Guide
How to Calculate Your GPA
Step-by-step with worked examples — high school, college credits, weighted Honors/AP, and cumulative multi-semester GPA. About 5 minutes.
TL;DR
GPA = Σ (Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Total Credits
Convert letter grades to points, multiply each by credit hours, sum, then divide by total credits.
The GPA formula
Every GPA comes from the same core formula. Everything else — weighted AP scales, credit hours, pass/fail exceptions — is a variation on this single rule.
The 5 steps
1. Convert each letter grade to grade points
Use the standard US 4.0 scale:
| Letter | Points | Letter | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A / A+ | 4.0 | C+ | 2.3 |
| A− | 3.7 | C | 2.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | C− | 1.7 |
| B | 3.0 | D | 1.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | F | 0.0 |
2. Multiply each course by its credit hours
Multiply grade points by credit hours to get each course's quality points. A 3-credit course with a B+ contributes 3 × 3.3 = 9.9. A 1-credit lab with an A contributes 1 × 4.0 = 4.0.
In high school most classes are 1 credit. In college, classes are typically 3 or 4 credits, with labs and PE at 1 credit.
3. Add up all the quality points
Sum across every course you want to include. Don't include Pass/Fail, Withdrawn (W), or Audited courses.
4. Add up all the credit hours
Sum the credit hours from the same set of courses. The credit-hour total is the denominator of your GPA.
5. Divide total quality points by total credit hours
That's your GPA. Round to two decimal places. A result of 3.47 means a 3.47 GPA on the 4.0 scale.
Example 1 — High school semester (unweighted)
A 10th grader takes 6 classes, each worth 1 credit:
| Class | Credits | Grade | Points | Quality Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 1 | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Geometry | 1 | B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Biology | 1 | A− | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| World History | 1 | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Spanish II | 1 | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Art | 1 | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Total | 6 | 22.0 |
GPA = 22.0 ÷ 6 = 3.67
Example 2 — High school weighted (AP / Honors)
Same student, but with AP Biology and Honors Geometry. Honors adds +0.5, AP adds +1.0:
| Class | Type | Grade | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Honors Geometry | +0.5 | B+ | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| AP Biology | +1.0 | A− | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| World History | Regular | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Spanish II | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Art | Regular | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Total (6 cr) | 22.0 | 23.5 |
Same student, two GPAs. Colleges typically look at both.
Example 3 — College semester with credit hours
In college, courses have different credit hours and weighting becomes much more important:
| Course | Credits | Grade | Points | Quality Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Chemistry | 4 | B | 3.0 | 12.0 |
| Chem Lab | 1 | A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Calculus III | 4 | A− | 3.7 | 14.8 |
| Intro Philosophy | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| Physical Education | 1 | B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Total | 13 | 46.1 |
Semester GPA = 46.1 ÷ 13 = 3.55
Organic Chemistry (4 credits × B) pulls the GPA down more than the Chem Lab (1 credit × A) can lift it. Heavy classes matter most.
Example 4 — Cumulative GPA across semesters
For cumulative GPA, don't average the semester GPAs. Combine the underlying quality points and credit hours first.
| Semester | Credits | Semester GPA | Quality Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | 15 | 3.40 | 51.0 |
| Spring 2026 | 16 | 3.75 | 60.0 |
| Fall 2026 | 14 | 3.60 | 50.4 |
| Spring 2027 | 15 | 3.80 | 57.0 |
| Total | 60 | 218.4 |
Cumulative GPA = 218.4 ÷ 60 = 3.64
Common mistake: averaging the four semester GPAs gives 3.6375 → 3.64. Here it matches because credit hours are similar. If one semester was 6 credits and another 21, the two methods give different answers. Always combine quality points, not GPAs.
Common mistakes
- Averaging semester GPAs instead of combining quality points — only works if every semester has the same credits.
- Including W or Audit grades — leave them out entirely, don't enter zeros.
- Including Pass/Fail courses — credits count toward graduation but are excluded from GPA at most schools.
- Mixing scales — on a 4.3 scale, A+ = 4.3, not 4.0. Pick one scale.
- Rounding too early — round only the final GPA. Rounding per course shifts the result by 0.01–0.05.
Skip the math
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