What is a GPA?
Grade Point Average more commonly called GPA tells one’s total academic performance in a particular course in the form of a score point. It reflects how well one has done in a program, high or low. GPA, usually on a scale between 1.0 to 4.0, is an average score you can calculate easily using a method.
As grading systems differ from country to country and even university to university, you can find varied ways of calculating your GPA though each holds the same relevance. Knowing a GPA, students determine admission eligibility for further higher education globally.
Reading further, find – why you need to know your GPA and how it can be calculated. Let’s also explore – can one enhance its GPA and what are different aspects related to it.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Use
GPA ranks a student, usually on a scale of 1.0 to 4.0, and sums up academic performance in a score. GPA score point determines a student’s academic competency. It matters for it leads to know a learner’s:
- Academic progress throughout a program
- Eligibility for further studies whether internationally or nationally.
- Qualification for scholarships, honours, ranks, and awards
Students aspiring to study further under a graduation or post graduation program must know their GPA. Universities set criteria to evaluate the eligibility of a student on his/her GPA. It also helps in assessing a student’s eligibility for a scholarship or an award. GPA, whether calculated in America or any other country, holds the same significance and purpose.
GPA Calculation
Subjects studied during a program hold a credit number. On the completion of a semester or whole course a student gets an overall assessment score in each subject in the form of a letter-grade or percentage that qualifies a point as shown below:
A = 4 point
B = 3 point
C = 2 point
D = 1 point
E = 0 point (F is sometimes used instead of E)
As grading systems vary from country to country and even institution to institution. Some schools add + or – (plus or minus) signs in front of a grade. In that case, it goes like:
A+ = 4 point
A = 4 point
A- = 3.7 point
B+ = 3.3 point
B = 3 point
B- = 2.7 point
C+ = 2.3 point
C = 2 point
C- = 1.7 point
D+ = 1.3 point
D = 1 point
D- = 0.7 point
F = 0 point
Multiplying the credit point (called credit hour in India) of a subject by the obtained grade’s qualifying point we get a ‘grade point’. Now, dividing the sum of grade points by the total credit point we get the overall GPA. Let’s understand this through an example.
| Subject | Credit | Grade | Grade (qualifying no.) | Grade Point |
| Maths | 4 | A | 4 | (4 x 4) 16 |
| Biology | 2 | B | 3 | (2 x 3) 6 |
| Chemistry | 3 | D | 1 | (3 x 1) 3 |
| Total | 9 | NA | NA | 25 |
| Overall GPA: 25 / 9 | 2.777 |
If your institution provides percentages instead of letter grades, you can find GPA by changing the percentage into grade and continue to calculate the same way as discussed above.
| Percentage (P)% Range | Grade (G) |
|---|---|
| 65 – 69 | D |
| 70 – 79 | C |
| 80 – 89 | B |
| 90 – 95-100 | A |
Grade Point Average: Related Aspects
GPA that reveals a student’s academic performance in the form of a score point holds some associated aspects too like “Weighted GPA” and “Cumulative GPA”. What are they and how are they calculated? Let’s know.
Weighted GPA
Weighted GPA is calculated the same way, but it uses a different scale i.e. 0 – 5.0. It is a more accurate evaluation of an academic record. It takes into account the difficulty or extra weight for Advanced / Honors. In weighted GPA, ‘A’ qualifies 5 points instead of 4 and a ‘B’ equivalents 4 not 3. Hence the overall GPA can exceed 4.0.
Scale referred in weighted GPA:
| Grade | Regular | Honors | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.00 | 4.50 | 5.00 |
| B | 3.00 | 3.50 | 4.00 |
| C | 2.00 | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| D | 1.00 | 1.50 | 2.00 |
| F | 0.00 | 0.50 | 1.00 |
Cumulative GPA vs overall GPA
Cumulative GPA and Overall GPA does not vary in the method of calculation. The only difference between them is Overall GPA includes grades from all the semesters while Cumulative GPA considers grades earned in one semester only. Cumulative GPA indicates an average score earned by a student through one semester.
Enhancing a Grade Point Average
Amplifying a low GPA is not something like studying harder next time you can improve it. It is the constant hard work of a student that rewards him a high GPA score. Maintaining it is a student’s everyday job. Performing well every semester leads to obtaining a high GPA. Starting with a low GPA by the beginning of a program shall be harder to raise later.
However, having a low or below-average GPA does not mean you are not intelligent or hard-working. It can be perceived as you studied harder subjects. It may also mean you could not perform because you had to face great obstacles or circumstantial hurdles in studies or were not guided well. Your GPA is not your absolute academic identity or worth.