What does each GPA mean?
A GPA is an average of letter grades turned into points. Reading it back as a letter is the simplest way to see what it means:
| GPA (unweighted) | As letter grades | Plus/minus percent |
|---|---|---|
| 4.00 | A average | 93 to 96.99% |
| 3.70 | A- average | 90 to 92.99% |
| 3.50 | between B+ and A- | – |
| 3.30 | B+ average | 87 to 89.99% |
| 3.00 | B average | 83 to 86.99% |
| 2.70 | B- average | 80 to 82.99% |
| 2.50 | between C+ and B- | – |
| 2.00 | C average | 73 to 76.99% |
So a 3.0 means your grades average out to a B, and a 3.5 sits halfway between a B+ and an A-. To turn your own grades into a GPA, use the GPA calculator.
Is a 3.0 good? Is a 3.5 good?
A 3.0 is a solid B average: you are doing well in most classes. A 3.5 is strong: mostly A’s and B+’s. A 3.7 or higher means mostly A’s. Below 2.0 is a C average or lower, which can put a student on academic warning at many colleges, so check your school’s rules if you are near it.
“Good” also depends on the goal. A college, scholarship, honor society or internship may set a minimum GPA, and some say whether they mean weighted or unweighted. Look up each one you care about instead of relying on a general number.
How much can one semester change my GPA?
A lot early on, and less later. Your GPA is an average of every credit you have taken, so each new semester has to move all the credits before it.
- With a 3.0 over 15 credits, a 4.0 semester of 15 credits lifts you to 3.50.
- With a 3.0 over 90 credits, the same 4.0 semester only reaches 3.14.
Working the other way: with a 2.8 over 30 credits, reaching a 3.0 after 15 more credits needs a 3.40 that semester. The GPA calculator works this out for your own numbers under “GPA needed next semester”.
Weighted or unweighted: which one is “good”?
Be clear which one you mean. A weighted GPA can be above 4.0 because honors and college-level classes earn extra points, so a weighted 3.8 and an unweighted 3.8 are not the same thing. When you compare yourself with a requirement, use the same kind of GPA it asks for. Our guide to weighted vs unweighted GPA explains the difference.
Does my GPA count every class?
Usually it counts every class with a letter grade. Classes graded pass/fail, and classes you withdrew from, normally carry no grade points, so they leave your GPA alone. Some high schools also report a “core” GPA from English, math, science, social studies and world languages only, next to the full one. Your transcript or school handbook says which classes count, so check it before you compare your number with anyone else’s.
How do I raise my GPA?
- Start with the classes that carry the most credits. A grade in a 4-credit class moves your GPA more than one in a 1-credit class.
- Know where each class stands. Use the grade calculator during the term, not after it.
- Plan for the final. The final grade calculator shows what you need for the next letter up.
- Ask about your school’s rules. Some schools replace a grade when you retake a class; others average both.