How to Use the Unweighted GPA Calculator
The unweighted GPA strips away all difficulty bonuses. An 'A' in AP Physics and an 'A' in P.E. both contribute exactly 4.0 quality points. Enter your grades and credits to find your baseline average.
1. Select the grade
Choose the official letter grade recorded for the course on your transcript.
2. Enter credits
Typically 1 for year-long classes, or 0.5 for a single semester.
Looking for AP or Honors bonuses?
This calculator intentionally ignores course difficulty. If your school awards extra points for rigorous classes, use the Weighted GPA Calculator to factor in those bonuses.
The Standard 4.0 Scale
The unweighted GPA is the most common way to measure academic performance in the U.S. It strictly assigns a number to your letter grade.
| Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| B | 3.0 |
| C | 2.0 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
Plus and minus grades sit proportionally between these whole numbers (e.g., B+ is 3.3, B- is 2.7). Check the GPA Scale page for a full breakdown.
How Unweighted GPA Is Calculated
Convert
Each letter grade becomes quality points (e.g., A = 4.0).
Weight by Credit
Those points are multiplied by the credit hours the course is worth.
Average
The total points are divided by the total credit hours.
Unweighted GPA Example
| Course | Grade | Points | Credits | Total Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Biology | A | 4.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| P.E. | A | 4.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| Honors English | B | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
Notice that an 'A' in AP Biology and an 'A' in P.E. produce the exact same unweighted points. Course rigor is entirely ignored.
The Pass/Fail Trap
Courses marked P, NP, or W (Withdrawn) carry no quality points. They must be removed from the total points and the total credit hours alike.
The Wrong Way
Treating a 'Pass' grade as 0 points but leaving its credits in the denominator effectively grades the course as an 'F', tanking your GPA.
The GradeCalculatorHQ Way
When you select P/NP/W in this calculator, we properly remove the course from the credit denominator, according to GradeCalculatorHQ's calculation method.
How Colleges May Use Unweighted GPA
High schools use different weighting systems, so colleges and universities may consider unweighted GPA, weighted GPA, course rigor, or recalculate grades using their own policies. When an institution provides GPA instructions, follow its published criteria.