GPA Quiz Key
1. In the spring semester, John earned a "B" English 1301, a "C" in History 2301, a "B" in
Biology 1401, and an "A" in PE 1101 (a 1-hour weightlifting class). What is his spring
GPA?
Answer: John’s spring GPA was 2.81.
Course
English 1301
History 2301
Biology 1401
PE 1101
Grade
B
C
B
A
subtotals
Spring Semester
Credit Hours
Attempted
3
3
4*
1
Point Value
Quality Points
3
2
3
4
9
6
12
4
11
31
quality points ÷ academic hours attempted = GPA
31 ÷ 11 = 2.81**
Comments:
* Biology 1401 is a four-credit class. Clues for that are 1) the second digit in the course
number and 2) the fact that most introductory science courses involve a 1-hour lab in
addition to 3-hour lecture component.
You could have determined that the PE course was a one-credit class even if I hadn’t have
told you based on the same things: the second digit in the course number and the fact that
physical education classes are almost always one-credit classes.
If you want to be doubly sure of how many credit hours a class is worth, ask your professor.
Also, that information is listed in course catalogs and in the syllabus for the class.
** GPAs are traditionally calculated to the hundredth decimal place. (In conversation, you
might tell someone that you have a 2.8 GPA, but transcripts will use the more exact
mathematical figure.)
2. In the fall, John earned an "A" English 1302, a "C" in History 2302, a "C" in Biology
1402, and an "A" in PE 1103 (a 1-hour water aerobics course). What is John's fall GPA?
What is his cumulative GPA for the first two semesters?
Answer: John’s fall GPA was 2.72. His cumulative GPA is 2.77.
Course
Grade
English 1302
History 2302
Biology 1402
PE 1103
A
C
C
A
subtotals
Fall Semester
Credit Hours
Attempted
3
3
4
1
Point Value
Quality Points
4
2
2
4
12
6
8
4
11
30
quality points ÷ academic hours attempted = GPA
30 ÷ 11 = 2.72
Spring semester
Fall semester
subtotals
Credit Hours Attempted
11
11
Quality Points
31
30
22
61
cumulative quality points ÷ cumulative credit hours = cumulative GPA
61 ÷ 22 = 2.77
3. Last semester, Jill attempted 9 credit hours and had a 1.33 GPA, low in part because she
made two "C"s and an "F," failing her 3-hour history class. If she were to repeat her
history class over a summer session and on the second attempt make a "B," how would
that change her GPA?
Answer: Jill’s GPA would increase from 1.33 to 2.33, going up a full point by taking the
class again and performing better.
Course
Grade
Class X
Class Y
History
C
C
F
subtotals
Last Semester
Credit Hours
attempted
3
3
3
Point Value
Quality Points
2
2
0
6
6
0
9
12
quality points ÷ credit hours attempted = GPA
12 ÷ 9 = 1.33
last semester
summer semester
subtotals
Credit Hours attempted
9
0 (3 re-attempted)*
Quality Points
12
9**
9
21
cumulative quality points ÷ cumulative credit hours = cumulative GPA
21 ÷ 9= 2.33
*Re-attempted hours literally replace the hours one originally attempted, and so they
don’t add to cumulative total of credit hours attempted.
** The new grade changes the old grade in terms of quality points, and usually, this
change results in an increase in the cumulative total of quality points.
In this example, Jill earned zero quality points for her original grade of “F.” But, by
making a “B” the second time around, she adds nine quality points. (Note if she had
made a “D” in history last semester (earning three quality points) and the “B” in the
summer session, she would have had a net increase of six. But the cumulative GPA after
the summer would still be 2.33 because she would still have 9 attempted credit hours and
21 quality points.)
4. Imagine Nadia has taken four 3-hour classes, two college-level in which she has earned a
"B" and a "D" and two developmental in which she's earned a "B" and an "F." Her
financial aid requires her to maintain a 2.0 GPA. Will she be able to continue with that
program? (In your answer, be sure to calculate her GPA.)
