Calculating Grade Points

Grade points (not just GPA) often determine academic probation status.

Calculating Grade Points (GPs) 

To calculate total Grade Points (GPs) do the following:

This student had 31 grade points for 13 units. 

Calculating Grade Point Average (GPA)

To find the Grade Point Average (GPA):  divide total grade points by the number of units: 

      31/13 = 2.385.  This student's GPA for the semester is 2.385

Calculating Grade Point Deficiencies

Students on probation are told that they have a certain number of grade points that they are deficient. To calculate your grade point deficiency, do the following:

Step 1: Calculate the total grade points for the category.  Follow the above steps to calculate how many grade points you have for ALL of your classes that are being considered.  For example if you are told you are deficient 6 grade points in your major courses, calculate the grade points for all classes in your major. 

[If you want to skip this step, you may find the number of grade points listed on your transcript.  You can also fairly accurately calculate them if you know your exact grade point average for the category (e. g. your major courses).  Simply multiply the category GPA times the total number of category units attempted.  GPA in major = 1.500 multiplied by the number of units = 30 equals 45 total grade points. ]

Step 2: Calculate the number of grade points that you should have had to have a "C" or 2.0 GPA for the same number of units.  

In the above example the student had taken 30 units and has a GPA of 1.500.  To have had a "C" or 2.0 GPA, the student needed 2.0 times 30 units = 60.0 grade points.  

Step 3: Calculate the Grade Point Deficiency by subtracting the number of grade points you actually had from the number of grade points needed to make a "C" (2.0) average.

60.0 minus 45.0 = 15.0 grade points deficient. 

Calculating How to Make Up Grade Point Deficiencies

There are several ways to calculate how you can make up deficiencies.  One way is to first understand how the different grades help or hurt your effort.  To do this you first need to compare the number of points you GAIN in making up a deficiency from "A"s and "B"s.

Since a "B" is worth 3.0 points per unit and a "C" is worth 2.0 points per unit, you gain 1.0 points/unit ever time you make a "B".  So if you have a course worth 3 units you gain 1.0 points X 3 units = 3 grade points gained.   If you make a "B", you gain 1 point/unit.

Since an "A" is worth 4.0 points per unit, you gain 2.0 points/unit each "A" you make.

If you make a "C" grade, you neither lose or gain.  You stay the same.  Some students think that "C" grades help them, they don't! 

If you make a "D" grade, you LOSE 1.0 points/unit.

If you make an "F" grade, you LOSE 2.0 points/unit.

Calculating the GPA Needed to Make Up A Grade Point Deficiency

Example:  Jason is 6 grade points deficient and will be expelled from the university unless he makes them up in one semester.  He is taking 12 units.  

(1) What must his grade point average for the semester be in order to make up the 6 units?

Step 1: Find the number of grade points earned if he made only a 2.0 gpa for the semester.

2.0 grade points X 12 units = 24.0 grade points.  (Jason would "break even" and be expelled if he only earned a 2.0)

Step 2: Find the number of grade points he needs.  Add the "break even" number (24.0) to the number deficient (6.0) to find the number needed.  24.0 + 6.0 = 30.0 grade points needed to make up the deficiency.  

Step 3: Find the needed grade point average.  Divide the number of grade points needed (30.0) by the number of units (12.0).  30/12 = 2.50.  So Jason needs a 2.50 grade point average for the semester to make up the 6.0 grade points deficiency and stay in college.

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