How to Convert (Calculate) Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

High schools typically report GPA (grade points average) on an 4.0 scale. The highest grade is an A, which is equal to 4.0. Your GPA for the entire year is calculated by combining the scores of every class you take. This is a standard scale that is used in all schools, and a lot of high schools also utilize it.

To convert your GPA into the 4.0 scale:

The chart serves as an example that can assist you in understanding the elements that go into calculating an GPA. The school you attend may have an alternative grading scale.

Be aware you’re high school will report your GPA to potential colleges. The GPA you see on your transcript could not be the same one utilized by colleges for admissions purposes because there are many variations in the scales of grading used at high school as well as additional points that are added for advanced, honors, AP, IB courses.

In order to be admitted, a number of colleges will alter the GPA of their students to ensure that there is a fairness and consistency across applicants based upon institutional standards. They may not take into account all the high school courses or weights.

Get in touch with your high school counselor or the colleges you’ve listed to get more information about GPA, and its use to apply for admission. You can also research the academic requirements for your favourite colleges with College Search and examine how your GPA fares to other students who were accepted and are enrolled.

What are the letter grades and how do they translate into percentages?

Examples of grade conversion that are common include:
A+ (97-100),
A (93-96),
A- (90-92),
B+ (87-89),
B (83-86),
B- (80-82),
C+ (77-79),
C (73-76),
C- (70-72),
D+ (67-69),
D (65-66),
D- (below 65).

The way that letters grades are converted into percentages could differ between colleges and could even differ between different departments within the same college.

How do you determine your GPA during high school?

To determine your GPA in high school take your high school grades, add them up according to the 4.0 scale after you have converted these grades into letter grades and then divide the total by the number of classes you’re taking.

In addition there are schools that use an additional GPA system, referred to as the “weighted GPA system.” A weighted GPA system provides additional weight to courses that are at Honors, AP, and IB levels. This system of weighted GPA may differ between schools So, talk to your teacher regarding how your specific high school’s weighted GPA system operates.

How do you calculate the median GPA?

The average GPA for the entire U.S. high schools is 3.0 and the average GPA for every U.S. colleges is 3.1. The numbers can vary greatly between schools and colleges. If you’re curious about which the typical GPA for the college you’re interested in, find the range of GPAs for accepted students on the BigFuture college profiles.

Calculating Unweighted Cumulative GPA: Example

Semester 1

Therefore, we use the raw number and multiply it by amount of hours in credit: 63.2/17 = 3.72. It is a student’s semester one GPA that is not weighted.

Semester 2

The pupil’s second semester GPA has been 66.2/17 = 3.89

Their GPA cumulative will be the sum of their raw numbers divided by the total of credits.

Thus, this is (63.2+66.2)/(17+17) (= 3.81

Because both semesters have the same credit amount You can also combine your semester GPAs and then get the identical figure: (3.89+3.72)/2 = 3.81 (rounded).

If the credit value is different, you’ll have to combine the raw value and divide by the total amount of credits.

Remember that you don’t need to go through this process each semester. If you’re trying to calculate your cumulative GPA, simply sum up the raw scores for all of your classes, and then divide these by your total amount of credits. This is broken down by semesters to make it easier in this instance.

Calculating Weighted Cumulative GPA: Example

So, how do you calculate the weighted GPA? We must subtract the extra points that are associated with course types. If the student is enrolled in two honors courses, we’ll include .5 on their grade Point prior to multiplying by the amount of credits.

Semester 1

Therefore, we calculate the raw value then divide by amount of hours in the semester: 66.2/17 = 3.89. It is the students first semester GPA that is weighted.

Semester 2

The student’s GPA for the semester 2 that is weighted will be 69.2/17 = 4.07

Their GPA cumulative can be calculated as (69.2+66.2)/(17+17) equals 3.98

My Cumulative GPA Seems Wrong – Did I Make A Mistake?

In the process of juggling several numbers, and performing a variety of calculations, it’s easy to slip up. If the figure you come up with is too low, or too high, or perhaps outside the boundaries of possibilities There are a few places to look for typical errors.

Forgetting a + or –

A grade of Acould still be within the A-range. Or the grade of C+ could be like it’s so closer to the B-range it’s irrelevant However, these distinctions play a role in calculating your cumulative GPA. Review your maths and make sure you’ve taken into account the positives and minuses that could constitute a part of your grade.

Not Weighting a Class Correctly

Perhaps you were looking at the wrong direction or didn’t include the extra boost the Honors and IB class can provide. Review the weightings at the beginning of each class once more and find an area where you might have erred. Be aware that subjects are weighed differently.

Forgetting to Account for Credits

If your GPA is excessively high, you might not have remembered to divide in terms of credit during the course. In contrast in the event that it’s extremely low it could be because you forgot to multiply by the amount of credits. This may sound counterintuitive however, to calculate the correct GPA for your cumulative, you must first add each subject by the amount of credits. You then divide the total number total by the number of credits in total.

Keep in mind that certain classes are eligible in more points than others. Be sure to have the correct amount of credits for each class.

Simple Arithmetic Errors

In calculating your cumulative GPA it’s many numbers, which makes it easy to make an math error. Incorrectly rounding decimals or copying an incorrect number, or even missing an amount or putting it twice is possible if you’re trying to track many things in your mind. If you are unable to locate the place you committed the mistake, begin at the beginning using pencil and paper and then go through your calculations carefully and slowly.

What is a Good Cumulative GPA for College Admissions?

Although GPAs on a scale of 4 points are standardised, their strength varies from the school. A school grade of 1 could be comparable to a grade of B at school 2. In the same way, a B+ in a class might have an A grade in a subsequent course. So, determining the value of a “good” GPA is subjective.

To gain a better understanding of the significance of your GPA and to understand how your GPA compares with other applicants to your desired schools, think about factors such as:

• Your school
• The average GPA of your school year
• The quality that your program has (measured against the available courses within your college)
• No matter if the grades you receive are weighted or not
• Your colleges of choice
• Your demographics

For instance, if you’re aiming to go to Harvard then your GPA must be higher than what they average for their new freshmen class. This is around 3.95. 3.95 unweighted. The Temple University average GPA is about an 3.5 which means that you don’t need a high GPA if it were the school you were hoping to attend.

If you’re only beginning to make your college wish list. Your GPA can aid you in determining what schools getting into might be easier or more difficult. Remember that admissions are a holistic process therefore having lower grades doesn’t make you lose your ideal school.

Don’t be concerned if your institution is very rigorous and very difficult to get an 4.0 Colleges will evaluate your performance in relation to your particular class and take observe if you score highly in comparison to your peers. Also, if you’re from a lower-income or minority background, schools may accept the lower GPA.

Cumulative GPA and Scholarships

It is possible that you are thinking of applying for scholarships to cover the substantial costs of college. Certain scholarships require GPA requirements, so figuring out the details of these requirements and then formulating your personal GPA correctly are vital aspects to consider when applying. Even if you don’t have specific GPA specifications, it’s important to try to get the highest GPA you can to increase your chances of being accepted. A good GPA will always be impressive particularly when you apply for a prestigious scholarship.

How Your GPA Impacts Your College Chances

GPA plays a major part in admissions, since it influences the Academic Index (AI). AI refers to a single digit which reflects the strength of your GPA as well as your test scores. A lot of selective colleges employ AI to filter out candidates before considering other the quality of their extracurriculars or essays.

If you’re unsure whether your GPA is sufficient then you can utilize our free chancing tool. This tool will inform you of your odds of getting into more than 1,500 colleges and will provide suggestions for improving your profile. We recommend trying this tool out to get the ball rolling on your college plan!