Calculating Your GPA By Tara L. Davis 2008 For use with the lesson and handout: “Calculating Your GPA” Images used for educational purposes only.

What is a GPA? What is a GPA?  GPA is the average of the grades for all classes taken.  Letter grades are assigned decimal values called quality points.  The GPA is calculated from the number of hours the class is taken multiplied by the points earned (quality points).  GPA is similar across colleges but may differ slightly.  Semester GPA is the average of a current semester’s classes.  Cumulative GPA is the average of all semesters.  Transfers and scholarships may have minimum GPA requirements. Quality Points A4.00 A-3.70 B+3.30 B3.00 B-2.70 C+2.30 C2.00 C-1.70 D+1.30 D1.00 D-0.70 F0.00

Calculating GPA Calculating GPA  Use the handout to learn how to calculate a GPA.  There are spaces to fill in:  semester and year.  the name of the course.  the actual or expected grade.  the value of the letter grade.  the number of hours the class meets per week.  When multiplying and adding, do not include the sample in your totals tally!  Divide total points by the total credits and that is your GPA.

Sample Student GPA Sample Student GPA  Calculate Paula’s GPA for Semester 1  Calculate Paula’s GPA for Semester 2  Calculate the cumulative GPA for Semesters 1 and 2.  Answer: (3.01)  Can Paula maintain her cumulative GPA if she gets all C’s semester 3?  Answer: No, she will go down to a (2.50)  What will Paula’s cumulative GPA be if she gets all A’s semester 3?  Answer: (3.50) Paula Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3 ORT 110 – B- MAT 100 – A- ENG 100 – C+ CIS 111 – A MAT 101 – B- ENG 101 – B - SOC 101 – ? MAT 102 – ? ENG 102 – ? GPA = ? GPA = (2.90) GPA = (3.13)

Calculate Your GPA Calculate Your GPA  You should always know your Semester and Cumulative GPAs.  Though this information is part of your online records and on a transcript, learn how to do it by hand so you have the information even without a computer.  It is common for students to predict grades for the next semester or the current semester to figure out:  What minimum grades are needed in order to increase or maintain a GPA.  How low their GPA might drop with a lower than desired grade in one or more courses.  Calculate your GPA now.  If you have them, use grades from last semester.  If you have no grades, guess what grades you might get this term.

GPA Excel Sheet GPA Excel Sheet  For a personal electronic record, download the GPA excel sheet. 5/QCC%20GPA%20Calculation%20Tables.xls 5/QCC%20GPA%20Calculation%20Tables.xls 5/QCC%20GPA%20Calculation%20Tables.xls  Fill it in the same way as the handout. (green boxes)  Semester and cumulative GPA are calculated automatically. (blue boxes)  It also contains a “ what if” section for making predictions about a future GPA. (orange boxes)  Practice with Paula’s grades

Related Lessons Related Lessons  Lesson: Calculating Your GPA  File: GPA Excel Sheet

Sources Sources  GPA Table:  Letter Grades:  Other Images, GPA Calculation Table, and Excel Sheet by Tara L. Davis