Your semester GPA from letter grades and credit hours — the exact grade-point math, unweighted or weighted for honors and AP classes. Enter up to six courses; the answer is already computed below.
106
Your semester GPA
Pick each course's letter grade and its credit hours. A 4-credit course counts twice as much as a 2-credit one — that's the whole trick of GPA math.
How it works: each letter grade becomes grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0, with plus/minus steps), multiplied by that course's credit hours to get quality points. GPA = total quality points ÷ total credit hours. Honors weighting adds 0.5 and AP/IB adds 1.0 to each course's grade points before multiplying. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Why credits matter more than you think
A GPA is not the average of your letter grades — it's a weighted average, weighted by credit hours. A 4-credit A− (14.8 quality points) moves your GPA more than a 2-credit A (8.0 quality points). That's why one rough semester in heavy-credit science courses hurts more than a rough elective — and why acing your heaviest courses is the fastest way to lift the number.
Output · formula · meaning
Output
Formula
What it means
Semester GPA
quality points ÷ credit hours
The headline number on the 4.0 scale: 3.37 for the default semester.
Quality points
Σ (grade points × credits)
The raw score behind the GPA — 60.6 here. More courses, more points.
Credit hours
Σ credits
The divisor — 18 here. The number that decides how much each grade counts.
Weighted GPA
(grade points + bonus) × credits ÷ credits
Honors +0.5 or AP/IB +1.0 per course — can exceed 4.0 legitimately.
Worked example: the 3.37 semester
Maya takes six courses: English A (3 cr → 12.0 points), Biology B+ (3 cr → 9.9), Calculus A− (4 cr → 14.8), History B (3 cr → 9.0), Chemistry C+ (3 cr → 6.9), Art A (2 cr → 8.0). Quality points total 60.6 over 18 credit hours: 60.6 ÷ 18 = 3.37. Notice the 4-credit A− in Calculus contributes more (14.8) than the 2-credit A in Art (8.0) — credits are the hidden lever.
Who uses this
Students: what-if planning — "what if I pull that C+ up to a B?" before finals.
Parents: checking whether the semester clears scholarship or athletic eligibility cutoffs.
Transfer applicants: estimating the cumulative GPA a new school will see on the application.
Advisors & counselors: quick grade-point math during planning meetings.
Accuracy & limitations
Scales vary by school. This calculator uses the common 4.0 scale with A+ = 4.0 — some schools count A+ as 4.3, some don't use plus/minus at all (straight A = 4.0, B = 3.0), and weighting rules differ (some schools weight honors +0.5, AP +1.0; others differ). Match your school's published scale before reporting the number anywhere official — and remember most cumulative GPAs blend every semester, not just one.
Planning finals? The final grade calculator tells you what score you need on the exam to land your target grade, and the how GPA is calculated guide walks through the math and the fastest ways to raise it.
Cite this pageBright Side Kit. “GPA Calculator.” brightoolbox.com, 2026.Bright Side Kit. "GPA Calculator." https://brightoolbox.com/gpa-calculator/ Accessed October 21, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Convert each letter grade to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0, with plus/minus steps), multiply by that course's credit hours to get quality points, then divide total quality points by total credit hours. That's it — one division.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0 — every course uses the same scale. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder courses (commonly +0.5 for honors, +1.0 for AP/IB), so it can exceed 4.0. Colleges often re-weight on their own scale, so report whichever version the school asks for.
Is an A+ worth 4.0 or 4.3?
It depends on the school. This calculator uses the most common scale, where A+ = 4.0. Some schools count A+ as 4.3 and some don't use plus/minus at all. Check your school's published scale if the exact decimal matters — say, for a scholarship cutoff.
Do all classes count the same toward GPA?
No — credit hours decide each grade's weight. A 4-credit course counts twice as much as a 2-credit one. Two A's aren't equal if one is 4 credits and the other is 2: 16.0 vs 8.0 quality points.
What is a good GPA?
On the 4.0 scale: 3.0+ is solid and clears most eligibility cutoffs, 3.5+ is Dean's List territory at most schools, and 2.0 is the graduation floor at most colleges. Context matters — a 3.4 in engineering reads differently than a 3.4 in a less curved major.
How can I raise my GPA fastest?
Ace your heaviest-credit courses — they move the number most. If your school replaces retaken grades, re-taking a failed or D-grade high-credit course is the single biggest lever. And plan with the final grade calculator before finals so you know exactly what each exam needs to be.