California State University Application:
How to Calculate Your GPA
Instructions from the Cal State Application are as follows:
High school GPA for all approved college prep “a-g” courses taken in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, not counting
military science and physical education: GPA
GPA= Total grade points
Total units
.
A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0
(Up to a maximum of 8 extra points for honors courses taken in the last two years of high school including up to
2 UC-approved honors courses taken in the 10th grade.)
To calculate your Cal State GPA, follow the sample below:
Sample Viewpoint transcript for Grades 10 & 11:
Worksheet for Cal State calculation:
Grade 10
S2 Grade
Points
___3____
___3____
___3____
___4____
___3 ___
___3____
___0____
___0____
___3____
2+1 (for honors)
___3____
3+1 (for honors)
___3____
___0____
___0____
English II
Spanish III
Algebra II
Chemistry
E. History
Speech
*P.E.
S1
B+
AAAB
S2
Final
B
B+
B+
B+
BB
AAB
B
B
B
A- AAth
10 Grade GPA 3.24
Credit
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.5
1.0







S1 Grade
Points
___3___
___4___
___4___
___4___
___3___
___0___
___0___
Final
B
BC+
BB
AA
A
Credit
0.5
0.5 
1.0 
1.0 
1.0 
1.0 
0.5 
1.0 
___3___
___0___
2+1 (for honors)
___3___
3+1 (for honors)
___4___
___4___
___0___
Total Units
(# of Semesters)
__2___
__2 __
__2 __
__2___
__2___
__1___
__0___
Grade 11
S1
B
S2
Amer. Masterworks
Lit. of California
BSpanish IV Honors C+
C+
Pre-Calculus
BB
Physics Honors
B+
B
US History
AB+
*Modern Dance
A
*P.E.
A
A
11th Grade GPA 3.00
___39__
Sum
+
___35___
Sum
÷
__1___
__1___
_ 2 __
_ 2 __
_ 2 __
__ 2 _
__1___
__0___
__22__ = 3.36
Sum
Cal State GPA
IMPORTANT NOTES:
 Your Cal State GPA may look significantly different from your Viewpoint GPA. Do not worry!
 Exclude P.E. and non-approved “a-g” courses from your calculations.
 Remember to add extra points, up to 8, for approved “a-g” honors courses.
 Double-check your calculations before you submit your application!
 If you find out, after you submit your application, that you made an error in calculating your Cal State
GPA, call each campus and inquire how to proceed. Some campuses will require you to email an
updated GPA while others may encourage you to mail a letter with the new information. (This shouldn’t
happen to you if you will double-check your calculations before you submit your application.)