How to calculate GPA?

Written by: Clyde

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Time to read 3 min

GPA stands for Grade Point Average, which is a numerical representation of a student's academic achievement in a particular period of time, usually a semester or academic year. It is a system used by educational institutions to evaluate a student's academic performance based on their grades.


GPA is usually calculated on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the highest possible GPA. In some cases, schools may use a different scale, such as a 5.0 or 12.0 scale.

The calculation of GPA is based on the grades a student has earned in their classes. Each grade is assigned a numerical value, and the numerical values are then used to calculate an average GPA. For example, an A grade may be worth 4 points, a B grade may be worth 3 points, a C grade may be worth 2 points, and so on.


The GPA is an important factor in determining a student's academic standing and eligibility for various academic programs, scholarships, and awards. A high GPA is generally considered to be a sign of strong academic performance and can improve a student's chances of getting accepted into competitive academic programs or institutions.

Short version.

To calculate your Grade Point Average (GPA), follow these steps:

  1. Determine your letter grade for each class. Most schools use a 4.0 grading scale, where A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, and F = 0.0.

  2. Multiply the grade points earned for each class by the number of credits for that class.

  3. Add up the total grade points earned for all classes.

  4. Divide the total grade points earned by the total number of credits attempted.

For example, suppose you earned the following grades and credits for a semester:

  • English: A (4.0) for 3 credits
  • Math: B (3.0) for 4 credits
  • Science: C (2.0) for 3 credits
  • History: A (4.0) for 3 credits
  • Art: B (3.0) for 2 credits

To calculate your GPA for this semester, you would do the following:

  • English: 4.0 x 3 = 12.0
  • Math: 3.0 x 4 = 12.0
  • Science: 2.0 x 3 = 6.0
  • History: 4.0 x 3 = 12.0
  • Art: 3.0 x 2 = 6.0

Total grade points earned = 48.0

Total credits attempted = 15

GPA = 48.0 ÷ 15 = 3.2

So your GPA for this semester is 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.

Long version.

GPA stands for Grade Point Average, and it is a measure of a student's academic performance over a period of time, usually a semester or academic year. A student's GPA is calculated by assigning each grade they receive a numerical value and then calculating the average of these values. The most common scale used for GPA calculations is the 4.0 scale, where an A is worth 4 points, a B is worth 3 points, a C is worth 2 points, a D is worth 1 point, and an F is worth 0 points.

To calculate a GPA, first, you need to determine the number of credits for each course. Then, you will multiply the number of credits by the grade value (on a 4.0 scale) for each course to get the grade points. For example, if a student earns an A in a 3-credit course, they would earn 12 grade points (3 x 4 = 12).

After you have calculated the grade points for all of the courses, you will add them together to get the total grade points. Then, you will divide the total grade points by the total number of credits to get the GPA.

For example, if a student earned the following grades in their courses:

  • English: A (3 credits)
  • Math: B+ (4 credits)
  • Science: A- (4 credits)
  • History: C (3 credits)

To calculate the GPA, you would first determine the number of credits for each course. In this case, the total number of credits is 14 (3+4+4+3). Then, you would calculate the grade points for each course by multiplying the number of credits by the grade value:

  • English: 3 x 4 = 12 grade points
  • Math: 4 x 3.3 = 13.2 grade points
  • Science: 4 x 3.7 = 14.8 grade points
  • History: 3 x 2 = 6 grade points

The total grade points for all the courses would be 46 (12 + 13.2 + 14.8 + 6). Finally, you would divide the total grade points by the total number of credits (46 ÷ 14) to get the GPA, which in this case would be approximately 3.29.


Here are some additional points about GPA calculation:

  • Different schools and universities may use different grading scales to calculate GPA. For example, some may use a 4.0 scale, while others may use a 5.0 or 100-point scale.
  • In addition to the traditional letter grades (A, B, C, D, F), some schools may also use plus (+) and minus (-) grades, which can affect GPA calculation.
  • Some schools may also weight certain courses more heavily than others when calculating GPA. For example, an honors course may carry more weight than a regular course.
  • When applying to colleges or universities, GPA is often a key factor in the admissions process. Admissions committees may also look at other factors such as standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.
  • In addition to being used for college admissions, GPA can also be important for scholarship applications and for job applications after graduation.
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