into numbers, multiplies each by the course credits and divides the total by all credits taken. Credits matter because a four-credit course should move the average more than a one-credit course. On the common 4.0 scale an A is 4.0, an A- is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, and so on down to F at zero. The calculator uses the same scale for a prior GPA so that old and new coursework can be combined into one cumulative figure; the prior credits are the credits that produced that GPA, not the number of courses.
Formula
quality points = sum(grade point x course credits). GPA = quality points / total credits. Cumulative GPA = (quality points + prior GPA x prior credits) / (total credits + prior credits). On the 4.0 scale: A+ and 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+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, D- = 0.7, F = 0.0.
Worked example
Courses of A 3, B+ 4 and A- 3 give quality points of 4.0 x 3 = 12, 3.3 x 4 = 13.2 and 3.7 x 3 = 11.1, a total of 36.3 over 10 credits. The GPA is 3.63. If the student already had a 3.50 GPA over 20 credits, the cumulative GPA is (36.3 + 3.50 x 20) / (10 + 20) = (36.3 + 70) / 30 = 3.543.
Advertisement
Frequently asked questions
Why is an A+ worth the same as an A?
Most institutions cap the 4.0 scale at 4.0, so an A+ carries the same grade point as an A. A few schools award 4.3 for an A+ or weight plus and minus grades differently. If yours does, the official academic calendar is the authority, and the difference usually affects the result by a hundredth or two.
How do I enter a pass or fail course?
Leave it out. Pass courses often carry credits toward graduation but no grade points, and including them as an A or an F would distort the average. Check your institution rules, which may count a pass as credits without grade points.
What are prior credits?
They are the credits already included in the prior GPA. If you have a 3.50 GPA over 20 credits and add 10 new credits, the prior credits are 20. Entering zero ignores the prior GPA and reports the new coursework alone.
Is this a college GPA calculator too?
Yes. Use course grades and credit hours exactly as they appear on a college transcript. High school courses with honours or AP bonuses are handled by the separate high school GPA calculator, because the weighted scale adds points for course difficulty.