Answer: If Dev Ed courses are reviewed for the financial Nadia receives, she would not
continue to receive financial aid. If they are not, she has the minimum GPA and could
continue.
Course
College-level class 1
College-level class 2
Developmental class 1
Developmental class 2
Grade
B
D
B
F
subtotals
Nadia’s Semester
Credit Hours
Attempted
3
3
0/3*
0/3*
Point Value
Quality Points
3
1
3
0
9
3
0/9*
0/0*
6/12
12/21
quality points ÷ academic hours attempted = GPA
12 ÷ 6 = 2.00**
21 ÷ 12 = 1.75***
Comments:
* Developmental courses count for institutional credit only and do not calculate into official
GPAs. Therefore, only Nadia’s college-level classes would be counted toward her official
GPA. With that standard, she has a 2.0 GPA.
** Nadia’s official GPA (Dev Ed classes excluded)
*** Nadia’s GPA with Dev Ed classes included
Further Note: The continuation of most (but not all) financial aid programs is dependent on
GPAs. And of these, it will vary whether the award granted relies solely upon grades in
college-level classes or whether it will also factor in grades from developmental classes. A
growing number do consider the grades earned in such classes.
5. Jaime is trying to apply for a scholarship that requires a 3.5 GPA. He has earned two
"A"s and one "C" in three, three-hour credit classes and two "A"s in two, four-hour
developmental classes. Does he have a shot at the scholarship? Why or why not?
Answer: Jaime’s GPA of 3.33 is probably not high enough to qualify him for the
scholarship, especially since grade-based scholarships are highly competitive, and
applications are often initially screened by computers (rather than committees or individuals).
And that’s too bad because, with four “A”s and a “C,” Jaime had a pretty strong semester.
Course
College-level class 1
College-level class 2
College-level class 3
Developmental class 1
Developmental class 2
Grade
A
A
C
A
A
subtotals
Jaime’s Semester
Credit Hours
Attempted
3
3
3
0/4*
0/4*
Point Value
Quality Points
4
4
2
4
4
12
12
6
0/16*
0/16*
9/17
30/62
quality points ÷ academic hours attempted = GPA
30 ÷ 9 = 3.33**
62 ÷ 17 = 3.64***
Comments:
* Developmental courses count for institutional credit only and do not calculate into official
GPAs. Therefore, only Jaime’s college-level classes would be counted toward his official
GPA. With that standard, he has a 3.33 GPA.
** Jaime’s official GPA (Dev Ed classes excluded)
*** Jaime’s GPA with Dev Ed classes included
Further Note: Most scholarship programs have rules about one’s GPA for getting the award
and, if it is a multi-semester award, more rules about maintaining one’s GPA after receiving
it. Unless its rules say otherwise, the vast majority scholarship programs look exclusively at
one’s official GPA (and wouldn’t consider Dev Ed grades, whether good or bad).
Additional Point: Even some need-based scholarships will look at grades, especially if there
are more applicants than available money. If two candidates have equal need, then GPAs
might be used to make the award decisions. (And in these cases, Dev Ed grades are probably
considered as well as credit-bearing grades.)
previous semesters
summer semester
Credit Hours attempted
36
12
Quality Points
81
48
48
129
subtotals
cumulative quality points ÷ cumulative credit hours = cumulative GPA
81 ÷ 36 = 2.25 (previous semesters)
129 ÷ 48 = 2.68 (with the current semester)
Course
Theater
Engl 1301
Hist 2301
Developmental Math
Humanties
Grade
C
C
C
W
F
subtotals
Jaime’s Semester
Credit Hours
Attempted
3
3
3
0
3
Point Value
Quality Points
2
2
2
0
0
6
6
6
0
0
12
quality points ÷ academic hours attempted = GPA
18 ÷ 12 = 1.5
18
Jaime’s Semester