Understanding Your GPA
GPA (Grade Point Average) condenses your academic performance into a single number on the standard 4.0 scale, where an A equals 4.0 and an F equals 0.0. Because courses carry different credit hours, GPA is a weighted average: a 4-credit course influences your GPA more than a 1-credit lab.
How the Math Works
- Convert each letter grade to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0, with +/โ steps in between).
- Multiply each course's points by its credit hours to get grade points earned.
- Divide total grade points by total credit hours. That's your GPA.
Tips to Raise Your GPA
Focus extra effort on high-credit courses โ they move the needle most. And remember that many schools report grades as percentages first; our percentage calculator helps convert scores, while the four-function calculator handles the raw arithmetic.
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
Some high schools use a weighted scale where AP or honors courses earn bonus points (an A might count as 5.0 instead of 4.0). This calculator uses the standard unweighted 4.0 scale that most colleges use for admissions. If your school reports a weighted GPA above 4.0, convert grades to the unweighted scale first for an apples-to-apples comparison.