Letter Grade to GPA Conversion: A+ to F Chart (with Examples)

Every letter grade on a US transcript maps to a number on the 4.0 GPA scale. The headline values are clean — A is 4.0, B is 3.0, C is 2.0 — but the pluses, minuses, and edge cases (A+, weighted bumps, non-standard scales) change the math more than most students realize. This post is the full letter-grade-to-GPA chart, the way the conversion is calculated, and the cases where two schools assign different GPAs for the same letter grade.

The 50-word version

Standard US 4.0 scale: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0. Pluses add 0.3 (A+ usually 4.0 too — capped). Minuses subtract 0.3. Weighted scales add 0.5–1.0 for honors/AP. Always use your school's published policy, not the generic chart, when calculating GPA for transcripts.

Standard letter grade to GPA chart (4.0 scale)

This is the conversion most US colleges and high schools use:

Letter Grade	Percentage	GPA (Unweighted)
A+	97–100	4.0 (capped)
A	93–96	4.0
A−	90–92	3.7
B+	87–89	3.3
B	83–86	3.0
B−	80–82	2.7
C+	77–79	2.3
C	73–76	2.0
C−	70–72	1.7
D+	67–69	1.3
D	63–66	1.0
D−	60–62	0.7
F	Below 60	0.0

The percentage-to-letter cutoffs vary slightly by school — some use 90+ for A, others use 93+ — but the letter-to-GPA mapping is near-universal across US institutions.

The A+ controversy

A+ is the one cell where schools disagree. Three policies exist:

1. Capped at 4.0 (most common). A and A+ both equal 4.0. A+ is a transcript distinction, not a GPA boost.
2. 4.3 scale. Some schools (Harvard, Stanford, parts of UC system) use 4.3 for A+. This produces GPAs above 4.0 on an unweighted basis — unusual but valid.
3. 4.0 scale with no A+ at all. A few schools have no A+ category. The highest letter is A.

If you're calculating your own GPA, default to the 4.0 cap unless your school's transcript explicitly shows otherwise. The 4.0 GPA scale explained post has the full reasoning behind the cap.

How the conversion math actually works

GPA is a credit-weighted average of grade points. The formula:

GPA = (Sum of [grade points × credits]) / (Total credits)

A worked example. A student has 4 courses in one semester:

• English (3 credits) — A → 4.0 × 3 = 12.0
• Math (4 credits) — B+ → 3.3 × 4 = 13.2
• Biology (4 credits) — A− → 3.7 × 4 = 14.8
• History (3 credits) — B → 3.0 × 3 = 9.0

Total grade points = 12.0 + 13.2 + 14.8 + 9.0 = 49.0 Total credits = 3 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 14 Semester GPA = 49.0 / 14 = 3.50

That's the semester GPA. Cumulative GPA is the same math applied across every semester. Use the semester GPA calculator or cumulative GPA calculator to skip the manual arithmetic.

Weighted GPA: pluses on top of the chart

Weighted GPA adds bonus points for honors and AP/IB courses. The standard bumps:

• Honors classes: +0.5 to the unweighted GPA points
• AP / IB classes: +1.0 to the unweighted GPA points
• Standard classes: No bump

So an A in an AP class is 5.0 on the weighted scale (4.0 + 1.0), and an A in an honors class is 4.5 (4.0 + 0.5). A B+ in an AP class is 4.3 (3.3 + 1.0).

Some schools use different bumps — +1.0 for honors and +1.0 for AP, or +0.25 for honors and +0.5 for AP. Always check your school's specific weighting policy. The how weighted GPA works post breaks down every variation.

Edge cases that change the conversion

Pass/Fail (P/NP, S/U)

Pass/Fail grades don't get GPA values. A "P" doesn't count toward your GPA at all — it doesn't help or hurt. An "F" in a Pass/Fail course usually still hurts (counts as 0 GPA points), but the policy varies by school. Some Ivies (Brown, MIT for first year) use Pass/Fail extensively for early courses. The Pass/Fail and your GPA post has the policy breakdown.

Audit (AU)

Audited courses don't show a letter grade and don't count toward GPA or credits. Audit is for personal enrichment — no transcript GPA impact either way.

Withdrawal (W, WP, WF)

• W: No GPA impact at most schools. Shows on transcript but doesn't count.
• WP (Withdrew Passing): Same as W at most schools.
• WF (Withdrew Failing): Counts as F (0 GPA points) at most schools.

Withdrawal timing matters — most schools have a "drop without W" deadline (usually 2–4 weeks in), a "W only" window (mid-semester), and a "WF possible" window (last weeks).

