12 min read
What is GPA?
Grade Point Average (GPA) summarizes your academic performance on a numeric scale. In the US, an A is typically worth 4.0 points, a B is 3.0, and so on. Your semester GPA is the average of all course GPA points weighted by credit hours.
The GPA formula
GPA = Total Quality Points ÷ Total Credit Hours. Quality points for each course = GPA points for that letter grade × credit hours. For example, an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course contributes 12 quality points.
Step-by-step example
Suppose you earned an A in English (3 credits), B+ in Math (4 credits), and A- in History (3 credits). Convert each grade to GPA points, multiply by credits, sum the quality points (12 + 13.2 + 11.1 = 36.3), and divide by total credits (10). Your semester GPA is 3.63.
Cumulative vs semester GPA
Semester GPA covers one term. Cumulative GPA combines all completed semesters. Use our cumulative GPA calculator to add your previous GPA and credits to your current semester results.
Tips for raising your GPA
Focus on high-credit courses where improvement has the biggest impact. Track assignments with the weighted grade calculator so you know where you stand before finals. Plan your final exam target with the final grade calculator.
Quality points in plain language
Quality points are just GPA points multiplied by credits. A 3-credit A (4.0) is 12 quality points. A 4-credit B (3.0) is also 12 quality points. That is why a hard 4-credit course moves your GPA more than a 1-credit seminar with the same letter.
What this calculator does not do
The semester GPA tool ignores past terms, Honors/AP bonuses, and pass/fail rules. If you need those, switch to cumulative GPA, weighted GPA, or the college GPA page so the story matches your transcript.
How credit hours change the story
Imagine two students who both earned one A and one C. Student A took a 1-credit seminar (A) and a 4-credit lab (C). Student B did the reverse. Student A’s GPA is pulled toward the C because four of five credits sit there. Student B’s GPA is pulled toward the A. Always list real credit hours from the registrar, not “one row per class” with fake 3s.
Plus/minus and school-specific tables
A B+ is 3.3 on the common US 4.0 table, but some high schools still use A=4, B=3 with no plus/minus. A few colleges give A+ a 4.3. If your transcript legend disagrees with our default, change the scale selector before you trust the number. The formula never changes — only the letter-to-points map does.
Repeated courses and withdrawals
Some schools replace the first attempt when you retake a course; others average both. Withdrawals (W) usually add no quality points and no credits. Incompletes (I) should wait until a letter posts. If your policy is replacement, delete the old row. If your policy is averaging, keep both attempts.
Transfer credit
Transfer hours often count toward graduation but not GPA. Do not paste a community-college 4.0 into a university cumulative calculator unless your new school says those grades stay on the GPA. When in doubt, use only courses that appear in the GPA hours column of your unofficial transcript.
Semester vs term vs quarter
A semester is usually 15 weeks and 12–18 credits. Quarters are shorter and list more terms per year. The math is identical: quality points divided by attempted GPA hours. If you attend a quarter school, add one period per quarter in the high school or cumulative tools instead of forcing two “semesters.”
Worked example with mixed percents and letters
You can type 92 instead of A− if that is what the portal shows. We convert 92 through the selected scale (US Standard A− = 3.7) then multiply by credits. Mixing “A” in one row and “88” in another is fine as long as both rows use the same scale. Do not mix a UK 68 (2:1) with a US B+ on the same 4.0 table.
When to open a different GPA tool
One term, unweighted → this guide’s calculator. Several terms on a transcript → cumulative GPA. Honors/AP bonuses → weighted or high school GPA. Planning a target after 60 credits → raise GPA. UK module marks → degree classification, not a 4.0 tool.
Try it yourself
Use the calculator below with your own numbers.
Grading scale: Common US 4.0 GPA Scale
Change this if your school uses a different scale.
Semester GPA
3.90
9 credit hours
Add previous semesters
Combine this semester with your overall GPA.