You’re GPA, or grade point average, is one number that encompasses all years of classes and colleges, scholarship committees and honor societies all take a look at it. A High School GPA calculator will convert your letter grades and credits into that GPA number in seconds, so you’ll always know where you stand. Discover how to use the calculator, how the math is done behind it, what a good GPA is and how colleges may interpret your transcript differently than your school does.

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How to Use the High School GPA Calculator

A calculator must have three features for each class: course name, the grade you received, and the number of credits the class is worth. It is important that each entry match up with your report card or transcript and to have it with you when you begin. You can compute for each semester, or input all of your classes since 9th grade and obtain your cumulative GPA. Most students will have both grade point averages (GPAs): One for each term and one cumulative for college applications.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Choose your GPA type. Select unweighted (standard 4.0 scale) or weighted (extra points for Honors, AP or IB classes).
2. Add your first course. Type the class name, such as “English 10” or “AP Biology.” The name is optional, but it makes your list easier to check later.
3. Select the grade. Pick the letter grade (A, B+, C and so on) or enter a percentage if the calculator supports it.
4. Enter the credits. Most full-year classes are 1.0 credit and semester classes are 0.5. Check your transcript, because schools differ.
5. Pick the course level. For a weighted GPA, mark each class as Regular, Honors, AP or IB.
6. Add the rest of your classes. Click “Add Course” and repeat for every class in the term, or every term if you want a cumulative GPA.
7. Calculate. Press “Calculate GPA” to see your result, usually rounded to two decimal places.
8. Review and adjust. Check each row for typos. You can also change grades to test “what if” scenarios, like how an A in chemistry would change your total.

Unweighted or Weighted

An unweighted GPA assigns classes a 4.0 grade, meaning that an A in Regular English is worth 4.0 points, just as is an A in AP Calculus. A weighted GPA value is given a higher rating to the harder courses and will often max out at a 5.0.

The most often used grading scale (A) is given 4.0 points if taken in an elective, 4.5 points if taken in an Honors course, and 5.0 points if taken in an AP or IB course. A B earns 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0 points across those same levels, a C earns 2.0, 2.5 or 3.0, and a D earns 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0.

The fact of how advanced the class is, does not affect an F (the result is still 0.0). These are the values which most people would expect but each school has its own rules. Some schools add 1.0 on to, some will not add on to a D, and some caps it. Use the information included on your school transcript.

Which should you use? Calculate both. Your unweighted GPA is your actual grades, while your weighted GPA is an indicator of the rigor of your coursework. This is shown on all transcripts at the college level.

Bookmark, Visit and Update

Your GPA will be updated whenever new grades are posted so use the calculator as a resource to revisit, not a complete check.

First, bookmark the calculator in your browser (Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on Mac) so that it is always there at a right click away. After each grading period, and after you get a progress report, quarter grades or final semester grades, visit it again and enter your latest grades.

Since many calculators will not remember what you have written in them once you close the tab, make a simple checklist of each class, grade and credit onto a note or spreadsheet that you can cut and paste it in every time. Additionally, the calculator can be used to plan ahead: when selecting next year’s classes, try out the effects of taking an AP course or increasing just one grade to see how your GPA will change.

How to Calculate Your High School GPA

Your GPA is the sum of your all grades, divided by the number of credits. It can be done manually in 4 steps: To get started, make sure to convert all letter grades to points based on your school’s scale. Then multiply the points that each class earns by the number of credit points assigned to the class, and the result = the class’s quality points. Then total up all your quality points and all your credits. Lastly, calculate the GPA by sharing the total number of quality points by the total number of credits and you will end up with the GPA.

In brief, GPA is equal to the total quality points divided by total credits.

Common plus/minus scale (unweighted): 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, F = 0.0.

Worked example

Picture a student who received an A in English 10 (1.0 credit), a B in AP Biology (1.0 credit), an A- in Algebra II (1.0 credit), a B+ in Spanish II (1.0 credit) and an A in Health (0.5 credit). Unweighted, those grades are worth 4.0, 3.0, 3.7, 3.3 and 4.0 points. When multiplied by the credit values, they provide 4.0, 3.0, 3.7, 3.3 and 2.0 quality points across 4.5 credit. AP Biology receives an additional point for the weighted GPA, so that its quality points are now 4.0 and the total quality points are 17.0.

Unweighted GPA: 16.0 ÷ 4.5 = 3.56. Weighted GPA (AP Biology gets +1.0): 17.0 ÷ 4.5 = 3.78.

