How to Convert GPA to 4.0 Scale
How to Convert GPA to a 4.0 Scale
Most US colleges want your GPA on an unweighted 4.0 scale, where an A is 4.0, a B is 3.0, and so on. If your transcript shows percentages, letter grades, or a 5.0 weighted number, you convert each grade to a 4.0 point value, then average those points across your courses.
The Standard 4.0 Conversion Table
This is the table almost every US college uses. Some schools split A+ and A into the same 4.0 bucket, and some cap A+ at 4.0 even if teachers hand out 100s, so check the target school's admissions page if you're borderline.
| Letter | Percentage | 4.0 GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93–96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90–92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80–82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70–72 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 |
| D | 65–66 | 1.0 |
| F | below 65 | 0.0 |
If a course grade sits right on a boundary (say, an 89.5), round the way your registrar rounds. Most round half up, so 89.5 becomes a B+ (3.3), not an A- (3.7).
Converting a Percentage to a 4.0 GPA
You've got two options.
Option 1: Look it up. Find the row your percentage falls into and read the 4.0 value. This is what colleges themselves do when they recalculate your transcript.
Option 2: Use a linear formula. Some scholarship applications ask for a straight-line conversion:
GPA = (percentage − 60) ÷ 10
So a 92% becomes (92 − 60) ÷ 10 = 3.2. This formula gives you slightly different numbers than the lookup table, so only use it when the application asks for it.
Worked Example
Say you took five classes last semester with these final percentages: 94, 88, 82, 91, and 76.
Looking each one up:
- 94 → A → 4.0
- 88 → B+ → 3.3
- 82 → B- → 2.7
- 91 → A- → 3.7
- 76 → C → 2.0
Add them: 4.0 + 3.3 + 2.7 + 3.7 + 2.0 = 15.7. Divide by 5 courses. Your semester GPA is 3.14.
If your courses have different credit hours, multiply each grade point by the credit hours, sum those products, then divide by total credit hours. A 3-credit A (4.0 × 3 = 12) counts more than a 1-credit A (4.0 × 1 = 4).
Converting from a 5.0 Weighted Scale to 4.0
High schools use a 5.0 (or 6.0) weighted scale to reward honors, AP, and IB coursework. To convert to unweighted 4.0, drop the bonus points that came from course weighting.
A quick rule most admissions offices use:
- Regular course on 5.0 scale: same number (a 4.0 stays a 4.0).
- Honors course on 5.0 scale: subtract 0.5 (a 4.5 becomes 4.0).
- AP or IB on 5.0 scale: subtract 1.0 (a 5.0 becomes 4.0, a 4.0 becomes 3.0).
If you don't know which courses got the weighting bonus, ask your counselor for an unweighted transcript. Colleges will usually recalculate on their own scale anyway. The University of California, for example, recalculates every applicant's GPA using a fixed formula, so the number you send isn't necessarily the number they use.
When to Report Weighted vs Unweighted
If the Common App or a specific school asks for your school's reported GPA, send exactly what your transcript says (weighted, unweighted, whatever). If a form asks for a 4.0 GPA without specifying, send the unweighted number. Never inflate your own GPA to match a scale the school didn't ask for.
Quick Checks Before You Submit
- Confirm your registrar's rounding rule (half up vs half even).
- Match credit hours, not just course count.
- Note whether the school treats A+ as 4.0 or 4.3. The University of Georgia, for instance, uses 4.0 as the cap.
- Double-check that pass/fail courses are excluded from your GPA (most schools drop them from the calculation).