Are you looking for an easy way to understand just how your final class grades become GPA decimals? If so, then you've come to the right article. In just two simple charts, I'll show you how this conversion works for both a weighted and unweighted GPA.
Why Are Grades Converted to a 4.0 Scale?
Typically the grades you get in high school are either letters or percents, but on your transcript that number will be converted into a GPA, or grade-point average.
GPA is a quick, helpful way for a college admissions officers to get a sense of your skills, intelligence, and willingness to challenge yourself. And looking at one number beats having to go through each person's transcript grade by grade, for thousands and thousands of applicants!
Colleges typically use a 4.0 GPA scale so that all GPAs are standardized. Rather than trying to compare a bunch of letter grades, percentages, or different GPA scoring scales, colleges convert all those scores to the 4.0 scale. That makes it easy to accurately compare the grades of students from all over the country and world.
For example, say one student went to a school that uses letter grades on transcripts, another went to a school that uses percentages, and a third uses the 4.0 scale. Comparing, say an A- average to a 93% average to a 3.5 GPA is much more difficult than converting the grades and percentages to the 4.0 scale and having three numbers that are easily comparable.
Going through grades one by one: probably like sorting these noodles in order of height and width.
The Unweighted GPA Conversion Chart
Most high schools will convert all your final grades into a scale ranging from 0.0 to 4.0. This unweighted GPA scale treats your grades the same, no matter whether they come from Standard, Honors, or AP/IB classes. Here's how unweighted grades convert:
Letter Grade | Percentage | Standard GPA |
A+ | 97-100 | 4.0 |
A | 93-96 | 4.0 |
A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
C | 73-76 | 2.0 |
C- | 70-72 | 1.7 |
D+ | 67-69 | 1.3 |
D | 65-66 | 1.0 |
F | Below 65 | 0.0 |
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But my AP apples were way harder than your Honors oranges!
The Weighted GPA Conversion Chart
Many schools also calculate a weighted GPA, ending up with a scale that ranges from 0.0 to 5.0. The weighted GPA tries to account for the fact that different level classes have different degrees of difficulty. The way this scale differentiates between harder and easier classes is by adding .5 to Honors and adding 1 to AP grades. This would mean a B in an AP class is equal to an A in a regular-level class for your GPA. Here's how weighted grades convert:
Letter Grade | Percentage | Honors GPA | AP/IB GPA |
A+ | 97-100 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
A | 93-96 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
A- | 90-92 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
B+ | 87-89 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
B | 83-86 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
B- | 80-82 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
C+ | 77-79 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
C | 73-76 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
C- | 70-72 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
D+ | 67-69 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
D | 65-66 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
F | Below 65 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
We're just happy weighted GPA doesn't require actual weights.
What's Next?
Ready to use these numbers to calculate your GPA? Check out how to calculate your unweighted GPA and your weighted GPA.
If you're curious whether colleges look at your weighted or unweighted high school GPA, then check out our guide on weight vs. unweighted GPAs.
Worried about what your converted GPA means? We explore what's a good GPA, what's a bad GPA, and what colleges think.
Ready to work, work, work to get that GPA up?We've got four strategies for raising your GPA fast, and how to keep your GPA high over your whole high school career.
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
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Dr. Anna Wulick
About the Author
Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.
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FAQs
A 3.5 GPA, or Grade Point Average, is equivalent to a B+ letter grade on a 4.0 GPA scale, and a percentage grade of 87–89.
What is a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale? ›
A 3.5 GPA, or Grade Point Average, is equivalent to a B+ letter grade on a 4.0 GPA scale, and a percentage grade of 87–89.
What is a 92.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale? ›
Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale
| Percent Grade | 4.0 Scale |
|---|
| 90-92 | 3.7 |
| 87-89 | 3.3 |
| 83-86 | 3.0 |
| 80-82 | 2.7 |
8 more rowsHigh School GPA Conversion
| Original Scale | Multiplier | EX. GPA on 4.0 Scale |
|---|
| 6.0 | 0.6667 | 3.000 |
| 7.0 | 0.5714 | 3.257 |
| 8.0 | 0.5000 | 3.250 |
| 9.0 | 0.4444 | 3.644 |
5 more rowsYou can use our handy calculator above , or use a simple formula of 4.0 GPA Scale = (GPA ÷ Highest Possible GPA) × 4.
Is a 2.7 A good GPA? ›
Is a 2.7 GPA good? This GPA means that you've earned an average grade of a B- across all of your classes. Since a 2.7 GPA is lower than the national average of 3.0 for high school students, it will limit your options for college. 3.95% of schools have an average GPA below a 2.7.
