Use credits or equal weight
A four-credit class carries four times the weight of a one-credit class. Enter credits for every counted row or leave them all blank for equal weight; a partly filled list shows an error.
The 4.0 scale behind each letter
The GPA calculator applies one selected scale to the entire list. Check the table first.
Four scales, four sets of point values
Standard caps A+ at 4.0 and uses one-decimal points. Two-decimal also caps A+ at 4.0 but uses 3.67 and 3.33. A+ = 4.33 follows Iowa's published values. No plus or minus counts every plus or minus grade as its base letter, so A+ and A- both count as A.
Exclude rows that carry no GPA weight
Blank grades, zero-credit classes and the marks P, NP, W and I are left out. A counted F earns zero points but adds its credits to the denominator. Keep pass marks and withdrawals as recorded.
An A- can mean 3.7 or 3.67
Standard uses 3.7 for A-. Two-decimal and A+ = 4.33 use 3.67, matching Mount Holyoke and Iowa. Choosing input points is separate from rounding the result. Match the record you are checking.
Percentages use the standard cutoffs
For percent inputs, the GPA calculator rounds to one decimal before letter lookup. Here, 90% becomes A-, 87% becomes B+ and 83% becomes B. Switching point scales keeps these cutoffs. Use posted letters if the course uses different boundaries.
Letter points at a glance
| Letter | Std | A+ 4.33 | 2-dec | Base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.33 | 4.00 | |
| A | 4.0 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 3.67 | 3.67 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.33 | 3.33 | |
| B | 3.0 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 2.67 | 2.67 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.33 | 2.33 | |
| C | 2.0 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | 1.67 | 1.67 | |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.33 | 1.33 | |
| D | 1.0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 | 0.67 | 0.67 | |
| F | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
Std means Standard; 2-dec means Two-decimal. Blank Base cells use the base letter. South Carolina's 10-point letter pattern has no plus or minus marks.
How this GPA calculator works
Start with your posted grades. Enter credits for every counted class or leave every credit box blank.
- 1
Choose the format and point scale
Pick Letter grades or Percent grades, then choose a scale. Percentages use standard cutoffs before conversion to points. For this example, choose Standard and remove Algebra so English, Biology and Art remain. Names only label the chart.
- 2
Multiply each grade's points by credits
Enter English at 3 credits with an A-, Biology at 4 credits with a B+ and Art at 1 credit with an A. Their products are 3 × 3.7 = 11.1, 4 × 3.3 = 13.2 and 1 × 4.0 = 4.0. Add them: 11.1 + 13.2 + 4.0 = 28.3.
- 3
Divide by the counted credits
The three classes total 3 + 4 + 1 = 8 credits. Divide 28.3 by 8 to get 3.5375. The GPA calculator shows 3.538 to three decimals, 3.54 rounded and 3.53 truncated. Biology is the Biggest mover: raising its B+ to an A- adds 0.20.
What a GPA calculator actually measures
A GPA is a credit-weighted average of course points. Multiply points by credits, add the products and divide by the counted credits. Those products are quality points. A four-credit B adds 12 to the top of the fraction and 4 to the bottom; a one-credit A adds 4 and 1.
“To determine the grade point average, divide the total number of earned quality points for all courses by the total number of credit hours scheduled.”
Show the formula and a worked example
GPA = Total quality points ÷ Total counted creditsWhen all credits are blank, the GPA calculator divides the sum of course points by the number of counted classes. An excluded row contributes to neither part of the calculation.
One credit of A and four credits of B yield (4 + 12) ÷ 5 = 3.20. Giving those classes equal weight yields (4 + 3) ÷ 2 = 3.50. The grades have not changed; their shares have.
The default list adds a fourth class, Algebra, worth 4 credits with a B. Its 12 points bring the total to 40.3 over 12 credits, or 3.358 to three decimals. Rounding gives 3.36 and truncation gives 3.35, so the same inputs can show two different GPAs.
The Two-decimal scale matches Mount Holyoke's listed A- of 3.67 and B+ of 3.33. On it, English contributes 11.01 and Biology 13.32, so the four-class total becomes 40.33, or 3.361 to three decimals.
Check the total and each class's effect
Match the point table
Pick one of four scales. Standard counts A- as 3.7. Two-decimal counts it as 3.67. The A+ = 4.33 scale does too and also raises the top grade. No plus or minus uses base letters only. Your letters stay put when you switch.
Compare two display methods
You get the average to three decimals plus rounded and truncated two-decimal versions. For 3.358 that means 3.36 and 3.35. The math underneath is the same, so check which display your registrar uses.
Find the largest single step
Each class is ranked by how much the average would rise if its grade went up one step. The largest gain gets the Biggest mover tag while every other input stays fixed. On Standard, an A shows Already at the top grade.
Who checks a GPA this way
Start with the question you want answered.
Students after grades post
Check a transcript total
Enter posted letters and the credits from the same record. Compare the two-decimal displays. If neither matches, check each counted row and the point table. The GPA calculator does not apply repeat-course replacement rules.
GPA calculator questions, answered
How do I check a GPA calculator result by hand?
Multiply each course's points by credits, add the products and divide by counted credits. RPI describes that method above. For equal weights, add course points and divide by the counted classes.
Can I use this GPA calculator without credit hours?
Yes. Leave every counted row's credits blank. An A and a B average 3.50 on Standard. This matches a credit-based result only if both classes have equal credits. Zero credits exclude a row.
Can an A+ exceed 4.0 in a GPA calculator?
Yes, on the A+ = 4.33 scale. Iowa lists A+ as 4.33 and A as 4.00. Standard and Two-decimal count both A+ and A as 4.0. On No plus or minus, A+ counts as A.
Why does my transcript differ from a GPA calculator result?
RPI says, “Note that grade point averages are not rounded, but are truncated after two decimal places when displayed.” Thus 3.358 displays as 3.35 under that rule, rather than 3.36. A- at 3.67 instead of 3.7 can also change the total.
Does a GPA calculator count pass/fail or withdrawn classes?
Here, P, NP, W and I do not count. Iowa excludes P, N (Nonpass), W and I. Mount Holyoke excludes its ungraded-option courses and satisfactorily completed physical education courses. Use the exclusions for the record you are checking.
Does this GPA calculator add points for AP or honors classes?
No. It uses the standard 4.0 scale, and no scale here adds AP or honors bonus points. Credits affect weight; course type adds no points. An A in an honors class earns 4.0 on Standard.
Can this GPA calculator include grades from earlier terms?
Yes. Check Include a previous GPA, then enter that average and its credits. Fill credits for every counted class first. The result combines both by credit weight. Up to 12 classes fit. Inputs are not saved; reloading restores the examples.
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