What is a GPA? Why it’s important and how to calculate it

Many countries around the world use the GPA system, most notably, the United States. However, some countries use other systems such as grade percentages, grading letters, grading numbers or, in the UK, grading classifications. 

Here are some estimations for how different grading systems may equate to GPA: 

There are many GPA calculators available online that can quickly and easily help students transfer the marks that they have been awarded in their current grading system to find their GPA. This is one calculator that may be able to help you: 

GPA Calculator 

It is important to note that an online calculator, while useful, does not always give completely accurate results and, as this specific site is not affiliated with QS in any way, we cannot guarantee its effectiveness. If you find yourself needing to calculate your GPA, it is important to reach out to a tutor or teacher for help and to find out what resources your school or university can offer you. 

Your overall GPA, also known as your cumulative GPA, is what will be considered by universities for applications, funding, and club membership. You may also have a GPA for a specific class or for a specific semester, but it is important to know how these add up to form your cumulative GPA as this is the number that will be the most important to you. 

If you are not sure what your cumulative GPA is, it is usually very easy to calculate yourself. Generally, you can calculate your overall GPA score by adding up each of the GPAs that you have received for a class or semester and dividing that number by the number of classes or number of semesters. This should give you a GPA within the range of 0.0 and 4.0 that is the average of every grade you have received. 

Whether your school uses weighted or unweighted GPAs will affect the way that your cumulative GPA is calculated. 

If your GPA is unweighted, this means that each score that you receive from each class will factor equally into your cumulative GPA. In this case, cumulative GPA is calculated as above by adding each score together and dividing it by the number of scores that you have received to find the average. 

If your GPA is weighted, that means that each GPA is not considered equally when calculating the average, for example because certain classes may require more work.  

Students might be tempted to take easier classes that require less work in order to ensure a higher grade. Some schools recognise that, in this case, the score alone is not necessarily representative of the student’s academic ability and the additional knowledge and skills that they are able to learn in a more advanced class should be reflected in their overall GPA.  

If your school uses a weighted GPA system, classes that are more challenging will boost your overall GPA more than classes that are less challenging. 

Weighted GPAs could be calculated by using a 0.0-5.0 grade instead of the maximum of 4.0 that is generally used. It could also look like adding 0.5 to the GPA of every mid-level class and 1.0 to the GPA of every advanced class when calculating the cumulative GPA. 

It is important to know the way that your school or course calculates GPA. Again, it is a great idea to reach out to a tutor for support and more information. 

Ways to improve your GPA can vary between institutions but the best way is to make an effort to improve your academic performance and make sure you are getting the most out of your studies. 

This might involve looking at your study schedule. Make sure you give yourself enough time to do all your homework regularly and plan ahead when it comes to big projects or studying for exams. Preparation is key to making sure that you are able to take in all the information and produce the best work possible which will earn you a higher GPA. 

If there is a topic or subject area that you are struggling in, be sure to ask for help. Your teachers and tutors want you to do well and so if you need something explained again or more information would help you to understand something better, they are your best resource. 

It may be that you are experiencing personal hardship, and your grades are suffering as a result. Many institutions can offer deadline extensions, time out of studies or the opportunity to retake a project or exam for a student with extenuating circumstances. Be sure to reach out and see what support can be made available to you. 

If your school does weighted GPA programmes, it might be worth taking a more difficult class in the next year or the new semester. These will allow you to be ambitious and really raise your cumulative GPA score. 

Finally, many institutions offer opportunities that can count as extra credit, boosting your GPA in a specific class. These could be additional tests or assignments or extra-curricular activities outside of the classroom. Find out what extra credit projects your school or class offers and make use of them if necessary. 

While GPA will be something crucial to consider throughout the course of your studies it is important to remember that it's not everything. Universities and, later, employers are looking for skilled and competent candidates that will make positive contributions to their communities. 

Alongside a good GPA, things such as volunteering placements, sporting or artistic talents, and internships would also be highly valued on any application. Commitment, effort, innovative thinking, and passion are the core principles behind a successful student.  

It is very important to achieve a great GPA while studying but it is also important to let your student experience shape you into a well-rounded individual with the confidence to achieve your dreams.