Weighted mode: mark a class as Honors (+0.5 grade points) or AP (+1.0) and the weighted GPA appears next to your regular GPA. The bonus applies to passing grades and is capped at 5.0 points per course. Schools set their own rules — if yours differ, compare against the unweighted figure, which never changes.
Leave either field at 0 to skip the cumulative calculation. Your courses and these figures are saved in this browser only — nothing is uploaded.
3.50 — a strong semester: the average most honors societies and many scholarships set as their bar.
Cumulative uses your unweighted semester GPA and your exact credit totals. Your school's official GPA is the final word — grading scales and retake policies differ.
How to calculate your GPA
Your GPA is a weighted average: each grade is worth a number of grade points, courses with more credits count more, and the total is divided by your total credits. Three steps:
1. Convert each grade to grade points using the 4.0 scale in the table below (an A is 4.0, a B is 3.0, and so on).
2. Multiply each course's grade points by its credits and add those numbers together. An A in a 4-credit course earns 16.0 points — twice what the same A earns in a 2-credit course.
3. Divide the total grade points by the total credits. That is your GPA, and it is all the calculator above does — instantly, as you type.
The 4.0 grade scale
| Letter grade | Grade points | Typical percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97–100% |
| A | 4.0 | 93–96% |
| A− | 3.7 | 90–92% |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89% |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86% |
| B− | 2.7 | 80–82% |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79% |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76% |
| C− | 1.7 | 70–72% |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69% |
| D | 1.0 | 63–66% |
| D− | 0.7 | 60–62% |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60% |
This is the standard scale most US colleges and high schools use, and the one this calculator applies. A few schools differ — some cap an A+ at 4.3, some use a straight A=4, B=3 scale with no pluses or minuses, and percentage cutoffs vary. If your school's scale differs, your official transcript is the final word.
A worked example
The calculator above is pre-filled with this example — a college student's semester of four courses:
- English Composition: A (4.0 points) × 3 credits = 12.0
- Calculus I: B+ (3.3 points) × 4 credits = 13.2
- Biology: A− (3.7 points) × 4 credits = 14.8
- World History: B (3.0 points) × 3 credits = 9.0
Total grade points: 12.0 + 13.2 + 14.8 + 9.0 = 49.0. Total credits: 3 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 14. Semester GPA: 49.0 ÷ 14 = 3.50.
Now add the student's earlier terms: a cumulative GPA of 3.40 across 46 credits. Old and new combine by points, not by averaging the two GPAs: (3.40 × 46 + 49.0) ÷ (46 + 14) = (156.4 + 49.0) ÷ 60 = 3.42. Notice the cumulative barely moved — the more credits you have banked, the more a single semester can shift it. That is normal, and it is why the calculator asks for your credit total, not just your old GPA.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
An unweighted GPA uses the plain 4.0 scale for every class, so 4.0 is the maximum. A weighted GPA rewards harder classes: on the common high-school system used here, an Honors class adds +0.5 grade points and an AP (or IB) class adds +1.0, so an A in an AP class is worth 5.0 and the maximum GPA is 5.0. In this calculator, switch to High School, mark each class Regular, Honors or AP, and both figures appear side by side. Two honest warnings: schools set their own weighting rules, so check yours; and most colleges recalculate applicants' GPAs on their own scale anyway — the weighted number is for your school's class rank and honor roll, the unweighted number is the one that travels.
Trying to work out what you need on the final exam itself? That is a different calculation — use the final grade calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Multiply each course's grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on) by its credits, add all of those products together, then divide by your total credits. Example: an A in a 3-credit course (12.0 points) and a B in a 4-credit course (12.0 points) give 24.0 points over 7 credits — a 3.43 GPA. Credits are why the same letter grade can count more in one course than another.
What is a good GPA?
A 3.0 is a B average and the most common benchmark — many majors, scholarships and employers treat it as the line to stay above. A 3.5 or higher is strong and qualifies for honors societies and Dean's lists at many schools. Highly selective colleges mostly admit students at 3.7 and above, though they read the courses behind the number too. Below 2.0, most colleges place students on academic probation, so treat that as the floor to defend.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the plain 4.0 scale for every class — an A is 4.0 whether the class is regular or AP. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder classes (commonly +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP), so an A in an AP class counts as 5.0 and a weighted GPA can exceed 4.0. High schools use weighted GPA for class rank; colleges often recalculate both on their own scale when you apply.
How can I raise my GPA?
The math sets the strategy: your GPA moves when new grade points outnumber your banked credits. A student with a 3.00 over 60 credits who earns straight A's for one 15-credit semester reaches (180 + 60) ÷ 75 = 3.20 — real progress, but not a leap, because the 60 old credits anchor the average. The levers that work: protect the high-credit courses (they move the total most), retake a failed course if your school replaces the grade, and front-load effort early in your degree when every credit counts double-weight against a small total.
Does an F count in your GPA?
Yes. An F is worth 0.0 grade points, but its credits still count in the total you divide by — which is why one F in a high-credit course hits so hard. In the worked example above, replacing the A in English Composition with an F would drop the semester from 3.50 to 2.64. Some schools let a retake replace the original grade on your transcript; others average the two attempts. Check your school's policy before assuming either.
What is the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA?
Semester GPA covers one term only — just the courses in the list above. Cumulative GPA covers everything you have taken, with each term weighted by its credits. Combine them by points, never by averaging the two numbers: a 3.40 over 46 credits plus a 3.50 over 14 credits is (156.4 + 49.0) ÷ 60 = 3.42, not the 3.45 you would get by averaging 3.40 and 3.50. The cumulative section of the calculator does this correctly for you.