GPA Calculator & How to Calculate: Percentage, Marks and Grades

Are you considering studying a bachelor’s or master’s programme in the top universities in the world? 

If so, you must have read a lot about GPA or Grade Point Average. GPA is a numerical representation of your academic performance which is calculated by averaging the grades you have earned in your courses. 

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Here’s an interesting fact: According to Bureau of Immigration statistics, 7.65L Indian students chose to study abroad up till October 2023.  

Hence, the importance of understanding GPA plays a crucial role in evaluating academic success and how it can impact your future opportunities. Most commonly, in American universities, an average GPA is commonly used to indicate whether a student is performing well academically. 

But how to calculate GPA? That’s what this guide on GPA calculator aims to resolve for you.

Through this guide, you will learn how to calculate GPA and when you might need to use a GPA calculator for accurate results. 

Key Highlights

Here’s an overview of everything you’ll discover in this guide on GPA calculator. 

What is a Grade Point Average (GPA)?

GPA stands for Grade Point Average. It is a number used to reflect your overall academic performance over a specific period – be it a semester, an academic year, or a particular course.

Most colleges use the 4.0 GPA scale along with the A-B-C-D-F grading system. Each letter grade corresponds to a specific grade point value. On this scale, the GPA ranges from 0 to 4, with 4 being the highest possible score (an A) and 0 being the lowest (an F).

Here is a table summarising the same for your quick reference. 

Importance of GPA for International Students

Throughout your university education, your GPA is a key metric that reflects your overall academic performance. While you will certainly know if you’ve excelled in individual courses, your average GPA provides a comprehensive overview of your grades.

During your Bachelor’s or Master’s program, you may be required to provide your average GPA in various circumstances, including but not limited to the following. 

• As proof of how you have performed previously in your high school
• Applying for graduate or postgraduate programs (Master’s, PhD)
• Applying for a scholarship
• Joining an organisation or club
• Participating in extracurricular activities

For instance, a good GPA for an MBA program typically falls between 3.0 and 3.5 on a scale of 1.0 to 4.0. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average college GPA is 3.28.

Hence, if you are targeting top MBA programs in the US, you might aim for a GPA above this range. Therefore, maintaining a strong GPA is essential to boosting your chances for admission at the best MBA Colleges in the USA for Indian Students.

Also Read: MBA in USA: USA MBA Fees for Indian Students

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Understanding Grading Systems

Did you know? Most universities and colleges around the world use different grading systems. 

These include the following:

• Grading system ranging from 0 to 100
• Letter grades from A to F 
• A percentage scale from 0 to 10

For instance, the UK uses a classification system with first-class marks, the US uses letter grades, while Switzerland and Germany use numerical grades from 1 to 6.

Here is a table summarising the key grading systems to help you understand them better.

Now that you have a clear understanding of what a GPA is and the different types of grading systems read on to learn how to calculate GPA using a GPA calculator. 

How to Calculate GPA?

Before discussing how to calculate GPA, it is essential to understand the two types of GPA: simple average and weighted average.

The simple average GPA is calculated by summing the scores from all your courses over a semester and dividing that total by the number of courses. 

For instance, let’s say your scores are as follows.

Now, to calculate your GPA, you add up the scores across subjects (3 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 14) and divide it by the number of subjects (4). The unweighted GPA would be 3.5.

The weighted GPA, on the other hand, accounts for the level of difficulty of each course. To understand how a weighted GPA works, you need to understand the American system of credits and credit hours.

In the US, each course is assigned a specific number of credit hours, which represent the amount of time spent in the course. Credits reflect the reward earned by a student based on these credit hours.

Let’s take a look at the following example.

So, to calculate the weighted GPA, multiply your grade point for each course by the number of credit hours assigned to that course (4*3 + 3*4 + 3*4 + 4*3= 48). Then, divide the total of these weighted grade points by the total number of credit hours, that is, 48/14. The weighted GPA would be 3.42.

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Weighted and Unweighted GPA Calculator

To simplify the process of calculating your weighted and unweighted GPAs, you can use an online GPA calculator. These tools enable you to enter your grades for each course and automatically calculate your GPA based on the corresponding grade point scale.

Regardless of whether you have letter grades or percentage scores, the GPA calculator can offer a straightforward way to get an accurate assessment of your GPA.

GPA Calculator Components

Various formulas and types of GPA calculators are available to help you convert your grades into a GPA. This section will help you learn how to calculate your weighted GPA using different components like percentages and letter grades.

