How is GPA calculated?

Convert each letter grade to grade points, multiply by the course’s credit hours, sum the results, and divide by total credits. It is a credit-weighted average of grade points, not a plain average of letters.

Does an A+ count as 4.3?

Not here — this tool uses the standard unweighted scale where A+ and A both earn 4.0. Some institutions do award 4.3 for an A+, so check your school’s policy if that grade is in play.

What do pass/fail courses do to my GPA?

Nothing, usually. Pass grades grant credit without quality points, so they change your total credits but not the sum being averaged — though some schools count a fail as 0.0. Leave those courses out of this calculation unless yours does.

What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?

Unweighted GPA caps grades at 4.0 regardless of course difficulty. Weighted scales — common in high schools — grant extra points for honors, AP, or IB classes, pushing the scale to 5.0 or higher. Colleges recalculate both ways depending on their policy.

Why do credit hours matter so much?

Because GPA is credit-weighted. A 1-credit A and a 4-credit C do not average to a B — the C drags 4 credits’ worth of points, landing at 1.6. Big-credit courses deserve proportionate attention.

What GPA is the dean’s list?

Typically 3.5 or higher for a full-time semester, though cutoffs vary by institution — some use 3.75. Check your school’s exact threshold and minimum credit load.

GPA Calculator | Online Calculators Free

Quality points, then average

Each letter grade maps to grade points on the 4.0 scale — A and A+ are 4.0, A− is 3.7, B+ is 3.3, and each step down drops 0.3 until F at 0.0. Multiply each course’s points by its credit hours to get quality points, add them up, and divide by total credits. A 4-credit B+ outweighs a 3-credit A− because GPA is credit-weighted, not a plain average.

The 4.0 scale

A 4.0, A− 3.7, B+ 3.3, B 3.0, B− 2.7, C+ 2.3, C 2.0, C− 1.7, D+ 1.3, D 1.0, D− 0.7, F 0.0. That ladder is the standard unweighted college scale; the calculator shows each course’s quality-point contribution so you can check the arithmetic by hand.

What GPA is good?

Context sets the bar: 3.0 is a common scholarship floor, 3.5 typically makes dean’s list, and 3.7+ keeps competitive graduate programs in view. A single rough term is rarely fatal — see the cumulative GPA calculator for how a strong semester moves a multi-year average.

Worked example

Term: A (3 cr), A- (3 cr), B+ (3 cr), B (3 cr).
Quality points: 4.0×3 + 3.7×3 + 3.3×3 + 3.0×3 = 42.0.
Credits attempted: 12.
GPA = 42.0 ÷ 12 = 3.50.

How to use it

Pick the letter grade for each course.
Enter its credit hours — usually 3 or 4.
The GPA updates with every change; the rows show each course’s contribution.
Set a course’s credits to 0 to leave it out of the average.