How college GPA works
College GPA is not a plain average of your grades. Each course carries credit hours, which show how much time the class meets. A 4-credit course counts four times as much as a 1-credit course in the math.
The formula is: GPA = sum of (grade points x credits) / sum of credits. Grade points come from the letter scale. An A is 4.0, a B+ is 3.3, a C is 2.0, and an F is 0. The full scale is on our GPA scale page.
This is why a 4-credit C can hurt more than a 1-credit A helps. The C adds 8 grade points (2.0 x 4) across 4 credits. The A adds 4 grade points (4.0 x 1) across 1 credit. The C pulls your average down more than the A pulls it up.
Credit hours and your GPA
Credit hours are the weight of a course. A class that meets three hours a week is often 3 credits. A lab or a writing seminar may be 1 or 4 credits. Your school sets these numbers, and they appear on your transcript.
When you enter grades here, you enter the credit hours for each course. The calculator multiplies each grade point by its credits, adds those numbers, then divides by the total credits. That gives your term GPA.
If you want to see how one term changes your overall record, add your prior GPA and prior credits. The cumulative formula is: (prior GPA x prior credits + this term's points) / (prior credits + this term's credits).
Worked example
Suppose you take three courses this term:
| Course | Grade | Grade points | Credits | Points earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Course 2 | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| Course 3 | C | 2.0 | 3 | 6.0 |
Total points = 12.0 + 13.2 + 6.0 = 31.2. Total credits = 3 + 4 + 3 = 10. Term GPA = 31.2 / 10 = 3.12.
Now add a prior GPA of 3.0 over 45 credits. Prior points = 3.0 x 45 = 135. This term's points = 31.2. Total points = 166.2. Total credits = 45 + 10 = 55. Cumulative GPA = 166.2 / 55 = 3.02.
Repeated courses, pass/fail, and common thresholds
Schools handle repeated courses in different ways. Many replace the old grade with the new one in the GPA. Some average the two grades. A few keep both on the transcript but count only one in the GPA. Check your catalog or student handbook to see your school's rule.
Pass/fail courses usually do not affect your GPA. You earn credit if you pass, but no grade points are added. That means a pass/fail course can raise your credit total without changing your GPA. Some schools limit how many pass/fail courses you can take.
Common GPA thresholds vary by school. A 2.0 is often the minimum for good standing. A 3.5 is common for many honors lists. These are common numbers, not universal rules. Your school may set different cutoffs for financial aid, sports, or major requirements.
What the calculator does not do
This tool uses the most common US letter scale: A+ 97-100, A 93-96, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-82, C+ 77-79, C 73-76, C- 70-72, D+ 67-69, D 63-66, D- 60-62, F below 60. Grade points are A+ 4.0, 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.
Some schools use a 4.3 scale where an A+ is worth 4.3. This calculator uses the 4.0 scale. If your school uses a different scale, your GPA may differ slightly.
Nothing you type is sent anywhere. The math runs in your browser. You can see every formula at how we calculate.