How to Calculate an Accumulative Grade Point Average

Your GPA measures your classroom performance.

A cumulative GPA measures your grade point average over a specified period of time, such as your high school years or your college years. When figuring your cumulative GPA, you need to know all of your grades and credits earned during the specified time. In addition, if your school weights your GPA, you need to know how the grades are adjusted for each type of class.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

Instructions

1. Determine the period for which you want to calculate your cumulative GPA. For example, when applying to college, you will likely want to include all of the courses you took for high school credit.

2. Convert each grade to a point value. Most GPAs use a four-point grade scale, meaning an A converts to 4, B to 3, C to 2, D to 1 and F to 0.

3. Add any bonuses for harder classes if your school weights the GPA. For example, a school may add 1 point for honors classes, so an A in an honors class would be 5 points.

4. Multiply the adjusted point values by the number of credits each class is worth. For example, if your honors A class is worth two credits, you would multiply 5 by 2 to get 10.

5. Add the results from Step 4 to find the total number of grade points earned.

6. Divide the total grade points you have earned by the credits you have earned to find your cumulative GPA. For example, if you had earned 99 grade points over 30 credits, you would divide 99 by 30 to find your cumulative GPA to be 3.3.

References

• Wells College: How to Calculate Your GPA