What is a GPA? | How do you calculate your GPA
The grade point average (GPA) is a crucial statistic to track when studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, primarily in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Maintaining good academic standing is important for many reasons, such as staying in your major, getting future financial aid (which is contingent on making sufficient academic progress), getting a scholarship or job, playing sports in college, and more.
What does GPA mean?
The grade point average (GPA) is a measure used by educational institutions, primarily in the United States, to evaluate students’ academic progress and success. GPA is calculated by changing all assignment grades (A, B, C, etc.) to a percentage.
GPA is an abbreviation for “Grade Point Average,” which is a numerical value between 0 and 4 that indicates how well a person performed in school. A perfect score of four indicates an A grade, while a score of zero indicates an F grade.
In most universities around the world, the scale looks like this:
| Letter digit | Number points | Numeric rank |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97-100 |
| a | 4.0 | 94-96 |
| A- | 3.7 | 90-93 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87-89 |
| B | 3.0 | 84-86 |
| B- | 2.7 | 80-83 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77-79 |
| C | 2.0 | 74-76 |
| C- | 1.7 | 70-73 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67-69 |
| D | 1.0 | 64-66 |
| D- | 0.7 | 60-63 |
| F | 0.0 | 0-59 |
How is GPA calculated?
Students are graded on each assignment, project, and exam. The semester average grade is calculated by adding these grades and dividing by the number of work units. The result of these calculations is their grade point average. Use the following steps to calculate your GPA.
- Step 1: Find out how many credits you’ve earned in each course you’ve already completed by looking at the grades you’ve earned: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1.
- Step 2: Multiply each course’s grade value by the course’s credit value to determine your average grade for the semester. If a subject is worth three credits and you get a B for it, your total grade for that subject is a 9.
- Step 3: To calculate your overall points, simply add up your individual points.
- Step 4: Then, to get your GPA score, divide the total number of credits earned by the total number of credits earned.
Here’s more explanation:
| Course name | Rank Value | Course Units | Rank x Units | Number points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math | a | 4 | 4×4 | 16 |
| History | a | 5 | 4×5 | 20 |
| English | a | 6 = 15 |
4×6 | 24 =60 |
| Calculated GPA = 60 ÷ 15 = 4 GPA | ||||
GPA Scores and Grading System | Popular Study Destinations
There are different grading systems with different scales, letters, numbers, etc. Here are some of the most commonly used grading scales in the best study destinations in the world:
- The Number Letter is mostly used in US, UK and Canada.
- According to Australia, most universities’ grading systems are based on letters and numbers.
In Australia, a student’s grade point average is often calculated as: grade points + course unit values/total credits attempted. The final numerical results look like this:
| GradeName | Degree point |
|---|---|
| Great Distinction (HD) | 7 |
| award (D) | 6 |
| Credit | 5 |
| passage | 4 |
| Fail Level 1 | 1 |
| Fail Level 2 | 0 |
What is considered a good GPA?
Here’s what each number on the 4.0 scale means:
| Letter digit | Degree point | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a | 4 | Excellent |
| B | 3 | Good |
| C | 2 | Average |
| D | 1 | Just comply |
| F | 0 | failed |
Many colleges and universities consider a GPA between 3.0 and 3.5 to be sufficient. Most highly competitive colleges and universities have a minimum GPA of 3.75. Even if your GPA is below the minimum requirement, you may still be accepted but may not be eligible for financial aid.
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