The basic formula: add up your grade points, divide by the number of courses

Your GPA (grade point average) is a single number that represents your overall academic performance. To calculate it, you convert each letter grade to a number, add those numbers together, then divide by how many courses you took. The result is usually a number between 0.0 and 4.0, though some schools use different scales.

The most common conversion is called the 4.0 scale: 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. Some schools add plus and minus grades (A− is 3.7, B+ is 3.3, and so on), which makes the calculation slightly more detailed but follows the same method.

The math itself is straightforward. If you took four courses and earned an A, a B, an A, and a C, you would add 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 = 13, then divide by 4 to get 3.25. That is your GPA.

Key Takeaways

  • Convert each letter grade to its point value using your school's grading scale, most commonly A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0.
  • Add all the point values together, then divide by the total number of courses to find your GPA.
  • Weighted GPA multiplies each grade by the course's credit hours before adding and dividing, which accounts for harder or longer courses.
  • Your school's registrar office publishes the exact grading scale used, including whether plus and minus grades are included.
  • GPA is calculated separately for each term and cumulatively across all terms; colleges often look at cumulative GPA.

How to handle plus and minus grades

If your school uses A−, B+, and similar grades, each one has its own point value. The standard conversion adds 0.3 for a plus sign and subtracts 0.3 for a minus sign. So an A− is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, a B− is 2.7, and so on. Some schools use different increments (0.33 instead of 0.3, for example), so check your school's official grading scale before you calculate.

If you earned an A−, a B+, a B, and a C+, the calculation would be: 3.7 + 3.3 + 3.0 + 2.3 = 12.3, divided by 4 courses = 3.075 GPA. Round according to your school's policy (many round to two decimal places, so 3.08).

Weighted GPA: accounting for course difficulty and length

A weighted GPA gives more credit to harder or longer courses. Instead of treating every course equally, you multiply each grade by the course's credit hours (or weight), add those products together, then divide by the total number of credit hours.

For example, if you took a 4-credit course where you earned an A (4.0 points), a 3-credit course where you earned a B (3.0 points), and a 2-credit course where you earned an A (4.0 points), the calculation is: (4.0 × 4) + (3.0 × 3) + (4.0 × 2) = 16 + 9 + 8 = 33, divided by 4 + 3 + 2 = 9 total credits = 3.67 weighted GPA. The A in the longer course counts more heavily than the A in the shorter one.

High schools often use weighted GPA for honors or AP courses, which may be worth 4.5 or 5.0 points instead of 4.0. Colleges almost always use unweighted GPA (where every course counts the same), so check which one your school reports.

Cumulative GPA versus term GPA

Your term GPA covers only the courses you took in one semester or quarter. Your cumulative GPA (or overall GPA) includes every course you have taken across all terms. Colleges focus on cumulative GPA when reviewing applications or academic standing.

To calculate cumulative GPA, add up all the grade points from every course you have ever taken, then divide by the total number of courses. If you took 12 courses in fall semester and earned a 3.5 GPA, and 12 courses in spring semester and earned a 3.2 GPA, your cumulative GPA is not straightforward the average of 3.5 and 3.2. Instead, you add all 24 grade point totals together and divide by 24. (In this example: 12 × 3.5 = 42 points, plus 12 × 3.2 = 38.4 points, equals 80.4 total points divided by 24 courses = 3.35 cumulative GPA.)

What to do if a course is retaken

If you retake a course, the way your school counts both attempts depends on its retake policy. Some schools count only the new grade toward your GPA. Others count both grades but average them. Still others count both grades separately (so a retaken course counts twice). Your registrar's office publishes this policy in your student handbook or on the registrar website.

Before you retake a course, ask your registrar which policy applies. If only the new grade counts, retaking a D or F can significantly raise your GPA. If both grades count, the benefit is smaller. Some schools also have a limit on how many courses you can retake or require you to retake within a certain timeframe.

Finding your school's exact grading scale

Every school publishes its own grading scale, and they are not all identical. Your school's registrar office, student handbook, or institutional website will show you the exact point value for each letter grade, whether plus and minus grades are used, and how retakes are handled. Many schools also provide a GPA calculator tool on the registrar website where you can enter your grades and get an when ready result.

If you are in high school, your guidance counselor can show you the grading scale. If you are in college, the registrar office (sometimes called the Office of the Registrar or Records Office) is the official source. Do not rely on a general online calculator unless you have confirmed that it uses your school's exact scale.

Common mistakes when calculating GPA

The most frequent error is forgetting to divide by the number of courses. Adding up all your grade points and stopping there gives you a total, not an average. You must divide by the course count to get your GPA.

Another mistake is using the wrong grading scale. If your school uses a 4.0 scale but you use a 5.0 scale, your result will be wrong. Always check your school's official scale first.

A third mistake is mixing weighted and unweighted calculations. If your school reports unweighted GPA but you calculate weighted GPA (or vice versa), your number will not match what your school shows. Confirm which method your school uses before you do the math.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an F always count as 0 points?

Yes, on the standard 4.0 scale an F is always 0 points. However, some schools have policies where a failing grade does not count toward GPA at all, or where you must retake the course for it to be removed from your record. Check your school's policy on failing grades.

What if I took a course pass/fail instead of for a letter grade?

Pass/fail courses usually do not count toward your GPA at all. A "pass" does not convert to a letter grade and does not add points. Check your school's policy, because some schools count pass/fail courses differently or exclude them from GPA calculations entirely.

Can I calculate my GPA if I do not know my exact point values for plus and minus grades?

No, you need your school's official grading scale to be accurate. Contact your registrar office or check your student handbook for the exact point value of each grade. Using a general online scale may give you a different result than your school calculates.

If I transfer schools, does my GPA transfer with me?

Your transcript transfers, but your GPA may be recalculated by the new school using its own grading scale and policies. Some schools accept your GPA as-is; others recalculate it from your transcript. Ask the admissions or registrar office at your new school how they handle transferred GPA.