How course letters and credits produce GPA on this example scale
This GPA calculator converts each selected letter grade to points on the displayed example 4.0 table, weights it by that course's credit hours, and divides by graded credits. P, NP, I and W rows stay visible but contribute to neither total.
Each course row has a name, letter grade and credit hours. This page's labelled example table maps A+ and A to 4.00, A− to 3.67, B+ to 3.33 and F to zero. The calculator multiplies each mapped point value by that course's credits; a four-credit course has more influence than a one-credit lab. Its table is an example, so a school that gives A+ 4.3 needs its own policy calculation.
Add and remove course rows directly, choose letters from a visible example grade table, and see exactly which credit hours and quality points counted. P, NP, I and W remain visible as excluded rows.
How each course row contributes to the GPA
Add a name, choose a letter and enter credit hours for each course. The displayed example 4.0 mapping supplies the points; your school's policy may differ.
- Course name
- Names make the result ledger readable but never change the arithmetic. Blank rows are skipped; a partly completed course row must be finished or removed.
- Letter grade
- The dropdown uses the table below: A+ and A are 4.00, B+ is 3.33 and F is zero. The percentage bands are shown for context, not used to convert a typed percentage.
- Credit hours
- Every A+ through F grade is weighted by its positive course credits. Four credits at A contribute 16 quality points; three credits at B+ contribute 9.99. Each entered amount may be 0.01 to 30.
- Excluded grades
- P, NP, I and W remain listed but contribute neither credits nor points. F is different: it adds graded credits and zero quality points, so it lowers the average.
- Result rounding
- Quality points and credits are summed before division. The answer is shown to four decimal places, while the compact form summary shows two; use your institution's rounding rule for official thresholds.
Steps
- Add a row for each course, enter its name and credits, and choose its letter grade from the dropdown.
- Use Add course or the remove button to match your schedule; check the example point table against your institution's policy.
- Select Calculate GPA to see quality points, graded credits and excluded rows.
Reading tip: Check the graded-credit and quality-point totals alongside the course ledger. An ignored P, NP, I or W row stays visible there but adds nothing to either total.
Letters, percentages and grade points used here
This calculator uses the illustrative 4.0 mapping below. Percentage bands explain the example table; the form takes a letter grade, and your institution may set different bands or points.
| Grade | Percentage | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90%–100% | 4.00 |
| A | 86%–89% | 4.00 |
| A- | 82%–85% | 3.67 |
| B+ | 78%–81% | 3.33 |
| B | 74%–77% | 3.00 |
| B- | 70%–73% | 2.67 |
| C+ | 66%–69% | 2.33 |
| C | 62%–65% | 2.00 |
| C- | 58%–61% | 1.67 |
| D+ | 54%–57% | 1.33 |
| D | 50%–53% | 1.00 |
| F | 0%–49% | 0.00 |
Quality points = grade points × credit hours. P (Pass), NP (Not pass), I (Incomplete), W (Withdrawal) are ignored in both GPA totals. F earns 0 points but its credits count.
When a course-by-course GPA check helps
Estimate this term's GPA
Add each course's letter grade and credits before official results are posted.
Check a failed course's effect
See how F adds credits to the divisor while contributing no quality points.
Review non-GPA courses
Verify that P, NP, I and W rows are visible but excluded from both totals.
Compare course weights
Inspect why a four-credit grade shifts the average more than a one-credit lab.
How the calculation works
- letterᵢ
- Selected A+ to F grade for course i, mapped using this page's illustrative 4.0 table.
- creditsᵢ
- Positive credit hours for each course included in the graded average.
- Qᵢ / Q
- Quality points for one included course / sum of quality points over all included courses.
- C
- Total credit hours for graded courses; P, NP, I and W are left out, while F stays in.
This is an illustrative 4.0 grading table. A registrar's letter values, cutoffs and repeat policy may differ.
What every part means
- letterᵢ
- Selected A+ to F grade for course i, mapped using this page's illustrative 4.0 table.
- creditsᵢ
- Positive credit hours for each course included in the graded average.
- Qᵢ / Q
- Quality points for one included course / sum of quality points over all included courses.
- C
- Total credit hours for graded courses; P, NP, I and W are left out, while F stays in.
Calculate it step by step
Use the displayed 4.0 grade table. F maps to 0, so its credits still count.
P, NP, I and W add neither quality points nor denominator credits.
At least one graded course is required, so C is positive.
Rows are calculated with decimal arithmetic and the final quotient is rounded to four places for display. Blank rows do not count; partly filled rows are rejected. The table's percentage bands are illustrative and entered percentages are not converted automatically.
See how Calculation Guide tests examples and handles calculation limits.
See it in practice
- Course names, grades and credits
- Mathematics: A, 4 credits; Computer science: B+, 3 credits; Physics lab: A-, 1 credits; Course 4: A, 3 credits
Mathematics A: 4×4=16; Computer science B+: 3×3.33=9.99; Physics lab A−: 1×3.67=3.67; Course 4 A: 3×4=12. Q=41.66, C=11, GPA=41.66÷11=3.7873.
- Total quality points41.66
- Graded credits11
Interpretation & limitations
How to read your result
The result is a credit-weighted course average, not a simple average of letter grades. Inspect the ledger to see whether a high-credit course dominates and which credits were excluded.
Where this estimate stops
Institutions can use different plus/minus points, percentage cutoffs, repeat rules and GPA exclusions. This calculator always uses the displayed example 4.0 table and does not replace a transcript or registrar decision.
Frequently asked questions
01Does A+ always equal 4.0?
No. This page uses the labelled example 4.0 table shown below; some institutions assign 4.3 or another value. Use your registrar's official scale for transcript decisions.
02How are P, NP, I and W handled?
They add no quality points and no graded credits here. An F adds zero points but its credits stay in the denominator.
03Does F count even though it earns zero points?
Yes. F contributes zero quality points but its course credits remain in the denominator, lowering GPA.
04Can I add a half-credit lab?
Yes. Enter 0.5 credits if that is the GPA-bearing amount assigned by your school.
05What if every course is P, NP, I or W?
There are no graded credits to divide by, so the form asks for at least one A+ through F course instead of showing zero GPA.
06Why do A+ and A both give 4.00 here?
This example 4.0 table assigns the same maximum to both letters. A school with 4.3 for A+ uses a different scale and will produce a different GPA.
07What if my campus uses A+ = 4.3?
This calculator's fixed example table would give the wrong answer for that campus. Follow its official point table or use a method that accepts custom point values.