What is GPA?
GPA (Grade Point Average) is the standard way schools and universities summarize academic performance as a single number. On the common 4.0 scale, each letter grade converts to grade points — an A equals 4.0, a B equals 3.0, and so on. Your GPA is the credit-weighted average of all your courses, so a 3-credit course influences the result three times more than a 1-credit course.
How to calculate GPA step by step
- Convert each letter grade to grade points using the scale above.
- Multiply each course's grade points by its credit hours — these are "quality points".
- Add up all quality points and all credit hours separately.
- Divide total quality points by total credit hours. That is your GPA.
Example: a 3-credit A (4.0 × 3 = 12) plus a 4-credit B (3.0 × 4 = 12) gives 24 quality points ÷ 7 credits = 3.43 GPA. This calculator does all of it for you instantly.
What is a good GPA?
On the 4.0 scale, 3.5+ is excellent and competitive for top graduate programs, 3.0–3.5 is good and meets most scholarship cutoffs, 2.5–3.0 is satisfactory, and below 2.0 risks academic probation at many institutions. Requirements vary by country, university, and program — always check your school's specific thresholds for honors, scholarships, and graduation.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0 — every A is worth 4 points regardless of course difficulty. Weighted GPA adds bonus points (often +0.5 or +1.0) for honors, AP, or IB courses, so it can exceed 4.0. This calculator uses the standard unweighted 4.0 scale used by most colleges for comparison.