Read on to first understand how to calculate GPA from percentages. 

How to Calculate GPA from Percentage? 

Converting a GPA from percentage is often essential when applying to educational institutions that use a GPA system to evaluate academic performance.

In order to calculate GPA from percentage, you simply need to determine the range your percentage scores fall into and find the corresponding GPA.

Here is a table to help you understand the percentage ranges and their equivalent GPAs.

Now, moving ahead, focus on learning how to calculate GPA from percentages into a 4-point GPA system.

In the US, the 4.0 GPA scale is commonly used. To convert your percentage to a GPA on this scale, simply divide your percentage by 100 and then multiply the result by 4.

For instance, to convert 70% to a GPA using the method of dividing by 100 and multiplying by 4, you would get a GPA of 2.8.

Additionally, many countries use a 10-point grading system to evaluate their students. The most commonly accepted method for converting a percentage to a 10-point grade is GPA = Final Percentage/9.5.

Please note: In addition to this method, many useful websites provide you with a GPA calculator that can help you easily calculate and convert your GPA scores.

How to Calculate GPA from Grades? 

The GPA calculator based on grades works by converting the numerical value assigned to each letter grade into a GPA. To find your GPA from grades, you must check your letter grades and determine the percentage category they fall into. From there, you can calculate the GPA. 

For instance:

• The grade ‘A+’ falls within the 97% – 100% category.
• The grade ‘A’ falls within the 93% – 96% category.
• The grade ‘A-‘ falls within the 90% – 92% category.

Also Read: USA Grading System In 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

GPA Conversion Calculator: Grade vs Percentage

In this section, you can also refer to the table below, which includes predefined values to simplify GPA calculations without the use of a GPA calculator. However, remember that the final GPA calculation is based on either grades or percentage marks, from which the GPA is derived.

Here is the conversion for letter grades to GPA and their percentage ranges for your quick reference.

For instance, if you are wondering what is 3 GPA to percentage, refer to the table above, where you’ll find it corresponds to a B grade or a percentage range of 83-86%.

What is a Good GPA?

Determining a good GPA depends on various factors, including the type of university, your academic and career goals, and the specific requirements for financial aid or scholarships. 

Here are some of the essential points to consider.

Please note: Ivy League universities like Harvard University, Columbia, Yale, and Princeton University do not have a minimum GPA requirement. However, the average GPA of many applicants is above 3.5.

Are you considering studying at the top universities in the US, such as Harvard or Princeton? 

To enhance your chances of admission, prioritise achieving a strong GPA, excelling in English proficiency tests, and meeting the specific admission criteria set by the university.

That said, shortlisting can be challenging with numerous top-ranking universities in the US. 

However, with LeapScholar’s experienced team by your side, the entire journey of studying in the US will feel like a cakewalk. Whether you need help shortlisting colleges, navigating the visa process, or managing finances, our counsellors are dedicated to helping you take the Leap. 

So, wait no more and book a free call with our experts today!

Also Read: Top Universities in the World 2024-2025: Colleges & Rankings

What Is a Cumulative GPA?

A cumulative GPA is the overall average of all your semester GPAs achieved during high school or university. It is basically the total of the GPAs from each semester to provide a single, representative GPA of your academic performance over time.

Please note: The higher your semester GPA, the higher your cumulative GPA will be.

Tips for Keeping the Overall GPA High

The key to maintaining a good GPA is consistency. If you regularly achieve grades between 3.0 and 4.0, a temporary drop to, for example, a 2.0 in a particular course will not significantly affect your overall GPA.

Here are some strategies to improve your GPA. 

• Seek assistance from teachers who can explain complex topics in different ways to help you achieve better marks.
• Performing well in challenging courses can positively impact your GPA more than excelling in simpler classes.
• Look for opportunities for additional tests or assignments that some teachers offer to help improve your grades. 

Conclusion

Your college GPA is crucial if you plan to apply to top universities abroad or if your financial aid depends on it. Many merit-based scholarships and financial assistance programs require students to maintain a minimum GPA. 

To simplify your GPA calculations and ensure you meet these requirements, a GPA calculator can be a helpful tool. You can use this tool as a practical resource to manage your grades, achieve your academic objectives, and maximise your chances of achieving your long-term goals.

While we have addressed all the essential points regarding the GPA calculator in this blog, if you have any queries, feel free to reach out to us.

Frequently Asked Questions