Work out your semester and cumulative GPA from your grades and credits, see your weighted GPA for Honors and AP classes, and find the GPA you need next term to hit a target.
This term’s courses
| Course | Credits | Grade | Type | Remove |
|---|
Pass/fail courses (P or NP) don’t count toward GPA, so they’re left out of the calculation.
Earlier terms (optional, for cumulative GPA)
What GPA do I need?
How to use the GPA calculator
- Pick your school’s grading scale. Most US colleges use A+ = 4.0; some give A+ 4.33. If your school uses its own points, choose “Enter grade points directly” and type the points from your transcript.
- Add each course with its credits (or units) and the grade you got or expect.
- For cumulative GPA, enter your current GPA and how many credits you’ve already completed. Both are on your transcript or student portal.
- Use “What GPA do I need?” to see what next term has to look like to reach a target.
High school students can tick “Show weighted GPA” and mark Honors, AP or IB classes. Your courses are saved in this browser, so you can come back and update grades as they come in.
How GPA is calculated
GPA is a credit-weighted average. Each grade is turned into points, multiplied by the course’s credits, then the total is divided by total credits.
| Course | Credits | Grade | Points | Credits × points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus I | 4 | B+ | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| English Composition | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| Intro to Psychology | 3 | A− | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| Chemistry Lab | 1 | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Spanish II | 3 | B− | 2.7 | 8.1 |
| Total | 14 | 47.4 |
Term GPA = 47.4 ÷ 14 = 3.39. Notice the 4-credit B+ pulls the average down more than the 1-credit lab would, because it carries four times the weight.
Grade point scale
| Grade | 4.0 scale | 4.33 scale |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.33 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.33 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | 2.67 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.33 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| C− | 1.7 | 1.67 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.33 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| F | 0 | 0 |
Schools vary, so check your catalog. Some don’t use minus grades or D+, and some count F differently after a retake.
Cumulative GPA and raising it
Cumulative GPA combines every term, weighted by credits. That’s why it gets harder to move the further you are into a degree. With 45 credits at 3.2, a strong 3.39 term only lifts the cumulative to 3.24.
The “What GPA do I need?” box tells you whether a target is realistic. In the example, reaching 3.5 next term would take a 4.51, which isn’t possible on a 4.0 scale, so the calculator shows what a perfect term would get you instead. Spreading the goal over two or three terms is usually the honest plan.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA uses the scale above for every class. Weighted GPA adds 0.5 for Honors and 1.0 for AP or IB classes, so an A in AP Biology counts as 5.0. High schools differ on the bonuses; check your school profile, and remember colleges often recalculate GPA their own way.
Frequently asked questions
Do pass/fail classes affect GPA?
No. P and NP grades earn credits (or not) but don’t count in the GPA average. Mark them as P or NP and the calculator leaves them out.
What’s the difference between term and cumulative GPA?
Term GPA covers one semester or quarter. Cumulative GPA covers everything you’ve taken at the school so far.
Is a 3.0 GPA good?
A 3.0 is a B average. It meets the minimum for many scholarships and graduate programs, though competitive programs often look for 3.5 or higher.