Frequently Asked Questions
Using the calculator
What do I enter for each course?
Add one row per course, choose the letter grade, and type the credit hours. The result updates as you type. Behind the scenes, each grade's points are multiplied by the course's credits, the totals are added, and the sum is divided by your total credits. The step-by-step guide shows a full example.
How do I include my earlier semesters?
Open "Add earlier semesters" and enter your current cumulative GPA and the credits you have already completed. The calculator combines them with this term's courses and shows a cumulative result next to the semester result.
What if I don't know a course's credit hours?
Leave the field blank. A blank credits field counts as one credit, so if every field is blank, every course counts the same. That gives a simple average of your grades, which is fine for a quick check but can differ from your official GPA when classes carry different credits.
Can I enter half credits or lab credits?
Yes. Credits can have up to two decimals, from 0.01 to 20, so 0.5 or 1.5 works.
Why isn't one of my courses counted?
A row only counts once it has a grade. If the credits field holds something other than a number from 0.01 to 20, the row shows a short message and is left out until you fix it. The "Counted courses" figure under the result tells you how many rows are in the total.
How the math works
Which grade points does the calculator use?
The common 4.0 scale: A and A+ are 4.00, A- is 3.70, B+ is 3.30, B is 3.00, and so on down to D- at 0.70 and F at 0.00. The full table is on the GPA scale page.
Why can I switch the A+ between 4.0 and 4.33?
It depends on your school. The calculator uses 4.00 by default. Tick "A+ counts as 4.33" if your school gives the extra points.
How are Honors and AP classes weighted?
For the weighted result, the calculator adds 0.50 to an Honors grade and 1.00 to an AP, IB or dual enrollment grade. An F gets no bonus. The weighted result only appears when at least one counted course is above the regular level. Many schools use their own weighting, which is explained in weighted vs. unweighted GPA.
Which earlier GPA should I enter for a weighted cumulative result?
The calculator uses the earlier GPA you type for both cumulative results, the unweighted and the weighted one. So if your transcript shows an unweighted cumulative GPA, the weighted cumulative figure mixes an unweighted past with a weighted present. For a clean weighted cumulative result, enter your earlier weighted GPA instead.
How is the result rounded?
To two decimal places, with halves rounded up. The calculator works in exact hundredths rather than floating-point decimals, so the answer does not pick up small rounding errors along the way. Your school may round differently.
How much can one semester change my GPA?
Less the more credits you already have, because the new term is averaged against everything before it. The guide on raising your GPA works through examples and shows how to find the term GPA a target needs.
Your school's rules
What happens to pass/fail, withdrawn or incomplete courses?
At most colleges, marks like P, W and I carry no grade points, so leave those courses out. Check your registrar's rules if you are unsure.
What about a course I repeated?
Schools handle repeats differently: some replace the old grade, some average both, some count both. The calculator cannot know your school's policy, so if your school replaces a grade, your official cumulative GPA can differ from the result here. Your registrar can tell you which rule applies.
Can I convert UK grades, percentages or another country's grades to a GPA?
Not with this calculator. There is no single official conversion, and universities usually evaluate foreign grades themselves. The guide on UK grades and US GPA explains how that works in practice.
Will a college use the GPA I work out here?
Not necessarily. Many colleges recalculate applicants' GPAs with their own rules, for example leaving out some classes or using their own weighting. Use the result here to check your math and plan ahead, and treat your transcript as the official figure.
Privacy
Are my grades stored anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser, and the grades you type are not saved or sent to us. Reloading the page clears the list. GPA Calculator itself only remembers your light or dark mode choice, and only if you switch it.
The privacy policy has the details.