Calculating Your GPA
Academic Success Center
Iowa State University
Your grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing your total number of quality points
earned by your total number of credits in all courses attempted. Grades of S, P, NP, and T are
not counted in calculating the GPA.
What is a quality point?
Grades Quality Points
Per Credit
A
4.00
A3.67
B+
3.33
B
3.00
B2.67
C+
2.33
C
2.00
C1.67
D+
1.33
D
1.00
D0.67
F
0.00
If you are an undergraduate and you have repeated a course, your most recent grade for that
course is used in computing your cumulative grade point average rather than the previous
grade(s), up to a limit of 15 credits.
What’s a quality point deficiency?
These values assist in making decisions about temporary enrollment or academic dismissal.
They are determined by subtracting the total number of ISU quality points from twice the
number of ISU credits attempted. All grades remain on your permanent record.
You can use the GPA calculator through the Registrar’s Office at the following web address:
http://www.iastate.edu/~registrar/gpa-calc/gpaCalculator.html
If you would prefer to track your own GPA, use the worksheet on Page 2 of this document.
1060 Hixson-Lied Student Success Center  515-294-6624  success@iastate.edu  http://www.dso.iastate.edu/asc
To Calculate Your GPA:
STEP 1: For all courses you have completed, fill out columns A, B, and C. Each course should
be in its own row.
STEP 2: For each completed courses, enter the “quality points per credit.” Look up this value
using the letter grade in column B and the chart on page 1 of this handout.
STEP 3: Multiply column C by column D, and enter the result in column E. This value is the
total number of quality points earned for this course. Repeat for each course
completed.
STEP 4: Determine the total number of credits completed by adding all values in column C.
STEP 5: Determine the total number of quality points earned by adding all values in column E.
and Once all your completed courses are entered, your correct cumulative GPA will be
displayed.
A) Class Title
B) Letter Grade
Earned
C) Credits for
Course
Total Quality Points Earned:
(TQP=Sum of all values in Column E)
Total Credits Completed:
(TC=SUM all values in Column C)
Cumulative GPA:
(GPA=TQP/TC)
D) Quality Points
per Credit
D  B  QP
E) Total Quality
Points for Course
E CD
TQP=
TC=
GPA=
Notes:
 You need to recalculate your GPA every semester using this worksheet and listing every
class taken in your history at ISU, # of credits and grades.
 Averaging your semester grades will not give you an accurate GPA.
 If you retake a class, make sure to remove the prior entry and replace it with the most
recent grade for the course.
Calculating a Semester GPA Goal
This worksheet will help you determine the semester GPA you need to achieve in order to obtain
a cumulative GPA goal. To use this worksheet, you will need to complete the worksheet on page
2 of this document or have your transcript handy.
STEP 1: Enter your total number of completed credits (from worksheet on page 2 or from your
transcript) in row A.
STEP 2: Enter your total number of credits enrolled for the current semester in row B.
STEP 3: Add rows A and B to calculate the number of credits you will have completed at the end
of the semester. Enter this value in row C.
STEP 4: Enter into row D your cumulative GPA goal. (i.e., do you need a 2.0 or 3.5 GPA?)
STEP 5: Multiply row C by row D to calculate the total quality points needed at the end of the
semester. Enter this value in row E.
STEP 6: Enter your total number of quality points earned (from worksheet on page 2 or from
your transcript) in row F.
STEP 7: Subtract row F from row E. This is the number of quality points needed to reach your
GPA goal. (If the number is negative, you have made a math error.) Enter this number
in row G.
STEP 8: Divide row G by row B and enter this into row H. This is the GPA you need to achieve
during the current semester in order to meet your cumulative GPA goal.
Step
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Row
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
= Enter your total number of completed credits.
= Enter your total number of credits enrolled for the current semester.
= Total credits completed at end of the semester.
= Enter your cumulative GPA goal.
= Total number of quality points needed at end of semester.
= Enter total number of quality points earned.
= Number of quality points needed to reach GPA goal in Step 3.
= GPA needed this semester.
Do you like formulas? Treat each row as a variable. Using the values in the rows above, the
complete formula looks like this:
H
D   A  B   F
B