Track grades across semesters & plan your target GPA
Free · No signupEnter your college courses, credit hours, and letter grades to calculate your semester and cumulative GPA on the 4.0 scale. Credit-hour weighting is built in — a 4-credit course counts more than a 1-credit lab. Works from freshman year through PhD, and handles Pass/Fail, withdrawals, and transfer credits as you'd expect.
Analyzing transcript…
This may take 10–20 secondsUnlike high school where every class is often worth "1 credit", college courses carry different credit hours — typically 1, 3, 4, or 5 — based on contact time and workload. Your GPA is a credit-weighted average, so a 4-credit engineering course pulls your GPA much harder than a 1-credit P.E. class.
The formula is simple:
GPA = Σ (Grade Points × Credit Hours) ÷ Total Credit Hours
| Course | Credit Hours | Grade | Grade Points | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus II | 4 | B+ | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| Intro Psychology | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| English Composition | 3 | A− | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | B | 3.0 | 9.0 |
| Chemistry Lab | 1 | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Total | 14 | 49.3 |
Semester GPA = 49.3 ÷ 14 = 3.52
Most US colleges report three different GPAs, and graduate admissions often ask for all three:
| Type | What's Included | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative GPA | Every graded course ever taken | Transcripts, probation checks, Dean's List |
| Semester GPA | One semester only | Dean's List per-term, scholarship renewal |
| Major GPA | Only courses in your major department | Honors in the major, grad school applications |
A student might have a 3.2 cumulative GPA but a 3.7 major GPA if they excelled in their specialization and struggled in early general-ed classes. Many grad programs weight the major GPA more heavily.
| GPA | Status |
|---|---|
| 3.9 – 4.0 | Summa Cum Laude (graduating "with highest distinction") |
| 3.7 – 3.89 | Magna Cum Laude (with high distinction) |
| 3.5 – 3.69 | Cum Laude (with distinction); Dean's List at most schools |
| 3.3 – 3.49 | Competitive for many graduate programs |
| 3.0 – 3.29 | Minimum for most grad applications and scholarships |
| Below 2.0 | Academic probation at most US universities |
Thresholds vary by school. Ivy League and top-20 graduate programs typically expect 3.7+, while many public universities and professional schools will consider applicants at 3.0+.
College GPA is the credit-hour weighted average of your grade points. Multiply each course's grade points by its credit hours, sum them, and divide by the total credit hours. A 4-credit A contributes 16 quality points; a 1-credit lab with A contributes only 4 — heavy courses pull your GPA more than light ones.
No. Pass/Fail (P/NP or S/U) courses are excluded from GPA at nearly all US universities. The credits still count toward graduation, but the grade doesn't. A failed Pass/Fail may or may not appear as an F depending on your school's policy.
A W (Withdrawal) does not affect GPA — it shows on your transcript but carries zero grade points and zero credit hours toward GPA. An I (Incomplete) is temporary and replaced by a letter grade once you finish the work. An unauthorized withdrawal may become an F at some institutions.
Most US universities accept transfer credits toward graduation but do NOT include the grades in your new GPA. Your GPA is calculated only from courses taken at the current institution. Some graduate schools ask for a combined GPA during admissions — those are recalculated manually.
On a 4.0 scale: 3.7–4.0 is excellent (Summa Cum Laude range), 3.5–3.69 is very strong (Magna Cum Laude), 3.3–3.49 qualifies for most Dean's List and graduate programs, 3.0–3.29 is acceptable for most post-grad applications, and below 2.0 is typically academic probation.
Cumulative (or overall) GPA includes every course you've taken. Major GPA only counts courses in your declared major department — typically required for graduation with honors in the major. A student may have a 3.2 cumulative GPA but a 3.7 major GPA if they performed better in their specialization.