Finding your Grade Point Average (GPA) involves a straightforward calculation that reflects your academic performance. Your GPA is determined by assigning point values to your letter grades and then averaging them, weighted by the credit hours of each course.
Understanding the GPA Calculation
To calculate your GPA, you'll need two key pieces of information for each course: your final letter grade and the number of credit hours (also known as credits or units) for that course.
Here's a step-by-step guide to calculating your GPA:
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Assign Point Values to Letter Grades: Each letter grade corresponds to a specific point value. While these can vary slightly between institutions, a common scale is:
Letter Grade Point Value A / 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 D- 0.7 F 0.0 -
Calculate Quality Points for Each Course: For every course, multiply the point value of your letter grade by the number of credit hours for that course. The result is called "quality points."
Quality Points = Grade Point Value × Credit Hours
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Total Your Quality Points: Add up the quality points from all the courses you are including in your GPA calculation (e.g., all courses in a semester for a semester GPA, or all courses across all terms for a cumulative GPA).
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Total Your Credit Hours: Sum the credit hours for all the courses you are including in your GPA calculation.
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Divide to Find Your GPA: Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.
GPA = Total Quality Points / Total Credit Hours
Practical Example
Let's illustrate with an example for a single semester:
Imagine you took the following courses:
| Course Name | Letter Grade | Grade Point Value | Credit Hours | Quality Points (Grade Point Value × Credit Hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Math | B+ | 3.3 | 3 | 3.3 × 3 = 9.9 |
| English Composition | A- | 3.7 | 3 | 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 |
| World History | C | 2.0 | 4 | 2.0 × 4 = 8.0 |
| Biology Lab | B | 3.0 | 1 | 3.0 × 1 = 3.0 |
| Totals | 11 | 32.0 |
In this example:
- Total Quality Points: 9.9 + 11.1 + 8.0 + 3.0 = 32.0
- Total Credit Hours: 3 + 3 + 4 + 1 = 11
Now, divide the total quality points by the total credit hours:
GPA = 32.0 / 11 = 2.909
So, your GPA for this semester would be approximately 2.91.
Types of GPA
- Semester GPA: This reflects your academic performance for a single academic term (e.g., Fall, Spring, Summer).
- Cumulative GPA: This represents your overall academic performance across all terms you have completed at an institution. It is calculated using the total quality points and total credit hours from all your courses.
Where to Find Your Official GPA
While you can always calculate your GPA manually, your official GPA is typically found on your:
- Academic Transcript: This official document provides a complete record of your courses, grades, credits, and both your semester and cumulative GPAs.
- Student Portal/Online Academic Records: Most educational institutions provide an online portal where you can access your grades and current GPA.
