GPA Calculator
Calculate semester GPA, cumulative GPA, and weighted GPA for AP/IB/Honors courses. Includes a What-If grade planner to see what grades you need to hit your target GPA.
🎓 GPA Calculator
Weighted GPA (AP / IB / Honors)
Add extra points for advanced courses
Your GPA
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on a 4.0 scale
—GPA
—Total Credits
—Quality Points
—Courses
🔮 What-If Grade Planner
How many credits and what grades do you need to reach a target GPA?
Average grade needed
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| Course | Grade | Credits | Quality Pts | Type |
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📋 Table of contents
What is GPA?
GPA (Grade Point Average) is a standardized way of measuring academic achievement. It converts letter grades from all your courses into a single number, typically on a 0–4.0 scale, making it easy to summarize academic performance across different subjects and course types.
GPA is used by colleges for admissions, by employers as a screening criterion, and by academic programs to determine eligibility for scholarships, honors programs, and graduation requirements.
Key fact: Most US colleges require at least a 2.0 GPA to graduate. Honor roll typically requires a 3.5+. Summa cum laude is usually awarded at 3.9+.
How to calculate GPA
GPA is calculated using a simple formula involving grade points and credit hours:
Step 1: Convert each letter grade to grade points (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.)
Step 2: Multiply grade points × credit hours for each course
This gives "quality points" for each course
Step 3: Add all quality points together
Step 4: Divide total quality points by total credit hours
Formula: GPA = Σ(Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Σ(Credits)
Example:
English — A (4.0) × 3 credits = 12.0 quality points
Math — B+ (3.3) × 4 credits = 13.2 quality points
History — A- (3.7) × 3 credits = 11.1 quality points
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Total quality points: 36.3
Total credits: 10
GPA = 36.3 ÷ 10 = 3.63
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA uses a standard 4.0 scale for every class, regardless of difficulty. An A in a regular class and an A in an AP class both earn 4.0 points.
Weighted GPA gives bonus points for taking more challenging courses, allowing GPAs above 4.0:
| Course Type | Bonus Points | Max GPA for A |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | +0.0 | 4.0 |
| Honors | +0.5 | 4.5 |
| AP / IB / College-Level | +1.0 | 5.0 |
College admissions: Most colleges recalculate your GPA on their own scale when reviewing applications. They typically convert back to an unweighted 4.0 scale, so taking harder classes helps even if your weighted GPA is high.
GPA scale: letter grades to grade points
| Letter Grade | Percentage | GPA Points (Unweighted) | GPA Points (Honors +0.5) | GPA Points (AP/IB +1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100% | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A | 93–96% | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A− | 90–92% | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 87–89% | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 83–86% | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B− | 80–82% | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 77–79% | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 73–76% | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C− | 70–72% | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 67–69% | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| D | 63–66% | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| D− | 60–62% | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| F | 0–59% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
What is a good GPA?
| GPA Range | Letter Grade Equivalent | Academic Standing | Typical Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.9 – 4.0+ | A / A+ | Exceptional | Ivy League, top scholarships, summa cum laude |
| 3.7 – 3.89 | A− | Excellent | Competitive universities, magna cum laude |
| 3.5 – 3.69 | A− / B+ | Very Good | Most universities, many scholarships, honor roll |
| 3.0 – 3.49 | B | Good | Standard college admissions, most employers |
| 2.5 – 2.99 | B− / C+ | Average | Many colleges, some employers require 3.0 min |
| 2.0 – 2.49 | C | Below Average | Minimum graduation requirement at most schools |
| Below 2.0 | D / F | Poor | Academic probation risk |
How to raise your GPA
Use the What-If Planner tab above to see exactly what grades you need in future courses to reach your target. Here are the most effective strategies:
- Prioritize high-credit courses — a 4-credit course affects your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit course. Getting an A in a 4-credit course is twice as valuable as a 4-credit course with a B.
- Grade replacement / repeat courses — many schools allow you to retake a course with a low grade. The new grade replaces the old one in GPA calculation.
- Withdraw strategically — a W (withdrawal) is better than an F. Most schools allow withdrawal until a deadline each semester.
- Take easier electives — balance your schedule so you can realistically excel in all courses rather than spread too thin.
- Front-load effort in early weeks — the first few weeks often determine your trajectory for the semester.
Math reality check: The longer you've been in school, the harder it is to raise your GPA — because past grades dilute the impact of new ones. If you have 90 credits at 2.8 GPA, you need to earn a 4.0 in all remaining 30 credits just to get to a 3.05. Start early.
Frequently Asked Questions
For each course, multiply the grade points (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.) by the credit hours to get quality points. Add all quality points together, then divide by total credit hours. Example: A (4.0) in 3-credit course = 12 quality points; B (3.0) in 4-credit course = 12 quality points. Total quality points = 24, total credits = 7. GPA = 24÷7 = 3.43.
Unweighted GPA uses a standard 4.0 scale for every class. Weighted GPA gives extra credit for harder courses: +0.5 for Honors, +1.0 for AP/IB. So an A in an AP class becomes 5.0 points instead of 4.0. This lets students in advanced courses have GPAs above 4.0 (typically up to 5.0).
For most colleges, 3.0+ is considered competitive. For selective schools (top 50 universities), you generally need 3.7+. Ivy League and similarly elite schools typically admit students with 3.9+ unweighted GPA. However, colleges also consider course rigor, so a 3.7 in all AP classes may be stronger than a 3.9 in all regular classes.
Cumulative GPA is your overall GPA across all semesters combined, not just one term. It's calculated by totaling quality points from all courses ever taken and dividing by all credit hours earned. This is the GPA shown on your transcript and used for graduation requirements, academic standing, and most external evaluations like job applications.
In most cases, a W (withdrawal) does not affect GPA because no grade points are assigned. However, it does appear on your transcript and may affect financial aid eligibility, academic standing, or eligibility for certain programs that require completion of specific courses. Some schools allow WP (withdrawn passing) or WF (withdrawn failing) — a WF typically counts as an F and does hurt GPA.
Convert each percentage to a letter grade first (90–100% = A, 80–89% = B, 70–79% = C, 60–69% = D, below 60% = F), then convert each letter to GPA points (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.) and apply the standard formula. Some calculators use more precise conversions, like 93–100% = A (4.0), 90–92% = A− (3.7), 87–89% = B+ (3.3), etc.