How to Calculate Your GPA–Letter Grades and Percentages
One of my most popular posts is about how to calculate your “real” GPA. Some readers have asked how to translate grades expressed as a percent into letter grades, and then into a GPA based on a 4.0 scale.
Below is a chart that can serve as a starting point. Recognize, however, that all schools and colleges will have their own grading policies. This is one way to translate one kind of grade into another. It’s meant as a helpful tool, but you should always investigate how individual colleges and schools handle this translation before making any assumptions about how they will consider your own performance.
If you’re worried about your GPA, it’s likely that you are a bit nervous about how your GPA will affect your admission to college. There are three things to keep in mind.
First, it’s not just about your GPA overall. You need to pay close attention to your core GPA.
Second, you need to think first about which colleges fit you best. It may turn out that you are worrying too much for the wrong reasons.
Third, if you are having trouble fitting all these pieces together–your GPA, your test scores, your interests, your aptitudes–you may want to consider asking for some professional advice from an expert who can help you navigate the college admissions process.
Interested in a free consultation? Send me a note!
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
Technorati Tags: GPA, grade point average, calculate, percentage, percent, weighted, unweighted, college, university, high school, admission Del.icio.us Tags: GPA, grade point average, calculate, percentage, percent, weighted, unweighted, college, university, high school, admission
About the Author
Mark Montgomery
As a former professor, administrator, and high school teacher, Mark has the knowledge and skills to counsel students as they make the transition from high school to college.
221 Responses to “How to Calculate Your GPA–Letter Grades and Percentages”
Leave a Comment
Hi guys!
I have my BA from University of Tehran With GPA 16.60 out of 20 and graduated from DU. having plan to apply in the US. the university I want to study in, asked me to evaluate my educational background using WES. As you know it costs and I want to know what the evaluation system is and how it works. How do they evaluate the educational records?
Does any one know how to calculate GPA by Swedish grading system and how to convert Swedish grading system to 4 scale GPA?
with best wishes
Faith,
Many schools use a different grading system than the 4.0 scale. Your school seems to use a 5-point scale. This is more unusual, but not unheard of.
Regards,
Mark
Ehsan,
WES uses its own expertise and understanding of many national systems to write a comprehensive report to American universities about your academic performance. Again, they will know the Iranian system and be able to put your grade of 16.60 in the context in which you earned it. I would say that you are actually better off paying this expense in order to ensure that the US college is completely aware of your academic performance.
Best of luck.
Melanie,
Glad to know you have your plans mapped out. Your GPA is relatively good, and WSU will probably take you seriously. But it will also depend somewhat on other factors. Have you already applied?
Best of luck.
hello i have completed my bachelor in medical lab technology .i have got 3.26 gpa out of 4 .what percentage will it be?
Hi, Pranita. It’s dangerous to try to make these “translations” from one national system to another. Strictly speaking, I’d estimate your percentage at about 88%. But that is not something I think you should put on paper. Only put what the university gives you as your result.
Thanks for writing in.
Hi Mark,
I have a 69% in BE engineering in computer science Aggregate from India.. What woudl be the GPA here in US
Thanks
hi, my school have a 5,0 scale ( i am from Colombia) and i will like to know if i have to convert all my undergraduate grades to a 4,0 scale in order to apply for a graduate program in an U.S.A university.
thank you very much
HI,
I am 17 years of age. a junior in high school. I want to play baseabll at orange coast college near costa mesa california. I have no clue how to get started wit this college or what it takes to get on track.
Thanks,
Luke
Hi, Juan.
You do not need to convert. Just submit your transcript and school records as they exists in Colombia. If the university in the US requires more information, they will let yo know.
Best of luck.
Hi, Luke,
Here is the admissions page for Orange Coast College: http://www.orangecoastcollege.edu/enrollment/admissions/ . I also encourage you to just contact the admissions office and just talk to them. They’ll be quite happy to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the coaches, the admissions people…they don’t want to make your life miserable–they want to give you a hand, if they can. So give them a call!
Hello,
A 69% is generally a D in the US, but it depends on what educational system you are studying in.
Katherine
What is my grade point if my grade is a 101.75. Is it still just 4.0 or is it a little higher.
Hi, Bailey. At the risk of sounding silly, your GPA is a 101.75. Not all high schools use a 4.0 scale. Most do, but not all. So your school will report your GPA as it is calculated at that school: 101.75. I presume that this is out of 100%, with some weighting for honors level courses. So your GPA is pretty high. But it’s also important to put your GPA in context of your class rank. You might want to investigate some posts on my site that explain the importance of class rank. Anyway, it sounds like you’re a good student. Good luck to you!
I am looking to apply to a decent school such as NCSU or UNC Chapel Hill. With a 3.8 UNWEIGHTED GPA, can I get into a decent school like these? I Also have a few extra-curriculars, and am a captain of the baseball team.
Hello, DJ.
If you are a NC resident, the process and the guidelines for admission to NCSU or UNC Chapel Hlil are pretty straightforward: you need the grades and the test scores, primarily. If you are not a resident of NC, then getting into UNC-Chapel Hill will be much more difficult, as the overwhelming majority of students are from North Carolina. I can’t really predict your chances with any certainty. But an unweighted GPA of 3.8 is very good! I’d be interested to know what sorts of courses you have taken in high school.
At any rate, i wish you the best of luck.
Hi Mark,
I’m currently a High School Sophomore.. My grades haven’t been that good considering Medical conditions. My first semester grade was a 79.45 and my second semester was an 83.14. My third semester just ended and I am left with a 69.14 average because I was in the hospital. What grades will I now need to achieve to get a decent GPA? I want to go to a good college and study Psychology..
Thanks,
Charles
Charles,
Your medical condition will be a factor in your applications. You cannot wipe away your performance, but you can certainly explain it. Your challenge will be to choose educational paths that make the most sense, given your circumstances. You can certainly go to a “good” college: the challenge is determining what is “good” for you.
Let us know if you think we can help; we work with other students in special circumstances that need help guiding both the choices and the applications. Good luck!