Your grade point average (GPA) is the sum of all your course grades throughout your high school career divided by the total number of credits. Most high schools (and colleges) report grades on a 4.0 scale. The top grade, an A, equals a 4.0.
Why is a Good GPA Important?
We receive data from schools every year, and from that we know there are two factors that weigh most heavily in college admission:
The answer to thisdepends on where you want to go to college. Check out the GPA ranges for accepted students to the schools on your wishlist, and see how your grades compare. Use our college search to research schools that interest you or grab a copy of ourbook Best 384 Colleges to help you find your best-fit school.
Colleges will also consider the rigor of your high school schedule . Did you take Honors and AP courses when they were available? Were you enrolled in your high school’s IB program? Besides doing well inthecourses you took, colleges want to see that you are challenging yourself academically.
GPA Scale
Since GPA is so important, here's a simple chart that shows how to convert your letter grades to the 4.0 scale
An unweighted GPA is the average of all your grades on the 4.0 scale above.
Some high schools use a weighted GPA scale, which gives more points (greater "weight") to grades in accelerated courses like Honors Biology or AP French. So, while a B might normally equal a 3.0, a B in an AP class would be more like a 3.3 on a weighted scale.
Your GPA will help you get in, but in these budget-tight times, great grades can also translate directly into dollars and cents. As Kal Chaneyattests in our book Paying for College , “Every tenth of a point a student raises her high school GPA can save her thousands of dollars in student loans she won’t have to pay back later.”
Even at schools where students are awarded aid based only on their financial need , applicants with high academic achievement get preferential packaging. (Their award packages have a higher percentage of grants and a lower percentage of loans.) Some colleges offer full scholarships for great GPAs. There are other schools (more and more in recent years) that give out large merit-based grants,regardlessof need. These grants are not necessarily just for 4.0 students, either! We know of several colleges that award merit-based grants for students with B averages.
Get Your Grades Up—and Keep Them That Way!
Senioritis is real, but colleges keep an eye on your grades even after you’re accepted. So don't think you can let your grades sink once that acceptance letter hits your mailbox! Plus, if you were waitlisted for your dream school, keeping your GPA up could boost your chances of getting off of it .
Test Your College Knowledge
How well do you understand the college admissions process? Find out with our quiz.
Your GPA is the mean of your grades, meaning that you add the grade points together and divide them by the number of grades. Keep in mind that some schools calculate GPA a bit differently, and some also count advanced placement or honors classes as a higher number.
To determine the total grade points earned per semester, determine the points for each class and add them together for the total grade points that semester. To determine your grade point average, divide the total grade points by the total credit hours under consideration.
Many schools report your GPA on a 4.0 scale. Obtaining this grade at the end of the semester would be the equivalent of getting all A's or perfect scores in all your classes. If you have perfect scores all around then there is no need to use this calculator as your GPA is obviously 4.0.
A 3.7 GPA is a Grade Point Average of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A- average in your courses. A 3.7 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.
Add up the total amount of points earned, and add the total points possible. Divide total points earned by total points possible and multiply by 100 to find your final percentage and grade.
To calculate your current letter grade, divide the points earned by the points possible. Using the example, 380 divided by 536 equals 0.71. To turn this into a percentage multiply the answer by 100 or move the decimal point over two places. This equals 71 or 71%.
Will one “C” ruin my GPA in high school? While receiving a “C” will impact your GPA, it will certainly not ruin it. That “C” won't ruin your chances of getting into college either. However, how leniently colleges view the “C” will largely depend on what grade you received it in.
One B will not ruin your GPA and prevent you from getting into a great college! As long as you have a strong academic record besides that one B, you should be completely fine.
GPA Impact: One D will indeed lower your GPA, but the effect depends on the number of classes you've taken and the grades you've received in the other courses. You can calculate your updated GPA to see how significantly it has been impacted.
Because a 2.8 is two-tenths of a point from a B average, a 2.8 GPA indicates several above-average grades and that your performance on homework and exams was up to par. With a 2.8 GPA, several colleges will consider your application, so you have a decent number of options to choose from.
Your grade point average (GPA) is the sum of all your course grades throughout your high school career divided by the total number of credits. Most high schools (and colleges) report grades on a 4.0 scale. The top grade, an A, equals a 4.0.
The US grading system uses a 4.0 GPA scale, which means that 25 points are equal to 1 point in the US GPA. Therefore, to convert the percentage to GPA 4.0 scale, just divide it by 100 and then multiply it by 4.
A 3.3 GPA is a strong GPA, falling within the range of the top 25-30% of students. But it may not guarantee admission to highly selective colleges. Admissions committees consider many factors when making their decisions, including GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and essays.
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