Choose your GPA question and grading scale
For Term GPA or Cumulative GPA after term, enter one grade,credits pair per line, such as A,3. Select plain letters, the 4.0 scale with plus/minus grades, or direct grade points from 0 to 4. The plus/minus scale uses A+=4.0, A−=3.7, B+=3.3 and B−=2.7; your institution may assign different values. Cumulative mode also needs your prior GPA and the credits already included in that GPA. Required future GPA mode uses prior GPA, prior credits, future credits and a target cumulative GPA.
Worked term and cumulative GPA example
Choose plain letters and enter A,3, B,3 and A,4 on separate lines. Multiply each grade point value by credits: 4 × 3 = 12, 3 × 3 = 9 and 4 × 4 = 16. Total quality points are 37 across 10 credits. Term GPA is 37 ÷ 10 = 3.7. A simple average of the three letter-grade values would miss the extra credit weight of the last course.
Now choose Cumulative GPA after term with a prior GPA of 3.2 across 30 prior GPA credits. Prior quality points are 3.2 × 30 = 96. Add 37 and divide by 30 + 10 credits: 133 ÷ 40 = 3.325. Averaging 3.2 and 3.7 equally would incorrectly ignore their different credit totals.
Work backwards from a target
Required future GPA is [target × (prior credits + future credits) − prior GPA × prior credits] ÷ future credits. With a 3.2 prior GPA over 30 credits, 15 future credits and a target of 3.5, the future term needs (3.5 × 45 − 3.2 × 30) ÷ 15 = 4.1. The tool marks this as infeasible on its 0–4 scale. A negative requirement is also marked outside the scale; it means the target is already exceeded even with a future GPA of zero, rather than that negative grades are needed.
Policies and limits that affect an official GPA
Use GPA-bearing credits, not every earned credit. This estimate counts each entered course once and does not model repeats, replacement grades, pass/fail, withdrawals, transfer policies or weighted high-school scales above 4.0. Rounded prior GPAs may differ from calculations based on an institution’s full quality-point record. Up to 100 course rows are supported, with positive credits per course; future credits must be positive. Your institution’s rules determine your official result.
For a single final-exam target expressed as a percentage, use the final exam grade calculator.
Method reference
University of Illinois Registrar: Calculate Your GPA describes credit weighting and quality points. It is a method reference, not a claim that this tool reproduces that institution’s scale or transcript policies.
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