Calculate GPA
Work out this term, fold in your past credits, or flip to target mode and see what you need.
Add courses, grades, and credits
Enter each course, its grade and its credit hours. The calculator converts each grade into grade points, multiplies by credits and divides by total GPA credits.
Pick the scale that matches your school before reading the result. The selector switches A+ between 4.0 and 4.3, which is the main place transcripts differ. And if you already have a GPA, the optional cumulative fields fold this term into it: enter your current GPA and completed credits, and the result shows the new combined number.
If a course does not count toward GPA, leave it out of the GPA credit total. Examples can include pass/fail, audit or withdrawn courses, depending on school policy.
Quality points and GPA
GPA is a credit weighted average of grade points. A 4 credit course affects the result more than a 1 credit course.
The result is not always the same as a simple average of letter grades. Credits matter.
Weighted GPA and unweighted GPA are different systems. Weighted GPA may add value for honors, AP, IB or advanced courses. Unweighted GPA usually caps grades on a standard 4.0 scale.
GPA formula
For each course, multiply grade points by credit hours. Add those quality points together. Then divide by the total number of GPA credits.
Formula: GPA = total quality points / total GPA credits.
For example, an A worth 4.0 in a 3 credit class gives 12 quality points. A B worth 3.0 in a 4 credit class gives 12 quality points.
This is why the credit column should be checked before the grade column. A wrong credit value can quietly move the final GPA.
A three-course GPA example
Suppose you have A in a 3 credit class, B in a 4 credit class and A- worth 3.7 in a 2 credit class.
Quality points are 12, 12 and 7.4. Total quality points are 31.4. Total credits are 9.
31.4 divided by 9 gives a GPA of about 3.49.
Weighted scales and repeats
The biggest mistake is ignoring credits. A high grade in a small credit class may not offset a low grade in a larger credit class.
Using the wrong grade scale skews results just as badly. Some schools treat A+ as 4.0. Others use 4.3 or a weighted value.
Also check repeated courses. Schools differ on whether the old attempt, new attempt or both count in GPA.
Check the math against your transcript
A quick way to trust any GPA number is to rebuild one semester you already know. Enter last term with the grade points your school publishes, then compare the result with the transcript.
If the two disagree, the gap usually points at a school rule rather than arithmetic. A repeated course may have replaced an old grade, a pass-fail class carries no grade points, or a withdrawal sits on the transcript without entering the average. Finding which rule applies tells you how your school really calculates.
Working toward a target GPA
Target mode answers the question students actually ask: what do I need this term to reach 3.5? Enter your current GPA, the credits behind it, the goal and the credits you are taking now. The calculator works out the term GPA that lands you exactly on the target.
The answer is honest about limits. Credits already on the transcript anchor the average, so a senior with 100 credits moves their cumulative GPA far more slowly than a freshman with 15. When the required term GPA comes back above 4.0, the math is telling you the goal needs more than one term, not that you should try harder.
GPA Calculator FAQ
What GPA do I need this term to reach my goal?
Use target mode. It multiplies your goal by the credits you will have after this term, subtracts the points you already hold, and divides by the credits you are taking now.
Going from 3.1 to 3.3 with 60 credits done and 15 in progress needs a 4.1 term, so on a 4.0 scale that jump takes more than one semester.
How is GPA calculated?
GPA is calculated by multiplying each course grade point by its credits, adding those quality points and dividing by total GPA credits.
This makes GPA a weighted average, not a simple grade average.
Courses with more credits have more influence on the result.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA usually uses the same grade point scale for all classes, often capped at 4.0.
Weighted GPA may give extra points for harder courses such as AP, IB, honors or dual enrollment.
Because schools use different weighting rules, always check the scale before comparing weighted GPAs.
Do pass/fail classes count toward GPA?
Often they do not count toward GPA, but they may still count toward earned credits. The rule depends on the school.
If a pass/fail class has no grade points, it should not be included in GPA quality points.
Check your registrar or handbook if the result is for an application or official form.
Should I include repeated courses?
It depends on your schools repeat policy. Some replace the old grade. Some average both attempts. Some keep both on the transcript but count only one in GPA.
A calculator can model the math, but the official answer comes from the school policy.
When in doubt, run both versions and compare them, then verify which rule applies.
Why does my calculated GPA not match my transcript?
The grade scale, credits, repeated courses or excluded classes may not match the transcript rules.
Weighted courses can also cause differences if you used an unweighted scale.
Compare one course at a time. Most mismatches come from a single course setting rather than the arithmetic itself.