There is no single unweighted GPA conversion chart
“Unweighted” means that a stated formula does not add points for course level. It does not define the GPA scale, plus/minus values, percentage cutoffs, included courses, credit units, special marks, or rounding.
Use a table only when the table and the GPA belong to the same authority and effective period.
Three official tables with different jobs
| Rule owner | Grade treatment | Course population and denominator | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County Public Schools | Current table includes A=4.0, A−=3.7, B+=3.3; designated courses can receive extra weight | Defined high-school courses for which credit was earned, attempted, or previously awarded | FCPS GPA |
| University of California Admissions | A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1; high-school plus/minus signs do not count | Defined A–G courses and grade window, with separate honors rules | Official UC admission GPA |
| University of Notre Dame | A=4.000, A−=3.667, B+=3.333 and other published values | Applicable attempted Notre Dame credit hours | Notre Dame semester or cumulative GPA |
These tables cannot be merged into a national “closest row.” A transcript A− might be 3.7 under one rule, 3.667 under another, or treated as A under a recipient calculation that ignores the sign.
A blank chart-transcription worksheet
Copy the policy instead of choosing a familiar default:
| Field | Official value |
|---|---|
| Authority and effective year | |
| Exact GPA name | |
| Scale and separate weighting status | |
| A+, A, A− values | |
| B+, B, B− values | |
| Remaining grade symbols | |
| Percentage bands, if the authority uses them | |
| Included courses/grade window | |
| Attempted-credit or course denominator | |
| P/F, incomplete, withdrawal, repeat treatment | |
| Rounding or truncation |
If an official field is unavailable, keep the source grade and label any calculation a planning estimate.
Credit arithmetic is also policy-owned
Notre Dame publishes this institutional formula:
course quality points = grade-point value × course credit hours
GPA = applicable quality points ÷ applicable attempted credits
The arithmetic is reproducible, but it does not prove that every high school uses credit-weighted GPA. Select the denominator stated by the authority you are modeling.
Special marks need separate fields
Do not treat P/F as one universal rule. A safe data model records for each mark:
- whether it earns credit;
- whether its units enter the GPA denominator;
- whether it contributes grade points; and
- whether another program or recipient accepts it.
The statement “Pass adds zero points but still enters the denominator” is not a safe default. Named institutional policies can exclude the passing units from GPA entirely while treating a failing result differently.
How to use the calculator
- Select or transcribe the rule owner.
- Enter the grade symbols exactly as recorded.
- Use the policy's included course population.
- Apply the stated unit or denominator rule.
- Keep unresolved special grades out of the official-looking result.
- Compare the output with the transcript or named recipient calculation.
Use unweighted GPA examples for assumption-labeled arithmetic tests. If your result differs from the record, use why GPA does not match your transcript.
FAQ
Is A− always 3.7?
No. FCPS currently uses 3.7, Notre Dame uses 3.667, and UC first-year admission ignores the sign in its defined calculation.
Is A+ always capped at 4.0?
No universal rule follows from “unweighted.” Use the exact table published by the calculation owner.
Can I convert a percentage by choosing the closest letter row?
Only when the relevant authority publishes those percentage bands. Otherwise the nearest row is an invented policy choice.
Can an unweighted GPA exceed 4.0?
The word unweighted does not identify the scale or maximum. Report the scale and weighting status separately.
Which GPA should I submit?
Follow the current application's instructions. Do not replace an official record with a self-created conversion.