How cumulative GPA is calculated
Multiply each semester GPA by its GPA-counted credit hours. Add those quality points and divide by the combined credits. For the most precise result, use actual transcript quality points rather than rounded semester GPAs.
Worked example: unequal semesters
A 3.00 GPA over 30 credits contributes 90 quality points. A 3.80 GPA over 15 credits contributes 57. The cumulative GPA is (90 + 57) ÷ 45 = 3.267. Simply averaging 3.00 and 3.80 would give 3.40 and overstate the result.
Work backward from your target
To raise that 3.267 cumulative GPA to 3.50 with another 15 credits, you would need (3.50 × 60 − 147) ÷ 15 = 4.20. That is not achievable within one 15-credit term on this scale. Over another 30 credits, the required average falls to 3.85.
Avoid counting the same grades twice
Enter either a separate row for each completed semester or a single row for your existing cumulative GPA and its credits. Do not enter both for the same coursework. Exclude credits that your institution does not count in GPA.
Have individual course grades instead? Use the college GPA calculator. For course-difficulty bonuses, use the high school GPA tool.
Repeat courses and transfer credits
This planner adds the rows you supply. It does not automatically apply grade forgiveness or transfer-credit rules. If a repeat replaces an earlier grade, adjust the underlying transcript totals according to your school’s policy before entering them.