Is a GPA of 3.30 good? ›
A 3.3 GPA is a strong GPA, falling within the range of the top 25-30% of students. But it may not guarantee admission to highly selective colleges. Admissions committees consider many factors when making their decisions, including GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and essays.
Is A GPA of 2.0 good? ›
The answer is No. The national average for a GPA is around 3.0 and a 2.0 GPA puts you below that average. A 2.0 GPA means that you've gotten only C-s and D+s in your high school classes so far. Since this GPA is significantly below a 2.0, it will make things very difficult for you in the college application process.
Is a 93 a 3.9 GPA? ›
Let's break it down. 3.9 GPA is equivalent to 94% or A letter grade. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 3.9 is far above average. A 3.9 is so high that it can be hard to raise it any higher!
Is a 4.11 GPA good? ›
Is a 4.1 GPA good? This GPA is outside of the normal 4.0 range of unweighted GPAs, meaning your school measures GPA on a weighted scale. A 4.1 is a very good GPA. It means that you've either been taking the most difficult classes and earning mostly Bs or you've been taking mid level classes and earning As.
Cumulative and Term Grade Point Average
| Percentage Equivalency | Grade points for 1.0 credits | Grade Points for 0.25 credits |
|---|
| 90-100% | A+ = 12.0 | A+ = 3.0 |
| 85-89% | A = 11.0 | A = 2.75 |
| 80-84% | A- = 10.0 | A- = 2.5 |
| 77-79% | B+ = 9.0 | B+ = 2.25 |
9 more rowsGPA Conversion – 12.0 to 4.0 GPA Scale
| 12.0 Point GPA | 4.0 Point GPA | Letter Grade |
|---|
| 12 | 4.0 | A+ |
| 11 | 3.9 | A |
| 10 | 3.7 | A- |
| 9 | 3.3 | B+ |
9 more rowsConverting 10 CGPA to 4 GPA (S to CGPA converter)
| 10 Point CGPA | Equivalent 4 Point GPA | USA Grade Equivalent |
|---|
| 10.0 | 4.00 | A |
| 9.9 | 3.97 | A |
| 9.8 | 3.94 | A |
| 9.7 | 3.90 | A |
87 more rowsOne method to convert your 101 GPA to a 4.0 scale is to divide your GPA by 25. For example, a 101 GPA would be roughly equivalent to a 4.04 on the conventional 4.0 scale. However, this method assumes that the maximum score under your school's grading system is 100, which might not be the case if you achieved a 101 GPA.
What is a 93 GPA on a 4.0 scale? ›
since 93–96 are equivalent to an A, this GPA will be a 4.0. No, this won't be a 3.72 because anywhere from 93–100 is an A/A+. This is also a 4.0 on a 4.33 scale where an A+ is a 4.3.
Can I put my weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale? ›
The traditional unweighted GPA scale ranges from 0 to 4.0, while the weighted scale spans from 0 to 5.0. Schools that use a weighted scale assign more points to honors and AP classes. For example, students who earn an A in AP Calculus would receive a 5.0 on a weighted scale and only a 4.0 on an unweighted scale.
What is a 3.5 on the GPA scale? ›
A 3.5 GPA is 90% or a B+/A- average. This means you probably mainly earned B's (3.0) and A's (4.0) in your coursework. Of course, the exact grades that make up a 3.4 GPA will vary from student to student.
Is a 3.5 GPA out of 4.0 good? ›
Most commonly, students graduate cum laude (Latin for "with praise") when they earn a 3.5-3.7 GPA, magna cum laude ("with great praise") when they earn a 3.7-3.9 GPA, and summa cum laude ("with highest praise") when they earn a 3.9 GPA or higher.
Is 3.5 an OK GPA? ›
Is a 3.5 GPA good? A 3.5 unweighted GPA means that you've earned an A- average across all of your classes. You're well above the national average for GPA and should have a solid chance of acceptance at a wide variety of colleges. 70.11% of schools have an average GPA below a 3.5.
Is a 3.4 GPA good on a 4.0 scale? ›
A 3.4 is on the verge of an A- and demonstrates consistently good test-taking, studying, and research skills. A 3.4 is comfortably above the national average GPA for high school graduates and is considered competitive at most colleges and universities.
Going through grades one by one: probably like sorting these noodles in order of height and width.
But my AP apples were way harder than your Honors oranges!
We're just happy weighted GPA doesn't require actual weights.
