How to calculate GPA
Here it is with your numbers:
- Find the points for each grade: A is 4 + A is 4 + A is 4 + B is 3 + C is 2.
- Multiply each by its credits and add them up: (4 × 3) + (4 × 3) + (4 × 3) + (3 × 3) + (2 × 3) = 51 quality points.
- Add up the credits: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15.
- Divide: 51 ÷ 15 = 3.40.
It means your GPA is 3.40 on a 4.0 scale. With bonus points for Honors and AP courses graded A, B or C, your weighted GPA is 3.50.
Quality points are a course’s grade points × its credits. An A in a 3-credit course earns 12 quality points.
Source George Mason University catalog · Grading ↗
Weighted GPA for Honors and AP
The weighted GPA adds 0.5 for Honors and 1.0 for AP to a grade of A, B or C (not to a D or F). This is Howard County Public Schools’ rule. We also give the bonus to A–, B+ and similar grades, because that policy only lists whole letters. Your school may do it differently.
Source Howard County Public Schools · Policy 8020 (grading and reporting) ↗
GPA examples
Grade points on each scale
| Grade | Plus and minus | Letters only |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A– | 3.67 | 4.0 |
| B+ | 3.33 | 3.0 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B– | 2.67 | 3.0 |
| C+ | 2.33 | 2.0 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| C– | 1.67 | 2.0 |
| D+ | 1.33 | 1.0 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| D– | 0.67 | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Three A’s, a B and a C with equal credits give (4 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 2) ÷ 5 = 3.4, the College Board’s own example.
Source College Board · How to calculate your GPA on a 4.0 scale ↗University of Florida catalog · Grades and grading policies ↗
FAQs
How do you calculate GPA?
Turn each grade into points, multiply by the credits, add them up, and divide by the total credits. An A (4.0) in 3 credits and a B (3.0) in 3 credits gives 12 + 9 = 21 quality points over 6 credits, a 3.5 GPA.
What is GPA?
GPA is your grade point average. On the common 4.0 scale, an A is 4.0, a B is 3.0, a C is 2.0, a D is 1.0 and an F is 0, and your GPA is the average of those points.
Source College Board · How to calculate your GPA on a 4.0 scale ↗
What is a good GPA?
The College Board says the average GPA across U.S. high schools is 3.0 and across U.S. colleges is 3.1. Schools differ in how they calculate it, so check with yours.
How is a weighted GPA calculated?
Schools add bonus points for harder courses. In Howard County, Maryland, Honors courses add 0.5 and AP courses add 1.0, and only for grades of A, B or C. Other schools use different rules, for example different cutoffs, so ask yours.
Source Howard County Public Schools · Policy 8020 (grading and reporting) ↗
How do plus and minus grades count?
At the University of Florida, A– is 3.67, B+ is 3.33, B– is 2.67 and so on in steps of a third of a point. At George Mason, an A+ counts as 4.00. Choose “Letters only” if your school ignores plus and minus.
Source University of Florida catalog · Grades and grading policies ↗
Sources
- College Board: How to calculate your GPA on a 4.0 scale
- George Mason University catalog: Grading
- University of Florida catalog: Grades and grading policies
- Howard County Public Schools: Policy 8020 (grading and reporting)