How to Calculate Your GPA
Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a standard way of measuring academic achievement in high school and college. Because different classes carry different weights (credit hours), simply averaging your grades won't give you an accurate number. You need a weighted average.
The GPA Formula
GPA = (Total Quality Points) / (Total Attempted Credits)
Each letter grade corresponds to a quality point value (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0). To find your total quality points for a class, multiply the grade value by the number of credits the class is worth.
Example Calculation
Assume you took three classes this semester:
- Biology (4 credits): Grade A (4.0) ? 4 x 4 = 16 points
- History (3 credits): Grade B (3.0) ? 3 x 3 = 9 points
- Art (2 credits): Grade C (2.0) ? 2 x 2 = 4 points
Total Points = 29. Total Credits = 9.
Your GPA = 29 / 9 = 3.22.