GPA Calculator

How GPA Calculator Works

GPA = Σ(GPA Value × Credits × Weight) / Σ(Credits) | Weighted GPA includes course difficulty

Grade Points

Grade Points — Numeric value assigned to each letter grade. Standard unweighted: A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0.

Credits

Credits — The weight or units assigned to each course. A typical semester course is 3 credits, while a lab might be 1 credit.

GPA & Weighted

GPA & Weighted GPA — GPA is the weighted average of grade points across all courses, typically on a 4.0 scale. Weighted GPA adds extra points (+0.5 to +1.0) for advanced coursework like AP/IB to reflect increased rigor.

How to Use

1. Select "Calculate GPA" mode and add your courses using the dynamic form. For each course, enter the course name (optional), letter grade, credit hours, and optional weight (Regular, Honors, or AP/IB).
2. Click "+ Add Course" to add more courses or the trash icon to remove one. A minimum of 2 courses is required.
3. For "Target GPA" mode, enter your current GPA, completed credits, target GPA, and remaining credits to find what grades you need in future courses.
4. Results show both your weighted GPA (with Honors/AP/IB bonuses) and unweighted GPA (standard 4.0 scale) side by side.

Understanding the Result

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?

Unweighted GPA treats all courses equally, using a 4.0 scale where an A is worth 4.0 regardless of difficulty. Weighted GPA gives extra credit for harder courses like AP, Honors, or IB — a B in an AP class might be worth 3.66 rather than 3.0. Most high schools report both GPAs: unweighted for college admission comparisons and weighted for class rank. Colleges often recalculate GPA using their own formula to standardize across applicants from different high schools.

What is considered a good GPA?

A 3.0 (B average) is generally considered satisfactory, 3.5+ is considered strong, and 4.0+ (possible with weighted courses) is exceptional. Competitive colleges typically look for 3.5+ unweighted. However, course rigor matters too — a 3.5 with multiple AP courses is more impressive than a 4.0 with all easy classes. Different high schools also use different GPA scales (4.0, 5.0, 6.0, or 100-point), so college admissions officers contextualize GPA within the school profile.

How does the Target GPA calculator work?

The Target GPA calculator answers the question: "What grades do I need from here on out to reach my goal?" It takes your current GPA, the number of credits completed, your target GPA, and the number of remaining credits. The formula is: Required GPA = (Target × Total Credits − Current GPA × Completed Credits) / Remaining Credits. If the result exceeds 4.0 (or 5.0 for weighted), the target is not achievable.

Do colleges look at weighted or unweighted GPA?

Most colleges consider both. Unweighted GPA provides a standardized comparison across all applicants. Weighted GPA and course rigor (how many AP, IB, Honors, and dual-enrollment courses you took) show academic ambition and preparation for college-level work. Some colleges recalculate GPA by assigning their own values to letter grades and considering only core academic subjects.

Sources

• How to Calculate Your GPA
• High School Transcript Study — GPA Methodology
• Grading in Education