Short answer. College GPA is the sum of grade points times credit hours, divided by the total credit hours. A 4-credit B (3.0) counts more than a 2-credit A (4.0) on its own.
How college GPA works
College GPA uses credit hours as weights. A 4-credit lab course counts more than a 1-credit seminar.
The calculation is quality points divided by credits. Quality points are the grade value times the credit hours for each course.
Courses taken pass/fail, and withdrawals, usually do not count in the GPA. Leave them out of the list. Repeated courses follow your school's repeat policy, so check it before you trust the total.
Worked example
Example. Calculus I B (4 credits), Intro Psychology A (3), Writing B+ (3), Spanish A- (3).
Quality points: 12 + 12 + 9.9 + 11.1 = 45. Credits: 13. GPA: 45 รท 13 = 3.46.
Questions
What is the difference between term GPA and cumulative GPA?
Term GPA covers one semester. Cumulative GPA covers all your courses so far. Use the cumulative GPA calculator to join the two.
Do plus and minus grades count?
At most colleges, yes. Some colleges only use whole letters. If yours does, pick the plain letter for each course.
How many credits is a full load?
Most colleges call 12 credits full time. Many students take 15 to finish a four-year degree on time.
Last checked by the StudyCount team.