GPA( Grade point average)

Hello

Can someone tell me what exactly is GPA( Grade point average) and how do I calculate it for my CIE: IGCSE and A levels results.

I Checked one website but that calculation requires something called Credit Hours??? :confused:

Can someone PLEASE help.

Reply 1

blujazfan

I can explain how the GPA is calculated but cannot answer how your IGCSE and A level results would equate.

In the U.S., each course is worth a certain number of credit hours. Although this can vary depending on the course, schools that operate on a semester system generally have courses worth 3 credit hours and those on the quarter system have courses worth 4 credit hours. In order to calculate your GPA you need to know two numbers: the point value of your grade in the course (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) and the number of credit hours of the course. The following is a website that offers a fairly simple explanation:

http://www.cas.unt.edu/advising/gpacalc.htm

Hope this helps.

Reply 2

dismal_laundry

15

You can't really convert the IGCSE and A Level grades into a GPA because the systems of assessment are so different. For one thing, GPAs in high school are all internally assessed while the IGCSE and A levels are externally assessed. Further, they do not carry credit hours, while classes in American high schools carry a certain number of credits, while finally add up to a high school diploma. Keep your original GCSE and A Level exam certificates and write a letter of explanation.

Reply 3

Hashmi

OP

Thanks both of you :smile:

Reply 4

Dallyra

You don't need to tell them a GPA, because obviously you don't have one. However, they'll calculate one for you once they receive your application, so you need to send them a complete highschool transcript, which has all your end of term/final exam grades from Year 10 to Year 13. There's a good example on the Fulbright website.

If you want to calculate it yourself, use this point system:

A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0.

Add up the points for all the grades given, and then divide by the total number of grades. In technical terms, this is an unweighted GPA, where there's no extra points given for harder classes, because it's simply impossible to calculate a weighted one (where you get extra points for things like AP classes) with our system. 4.0 is obviously the highest you can get. I wouldn't worry about it, though, because the universities will be very familiar with the British qualification system.

Reply 5

largebrandon

A course at US University is given a certain credit hour. For the most part, they are giving a credit hour corresponding to the amount of hours per week you spend in that class. For example, most classes are 3 credit hours, so you usually spend three hours in class per week. There are classes that have anywhere from 1 to 5 credit hours, which usually correspond to the respected amount of hours you are in that class per week.

Whatever you make in the course decides how many grade points you receive (as indicated in the above post). Then you add your Grade Points together and average them to the amount of hours you have. Thus, if you get an A in a 5 credit hour course, it is worth more than an A in a 3 credit hour course. But, it hurts you more if you get a D or an F.

I hope this helps!

Reply 6

neplus

try this one. I'm using it as well

http://www.cie.org.uk/docs/recognition/Calculating%20GPAs%20for%20IGCSE.pdf

Reply 7

biggadog

12

@ neplus.. you have any idea about conversion using EDEXCEL igcse grades

GPA( Grade point average)

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