How is a GPA computed from courses and grades?

Each letter grade maps to grade points on a 4.0 scale (A is 4.0, B is 3.0, and so on). Multiply each course's grade points by its credit hours to get quality points, sum the quality points, and divide by total credit hours. That weighted average is your GPA.

Do transfer credits always count toward GPA?

No, and this is the key policy question. Many US universities accept transfer credits for degree progress but exclude the grades from your GPA (credit only), so a transferred course gives you credit hours without changing your average. Others fold the grades in. This tool models both.

What is the difference between credit-only and GPA-inclusive?

Under credit-only, transfer courses add to your earned credits but your GPA is calculated solely from coursework at the destination school. Under GPA-inclusive, the transfer grades are blended in using their quality points, which can raise or lower your overall GPA.

How are plus and minus grades handled?

Most US scales assign A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B− = 2.7, and so on, while a straight A is 4.0. The tool uses this common +/- scale. Schools that do not use +/- grading simply map each letter to its whole-number value, which this scale also supports if you enter only whole letters.

Should I trust this for my official GPA?

Treat it as a planning estimate. Your registrar applies the binding rules, including how repeated courses, pass/fail grades, and non-transferable courses are handled. Use this to model scenarios, then confirm the official figure with your school.

University Credit Transfer Calculator

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Transferring schools raises a deceptively tricky question: do your previous grades follow you into your new GPA, or do you keep only the credits? The answer depends entirely on your destination’s transfer policy. This calculator computes your combined GPA under both rules so you can see the real effect of bringing courses across.

How it works

GPA is a credit-weighted average of grade points. Each course contributes quality points equal to its grade points times its credit hours:

qualityPoints = gradePoints × creditHours
GPA           = Σ qualityPoints / Σ creditHours

credit-only policy:   transfer credits count, transfer grades excluded from GPA
GPA-inclusive policy: transfer grades blended into the GPA via their quality points

The tool shows your GPA excluding the transfers (your current-school-only average) and including them, so the difference makes the policy choice concrete.

Example and notes

Suppose your destination GPA is built from courses worth 40 quality points over 12 credits, a 3.33 GPA. You transfer two courses: a 3-credit A (4.0) and a 4-credit B (3.0), worth 12 and 12 quality points. Under a GPA-inclusive policy the combined GPA becomes (40 + 24) / (12 + 7) ≈ 3.37; under credit-only it stays 3.33 while you still earn the 7 credits. The plus/minus scale used here is the common US convention — confirm with your registrar how repeats, pass/fail, and non-transferable courses are handled before relying on the figure.