Quick lookup
Common GPA conversions across grade scales
Different schools and countries use different scales. Use this to translate between systems when applying to college, grad school, or jobs abroad.
| Letter grade | 4.0 standard | 4.0 +/- | 4.3 scale | Percentage (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 97 – 100% |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 93 – 96% |
| A- | — | 3.7 | 3.7 | 90 – 92% |
| B+ | — | 3.3 | 3.3 | 87 – 89% |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 83 – 86% |
| B- | — | 2.7 | 2.7 | 80 – 82% |
| C+ | — | 2.3 | 2.3 | 77 – 79% |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 73 – 76% |
| C- | — | 1.7 | 1.7 | 70 – 72% |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 60 – 69% |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | below 60% |
Always verify with your school's published grade-to-points table. Some schools use modified scales (e.g., 95+ for A, no A+, or A+ = 4.33).
The basics
What is GPA?
Grade Point Average (GPA) is the credit-weighted average of your letter grades converted to point values. It is the single most-quoted academic number in US education — used for college admissions, scholarships, internship applications, honor societies, and grad school decisions.
The math is simple but multi-step: each grade has a point value, each course has a credit weight, and your GPA is a credit-weighted average. A 3-credit A and a 1-credit C average out closer to the A than to the C because the A is worth more credits.
The math
The formula
GPA = Σ (grade points × credits) / Σ credits
Walk through it course by course: multiply each grade's point value by its credit hours, sum those products, then divide by the total credits. The single most common mistake is averaging GPAs instead of credit-weighting them.
Worked example
Three courses, one semester:
- Calculus I: A (4.0) × 4 credits = 16.0 quality points
- English 101: B+ (3.3) × 3 credits = 9.9 quality points
- Art appreciation: A- (3.7) × 2 credits = 7.4 quality points
- Total: 33.3 quality points / 9 credits = 3.70 GPA
High school basics
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
High schools that offer Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Honors classes often use a weighted GPA scale. The system rewards harder courses with extra points:
- Regular course: A = 4.0
- Honors course: A = 4.5 (+0.5 bonus)
- AP or IB course: A = 5.0 (+1.0 bonus)
A weighted GPA can exceed 4.0 — students at academically competitive high schools commonly graduate with 4.3-4.8 weighted GPAs. Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0 regardless of course difficulty.
Which one do colleges look at?
When you're applying abroad
GPA grading scales worldwide
United States
4.0 scale (with +/- modifiers in college). High school sometimes uses 5.0 weighted. A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.
Canada
Varies by province and school. Some use 4.0, some 4.3 (A+ = 4.3), some 9.0 or 12.0 scales (Quebec).
UK
Honors degree classification: First (70%+), Upper Second / 2:1 (60-69%), Lower Second / 2:2 (50-59%), Third (40-49%). Not GPA-based.
Australia
GPA on a 7.0 scale at most universities (HD=7, D=6, C=5, P=4, etc.). Some use 4.0.
Germany
1.0 (best) to 4.0 (passing), with 5.0 = fail. Inverted from US — lower is better. A 1.5 German is roughly a 3.5 US.
India
Most universities use a 10-point CGPA (Cumulative GPA). 10 = perfect, 9+ excellent, 6 minimum pass. Direct conversion to US: roughly divide by 2.5.
Use the official conversion
Tracking the long game
Cumulative GPA across semesters
Cumulative GPA is your GPA across all completed semesters. The calculator handles this when you add multiple semesters: it sums all quality points across every course and divides by total credits across every semester.
A common mistake: averaging semester GPAs equally. A 4.0 semester (12 credits) and a 3.0 semester (18 credits) does NOT average to 3.5. The credit-weighted average is (4.0 × 12 + 3.0 × 18) / 30 = 3.4. The bigger semester pulls the average more.
Behind the scenes
Privacy and how it runs
Your grades stay in your browser
Common questions
How do I improve my GPA?
Your existing credit total dilutes any single new grade. If you have 60 credits at 3.0 and you take 12 more credits at 4.0, your new cumulative GPA is (60 × 3.0 + 12 × 4.0) / 72 = 3.17. To move from 3.0 to 3.5, you'd need 60 more credits of 4.0 work.
What is a good college GPA?
Highly subjective. 3.0+ is the typical employer floor. 3.5+ is common for grad school applications. 3.7+ for selective grad programs. 3.9+ for top-tier programs. Bear in mind: GPA is one signal among many (test scores, extracurriculars, recommendations).
Should pass/fail courses count?
Usually no — they're excluded from GPA calculation because they don't have a numerical grade. Some schools count "Pass" as a C for major requirements but exclude it from GPA. Check your school's policy.
What about transfer credits?
Policies vary. Many US universities accept transfer credits (the course counts toward your degree) but exclude the grade from your GPA calculation. So a transfer A doesn't help your GPA, but a transfer F doesn't hurt it either. Check the registrar.
Is GPA the same as a percentage?
No, but they correlate. US schools generally use 90+ = A, 80+ = B, 70+ = C, 60+ = D, <60 = F. A 3.5 GPA at one school might map to 88% average; at a school with strict grading, 84%.
Can my GPA go above 4.0?
Only on weighted scales. On a 4.0 unweighted scale, no — A and A+ both count as 4.0. On a 4.3 scale, A+ counts as 4.3 so an all-A+ semester gives you 4.3. On a 5.0 weighted scale, AP and IB courses can push you above 4.0.
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