How to Calculate Your GPA: A Step-by-Step Guide
GPA stands for “grade point average” and every high school and college student needs to know what GPA they get. It is based on a point system. In the past, anyone could quickly calculate their GPA in their head. But those days are over. The simple way of calculating grades is gone, and now it’s more complicated.
There are different ways to calculate a GPA. And it doesn’t end there. How it’s calculated can change depending on where you live. Despite the confusion, calculating GPA is still important. Colleges, grad schools, and employers use it to see how well you’ve done.
Use our guide and learn how to calculate your GPA. We have given easy steps anyone can follow for both weighted and unweighted GPAs (Yes, there are types). We cover everything you need to know, so let’s start.
Ways to Calculate Your GPA With Examples
Calculating your GPA is easy once you know the steps. We have made a GPA calculation for an imaginary student Noah for you. Follow the steps using your grades and credit hours.
1. Write Your Grades and Credit Hours for Each Class
Start by listing the letter grades you got in each class and how many credit hours each class is worth. For example, Noah took four classes and got these grades and credits:
- A for a class with 3 credits
- A+ (4 credits)
- B (4 credits)
- B (3 credits)
2. Convert Letter Grades to Grade Points
Next, change the letter grades into grade points using Noah’s school GPA scale. Here’s a basic scale:
| Letter Grades | Grade Points |
| A+ | 4.0 |
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
| Note! There’s no E in the basic grade system. | |
For Noah’s grades, we got:
- A = 4.0
- A+ = 4.0
- B = 3.0
- B = 3.0
3. Multiply Grade Points By Credit Hours
Take out the calculator for this step. Multiply each grade point by the number of credit hours for that class. Here’s how your classes would add up:
| Class | Grade | Grade Point | Credit Hours | Grade Points (Grade x Credits) |
| 1 | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 2 | A+ | 4.0 | 4 | 16.0 |
| 3 | B | 3.0 | 4 | 12.0 |
| 4 | B | 3.0 | 3 | 9.0 |
| Total | 49.0 | |||
4. Add Up Your Credit Hours
Next, add together the credit hours for all of Noah’s classes. For you, the credit hours are:
- 3 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 14 credit hours
5. Divide Grade Points by Credit Hours
Finally, divide the total grade points by the total credit hours to get Noah’s GPA. So, Noah has:
- Total grade points = 49.0
- Total credit hours = 14
His GPA would be = 49.0/14 = 3.5
That’s how you calculate your GPA! Overall, you just need to use the formula:
| GPA Formula |
| GPA= Total Grade Points ÷ Total Credit Hours |
Types of Grade Point Average
The two most common ones of GPA scales are unweighted and weighted GPAs. Here’s what they mean:
- Unweighted GPA: This type of GPA runs on a scale from 0 to 4.0 and doesn’t consider how hard your classes are. This GPA type is common in colleges.
- Weighted GPA: A weighted GPA works on a scale that goes up to 5.0 instead of 4.0. It gives extra credit for taking tougher classes, like honors or AP courses.
Examples Of Both Types of GPA Calculations
In an unweighted GPA system, the scale is 0.0 to 4.0, and class difficulty isn’t factored in. But with a weighted GPA, the scale can go up to 5.0 (or even 6.0 in some cases). It also takes the difficulty of your classes into account.
Need a clearer idea? Check out these examples:
Unweighted GPA Calculation Example
For unweighted, use the same formula as above.
- Formula: Total Grade Points÷Total Number of Classes=GPA
If this were Noah’s grade in different classes,
| Subject | Grade | Grade points |
| Algebra (1) | B | 3.0 |
| English (2) | A | 4.0 |
| Biology (3) | A | 4.0 |
| Physics (4) | B | 3.0 |
| World History (5) | A | 4.0 |
| Total Grade Points | 18.0 | |
His Unweighted GPA would be 3.60. [18.0 divided by the number of classes (5)]
Weighted GPA Calculation Example
Weighted GPAs give extra points for harder classes, like Honors or AP. The calculations and formula are the same but the process is different, here’s how:
| Subject | Grade | Grade points |
| Honors World History (1) | A | 4.5 |
| Biology(2) | B | 3.0 |
| AP Algebra (3) | B | 5.0 |
| Physics (4) | A | 4.0 |
| AP English (5) | B | 4.0 |
| Total Grade Points | 20.5 | |
So, the weighted GPA is 4.1. That’s because in Weighted GPA honors, AP, or IB classes are graded with higher points. Usually, a lower-level class adds 0 points, a mid-level class adds 0.5 points, and a high-level class adds 1.0 points.
Importance of GPA Scores and Grading System
Grade Point Average (GPA) is a way schools and employers measure student performance. The letter grades like A, B, C, and others don’t show a clear view of academic standing. So, college and job systems consider weighted or unweighted GPAs.
Knowing how the GPA system works is important for students to take charge of their education. If you see a subject with “high credit hours” having low grades, you need to prioritize that subject to improve the overall GPA.
Also, the letters and scales for grades can differ depending on the country and school. Here are a few examples:
- United States: Most colleges follow a letter grading system tied to a 4.0 scale. So, you can follow the above calculations with ease.
- United Kingdom: Universities in the UK use grades like First Class, Upper Second Class, Lower Second Class, Third Class, Pass, or Fail.
- Canada: Grades are shown as percentages. So, you need to cover the % in letter grades to calculate your GPA.
Conclusion
To conclude, calculating your GPA beforehand and knowing where you stand is important before applying to colleges or jobs. Many schools and colleges provide GPAs on their online portals and transcripts. If your school doesn’t, then get to know its grade scale and do calculations on your own! It’s easy as long as you have a calculator.
Before we finish the article, remember keeping a high GPA can open doors to graduating with honors or attending graduate school. So, keep track of it regularly for each semester and subject. you can try our grade calculator.
FAQs
1. How can you change a percentage to GPA?
You can change a percentage to GPA, by dividing the percentage by 100 and then multiplying the result by 4. (If you’re using a 5.0 GPA scale, multiply by 5 instead.)
2. Where can I check my GPA?
See your school’s transcript, if it’s not there, you can use online calculators to know what’s your GPA.
3. How are letter grades turned into grade points?
Letter grades like A, B, etc. on your result card get turned into grade points (A=4.0, B=3.0). All schools may have different systems for plus/minus grades.