Please see that the half-credit class in Health is half the credit of other classes. It is for this reason that it is important to enter the right credits.

What Is a Good High School GPA?

The “good” GPA will be dependent on your objectives, but generally a 3.0 is about average for U.S. high school graduates and above a 3.5 is strong. The colleges for which you are targeting are more important than individual cut-offs.

With a challenging course load, an unweighted GPA of 3.8 to 4.0 is a competitive average for the most selective colleges. A GPA of 3.5-3.79 is good for an applicant and leads to acceptance at most selective colleges and universities and merit scholarships. A GPA of 3.0 – 3.49 is good and will be accepted at many four-year institutions. A GPA of 2.5 to 2.99 is fair; many colleges will still accept students in this range, but may place more emphasis on other academic strengths, like essays, activities and test scores.

Anything below 2.5 is an opportunity to improve and community college and transfer programs are viable pathways. To find out how “good” is defined for a certain college on your list, check the GPA range occupied by the middle 50% of the admits. It is frequently posted on a college’s Common Data Set or admissions

How Colleges Recalculate Your GPA

Many colleges don’t consider your school’s GPA as is. Each high school uses a different method to weight grades and admissions offices typically standardize grade point averages so they can make a fair comparison.

Many schools opt to count core academic courses instead. Many colleges eliminate PE, art, health, and other elective classes in exchange for more English, math, science, and social studies and world language. Colleges are also equal opportunity employers: some do not count all the extra points and use an unweighted 4.0 scale, some give a fixed amount of extra points for Honors, AP, and IB courses (and sometimes limit the number of courses to count for the extra points).

Other colleges do not consider 9th grade or may only consider 10th and 11th grades. For example, the University of California offers academic courses at the 10th and 11th grade levels, and rewards them with an honors bonus for higher grades. Minuses and pluses may also be interpreted differently as well, an A- may be considered a 3.7 in one college and a 4.0 in another.

This could result in a different GPA being calculated than what is listed on your transcript. Estimate by taking the calculator with only the core classes (unweighted). Afterwards visit each college’s website for details on their application process.

Keep Your GPA Up to Date

An up-to-date GPA enables you to detect any issues early and plan accordingly, rather than make assumptions. Recomputed your GPA after each grading period as opposed to when you have completed a year of school, and review your new score with your counselor each semester to discuss any discrepancies with them. It will also make it easier to keep tabs on your Term GPA and cumulative GPA separately, in case your term GPA is strong, even though your overall GPA is not progressing quickly.

Making numbers useful with a target. The calculator’s what if feature shows the grades you must make this term to achieve a specific grade goal (for example, a 3.5 overall GPA). Last but not least, you shouldn’t overlook to update your numbers prior to college applications, honor society applications, or scholarship applications where you may be requested to “self-report” your GPA.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common error is to not look at the credits. Assigning a half credit course to students instead of a full credit course distorts the results. Another is using a weighted GPA for some and a regular unweighted GPA for others; do one or the other type of GPA for all courses. Students also make the assumption that each school assigns +1 point for each AP class, and use the points given by your school if you are using them.

Courses with no grade points do not need to be included, such as pass/no pass and audited courses. Classes that are retaken should also be cared for, as some schools drop the previous grade, but some schools average the two. Don’t assume that in-progress or midterm grades will be final, because they may very well be, and state these grades as an estimate.

Finally, do not round each class but only round your final GPA; generally two decimal places. Do not neglect to do 9th grade as well: Most colleges consider your overall GPA, which is typically affected by every year you’ve spent in high school.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 4.0 GPA weighted or unweighted?

In the unweighted scale, 4.0 is a perfect score (straight A’s). A 4.0 on a weighted grading system is good, but not the highest; AP or Honors courses may allow students to achieve a 5.0.

Can my GPA be higher than 4.0?

Yes, but only in terms of weighted GPA. Extra points for Honors, AP or IB classes let you go above 4.0. An unweighted GPA cannot.

Does my freshman year count toward my GPA?

Usually yes. 9th grade is part of your school’s cumulative GPA. Some colleges compute it out, but this is not a given.

How often should I calculate my GPA?

Every grading period, e.g. each quarter or semester. Regular checks can help you notice a decline in your grade in time to do something about it.

Do colleges prefer weighted or unweighted GPA?

Most consider both as well as the hardship of classes. Many compute their own GPAs, and more of a well-planned course with grades will be of more importance than either of these.