Calculate weighted and unweighted GPA with support for Regular, Honors, AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment courses. Add multiple semesters, track cumulative GPA, and use the "What If" calculator to project future GPA. Includes GPA-to-letter scale reference.
Enter course name, credit hours (or units), letter grade, and course type (Regular, Honors, AP/IB/Dual Enrollment). Add as many courses as needed. Click Add Semester to calculate each term separately.
Both weighted and unweighted GPAs are calculated simultaneously. Weighted GPA adds 0.5 for Honors and 1.0 for AP/IB courses. Unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for all courses. Semester GPA and cumulative GPA are shown.
Enter planned future courses with expected grades to see projected GPA. The What If calculator shows how new grades will affect your cumulative GPA — useful for college application planning and academic goal setting.
GPA (Grade Point Average) is the average of grade points earned, weighted by credit hours. Each letter grade is assigned points: A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0, etc. For each course: quality points = grade points × credit hours. GPA = total quality points ÷ total credit hours. Example: an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course = 12 quality points. A B+ (3.3) in a 4-credit course = 13.2 quality points. GPA = (12+13.2)÷(3+4) = 3.60.
Unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for all courses — an A in AP Chemistry and an A in gym class both count as 4.0. Weighted GPA recognises course difficulty: Honors courses typically add 0.5 points (A = 4.5) and AP/IB courses add 1.0 point (A = 5.0), creating a 5.0 scale. Weighted GPA rewards students who take rigorous courses. Most colleges recalculate GPAs on their own scale when reviewing applications.
Highly selective universities (top 20): typically 3.7–4.0 unweighted. Selective universities (top 100): 3.5–3.8. Competitive universities: 3.2–3.5. Most four-year colleges: 2.5–3.2. Community colleges and many state schools: 2.0 minimum. Note that colleges also consider course rigour — a 3.5 GPA with many AP courses may be viewed more favourably than a 3.8 GPA with only standard courses. GPA is one of many factors alongside standardised tests, essays, and extracurriculars.
A course worth more credits has more influence on your GPA. A 4-credit course with an A (4.0) contributes 16 quality points. A 1-credit course with an F (0.0) contributes 0 quality points but only 1 credit hour of "weight." This means a single bad grade in a high-credit course significantly hurts GPA, while a bad grade in a 1-credit elective has minimal impact. Strategically, prioritise grade performance in high-credit core courses.
Cumulative GPA is your overall GPA calculated across all semesters combined, not just one term. It is the number colleges see on transcripts and what is used for academic standing, honours, and scholarship eligibility. Semester GPA reflects only that term's performance. Cumulative GPA changes slowly as more credits accumulate — it becomes harder to raise (or lower) your cumulative GPA in later semesters because earlier grades become a smaller percentage of the total.
Yes, but the impact decreases as total credits increase. In your first semester: grades heavily impact GPA. After 60 credits: you need many A grades to move your GPA by even 0.1 points. Use the What If calculator to model specific scenarios. Strategies: retake failed courses if your school allows grade replacement, take high-credit courses where you expect A grades, and maintain consistent grades rather than trying to recover in the final term.
