How to Calculate Your GPA
Grade points, credit weighting and why high-credit courses move your average the most.
3 min read
Step by step
- Convert each letter grade to points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.).
- Multiply each course's points by its credit hours.
- Sum the points and divide by total credits.
- Example: 34.9 points over 10 credits is a 3.49 GPA.
Key takeaway: GPA is a credit-weighted average, not a simple mean.
The weighted average
GPA = total grade points ÷ total credits. Each course contributes its credit hours × the point value of its letter grade (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on, with plus/minus adjustments like B+ = 3.3 at many schools).
Example: an A in a 4-credit course (16 points), a B+ in a 3-credit course (9.9 points) and a B in a 3-credit course (9 points) gives 34.9 ÷ 10 = 3.49 GPA.
Why credits matter
Weighting by credits means a 4-credit course moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit course. When planning which grades to rescue, effort goes furthest in high-credit classes.
Cumulative GPA just extends the same sum across all semesters — there is no averaging of semester GPAs, which would ignore credit differences.
Variations between schools
Some schools cap at 4.0, others award 4.3 for an A+; some weight honors or AP courses above 4.0. Check your institution's scale before comparing GPAs across schools.
Repeated courses, pass/fail classes and transfer credits each have school-specific rules about whether they enter the GPA at all.
Do it automatically
Weighted grade point average from credits and letter grades.
Open the GPA Calculator