What is the 4.0 GPA scale?
The 4.0 scale is the standard way US high schools and colleges turn letter grades into numbers: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0. Plus and minus grades sit in between, usually 0.3 apart (A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3). Your GPA is the credit-weighted average of those numbers, so a perfect unweighted GPA is 4.0.
The percent ranges are set by each school, not nationally. The 10-point scale in the chart (90–100 is an A range) is the most common. Many districts in the South and some private schools use a 7-point scale, where an A starts at 93 and a C at 77.
Common variations
A+ = 4.0 or 4.33?
Most high schools and colleges cap an A+ at 4.0, so you cannot beat a 4.0 unweighted GPA. Some colleges, including several in the Midwest and Northeast, give an A+ 4.33 (or 4.3), and the law school admission service LSAC converts every A+ to 4.33. The 4.33 column also uses thirds (A- = 3.67, B+ = 3.33), which is how those schools usually step.
Weighted 5.0 scale
High schools that weight GPA typically add 0.5 for Honors and 1.0 for AP or IB classes, so an A in an AP class counts as 5.0. That makes the top of the scale 5.0 rather than 4.0. The weighted vs unweighted calculator explains how the two numbers relate.
7-point scale
| Letter | Percent | 4.0 scale |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93–100 | 4.0 |
| B | 85–92 | 3.0 |
| C | 77–84 | 2.0 |
| D | 70–76 | 1.0 |
| F | Below 70 | 0.0 |
No plus or minus
Some schools record only whole letters. Then an 89 and an 80 are both a B worth 3.0. That is kinder to a B- and harsher to a B+, and it explains why two students with similar percentages can have different GPAs at different schools.
Worked example: reading the chart
An 87% on the standard scale is a B+, worth 3.3 on the 4.0 scale, 3.33 on a 4.33 scale, 3.8 if the class is Honors and 4.3 if it is AP. On a 7-point scale the same 87% is a plain B, worth 3.0. That 0.3 difference across six classes is enough to move a GPA from 3.3 to 3.0.
Tips
- Use your own school’s scale. Your handbook or the college catalog states it. The GPA calculator lets you choose the percent scale, the plus/minus step and the A+ value.
- Don’t convert percentages yourself on applications. Report the GPA your school gives you. If you are applying abroad or to a program that asks for a 4.0 equivalent, see percentage to GPA.
- Know the borderline. If you are at 89.4%, the gap between a B+ and an A- is a whole 0.4 of a grade point. That is a good time to ask about extra credit or test corrections.
Questions students ask
What GPA is an 85%?
On the standard 10-point scale an 85% is a B, worth 3.0. On a 7-point scale it is also a B (85–92). Some schools that do not use plus/minus also give 3.0.
Is a 3.0 GPA a B average?
Yes. A 3.0 on the 4.0 scale means your grades average out to a B, roughly 83–86% on the standard scale.
What is a 4.0 in percentage?
A 4.0 means every grade was an A or A+, which is 93% or higher on the standard scale (90% and up at schools without plus/minus).
Why does my school’s scale look different?
There is no national grading scale. Schools and districts set their own percent cut-offs and plus/minus values. Use the one printed in your handbook or syllabus.
Sources
Results are estimates for planning. Your school, college or testing organization calculates your official numbers. UpMyGPA is not affiliated with College Board, ACT, LSAC or the AAMC.