Your GPA, or grade point average, is a calculation combining the point values of your grades for each class multiplied by the credit hours, divided by how many total credit hours you attempted.
Your transcript will provide your GPA for each semester plus your overall, cumulative GPA. In your first semester, you don’t have an overall GPA yet: it won’t be calculated until your grades for all your classes post once the semester ends.
Calculating GPA
- Calculate points earned: Grade Point Value x Credit Hours
- Divide points earned by the total hours attempted.
Grade Values
| Letter Grade |
Points |
| A |
4 |
| B |
3 |
| C |
2 |
| D |
1 |
| F |
0 |
By the way, some colleges will assign points to account for +/- grades (A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, and so on).
What counts an A will be described in the syllabus for each class.
Credit Hours
The course number tells you the hours: ENGL 1301 is 3 hours. BIOL 1406 would be 4 hours. PHED 1164, 1 credit hour.
Example
Juanita takes 4 classes for a total of 11 credit hours: EDUC 1300, ENGL 1301, BIOL 1406, and PHED 1164. At the end of the semester, she’s earned 2 As, a B, and a C.
| Class |
Credit Hours |
Grade Earned |
Grade Points |
Grade Points x Credit Hours |
|
| ENGL 1301 |
3 |
A |
4 |
4x3 = 12 |
|
| EDUC 1300 |
3 |
C |
2 |
3x2 = 6 |
|
| BIOL 1406 |
4 |
B |
3 |
4x3= 12 |
|
| PHED 1164 |
1 |
A |
4 |
1x4= 4 |
|
12+6+12+4 = 34 points earned
34 points / 11 hours = 3.09 GPA for that term, probably rounded to a 3.1.