Incomplete (I, IC)

An I usually counts as 0 GPA points until completed. Once the work is finished, the I converts to a letter grade and your GPA is recalculated. Schools typically give one semester to complete; otherwise the I becomes an F permanently.

Repeat (R, X)

When you retake a course, the new grade may replace the old in the GPA calculation depending on your school's grade replacement policy. The original grade may stay on the transcript with a marker (R or X), but only the new grade counts toward GPA. See does retaking a class replace GPA for the full policy mechanics.

International grade conversion

Students transferring from non-US schools face a different conversion entirely. The most common international scales:

• UK (1st, 2:1, 2:2, 3rd): Roughly 1st = 4.0, 2:1 = 3.6, 2:2 = 3.0, 3rd = 2.0. See UK grade to GPA conversion for the detailed mapping.
• India / Percentage (0–100): Most US schools use a conversion table — 90+% = 4.0, 80–89% = 3.5, 70–79% = 3.0, 60–69% = 2.5. See percentage to GPA conversion chart.
• Germany (1.0–5.0, inverted): 1.0 (best) = 4.0 GPA; 4.0 (lowest passing) = 1.0 GPA.
• Australia / IB (high distinction, distinction, credit, pass): Conversions vary by university.

International applicants usually have their transcript evaluated by a credential service (WES, ECE, IEE) that issues a US-equivalent GPA the school will then use.

When schools convert differently from the chart

A few specific cases where your school's chart may not match the standard table:

1. No minuses. Some schools (especially community colleges) only have A, B, C, D, F — no pluses or minuses. The conversion is straightforward: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.
2. Plus only, no minus. A few schools use A, A+, B, B+ etc. without minuses. A+ is 4.0 (or 4.3); B+ is 3.5 (or 3.3); A is 4.0; B is 3.0.
3. Pass/No Pass by default. A handful of Ivies and selective LACs (Brown, MIT first year, Reed) use Pass/No Pass extensively. Letter grades exist but Pass/Fail dominates early coursework.
4. Non-standard scales for graduate school. Many grad programs use a separate scale where B is the lowest "passing" grade for purposes of staying enrolled, even though it's still 3.0 numerically.

Always read your school's official academic catalog or registrar's GPA policy page for the exact conversion. The standard chart in this post is the default for most US institutions, but your specific school may differ.

Common letter-grade questions

What letter grade is a 3.5 GPA? 3.5 is between B+ (3.3) and A− (3.7). On a per-course basis, a 3.5 isn't a single letter — it's the average of mixed grades like A's and B+'s, or A−'s and B's.

Is an A− still a 4.0? No. A is 4.0, A− is 3.7. The minus subtracts 0.3.

What GPA is straight A's? 4.0 unweighted. Could be higher on a weighted scale (4.5–5.0+ if all classes are honors/AP).

Is a 3.7 GPA all A's? No. A 3.7 means mostly A's with some A−'s, or a mix of A's and B+'s. A pure straight-A student has 4.0.

What does "I" mean on a transcript? Incomplete. The instructor hasn't entered a final grade yet. Usually because the student missed work that the instructor agreed to let them finish after the deadline.

Does a C count as passing? For most undergraduate degree requirements, yes — C (2.0) is passing. Some specific major prerequisites and graduate-level courses require C− or higher. Failing thresholds vary.

What's the difference between A+ and A? A is 4.0 at every school. A+ is 4.0 at most schools (capped) but 4.3 at a few. The transcript shows the distinction; the GPA calculation usually doesn't.

How do I calculate GPA from letter grades? Multiply each course's GPA value (from the chart above) by its credit hours, sum the products, divide by total credit hours. That's your GPA. Or use the college GPA calculator to do the math automatically.

How to use this chart for your own GPA

Three steps:

1. List every course. Write down each course with its letter grade and credit hours.
2. Look up each grade in the chart above to get the GPA value (4.0 for A, 3.7 for A−, 3.3 for B+, etc.).
3. Multiply, sum, divide. For each course: GPA value × credit hours. Sum those products. Divide by total credit hours.

Or skip the manual math and plug your courses into:

• Cumulative GPA calculator — for full transcript GPA
• Semester GPA calculator — for one term
• Weighted GPA calculator — if you have honors/AP courses
• Unweighted GPA calculator — straight 4.0 scale

Bottom line

The standard US conversion is A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0. Pluses add 0.3 to the base letter; minuses subtract 0.3. A+ is usually capped at 4.0 (4.3 at a few schools). Weighted GPA adds 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP/IB. Always verify against your school's published policy — they differ slightly on cutoffs, A+ handling, and weighted bumps. For the full math behind any of this, the 4.0 GPA scale explained and how weighted GPA works posts cover every variation.