Why students use Wrong Formulas to Convert Percentage to GPA 4.0 Scale:
You will not believe how many wrong methods or formulas international students use. In all reality, international students are not aware or confused and are using the formulas that US schools use to compute GPA. It is just a matter of not knowing and generalizing the standards and formulas used in US for doing similar conversion of percentages. Converting using wrong formulas is as bad as using wrong units. So, do NOT convert.
Let me share with you some of those wrong formulas. If you are international student, please Do NOT use these formulas when applying to US Schools. These are just to WARN you so that you do NOT any of these formulas blindly.
Wrong Method 1 – Assigning a letter grade :
Directly Assigning a Letter Grade to a percentage. This is a US grading system scale.
| Grade | Grade Point | Percentage |
| A | 4 | 90 – 100 |
| B | 3 | 80 – 89.9 |
| C | 2 | 70 – 79.9 |
| D | 1 | 60 – 69.9 |
| F | 0 | <59 |
Wrong method 2 – More Finer assignment of letter grade :
A little finer method than above that gives GPA with more precision with decimals of getting grade point and converting percentage to GPA
| Grades | Grade Points | Percentage of Marks |
| A | 4.000 | Greater than 93% |
| A- | 3.670 | 87 -89.9% |
| B+ | 3.330 | 84-86.9 % |
| B | 3.000 | 80 – 83.9% |
| B- | 2.670 | 77 – 79.9% |
| C+ | 2.330 | 74 – 76.9% |
| C | 2.000 | 70 – 73.9% |
| C- | 1.670 | 67- 69.9% |
| D+ | 1.330 | 65-66.9% |
| D | 1.000 | 62-64.9% |
| D- | 0.670 | 59-61.9% |
| F | 0.000 | <59 % |
Wrong Formula 3 – Concept of Averaging Marks and GPA:
Computing an average of all the subjects Marks and then assign a letter grade for overall GPA.
For instance, say Marks are : English = 80, C and Data Structures= 90 , Engineering Mathematics = 70, Physics =70, Engineering Chemistry = 70, IT for Engineers = 80.
Someone would just add these and get average = (80+90+70+70+70+80)/6 = 76.7
Now, the students just use one of the above wrong methods ( either 1 or 2) and assign a grade. It can be either C+ = 2.33 or C= 2.0
Wrong Method 4 – Concept of Top 5 or top 10 :
There is a myth that some schools give only few A grades, few B grades and so on. So, for instance, top 5 people get A, top 15 people get B. etc. So, what international students do is : They just get their ranking from the overall percentage in their class and assume a letter grade. Say, if someone is third in overall percentage, they automatically assume A or 4.0 . This sounds so silly, but you will not believe some do and I heard many stories…
Wrong Formula 5 – Average of semester or years for percentage:
Get aggregate percentages of 1 year, 2nd year and 3rd year and then divide by 3 or get average of 4 years and then assign a letter grade as listed above in methods 1 and 2.
These are few wrong ways to convert Percentage to GPA 4.0 scale. So, when you are planning to apply to US schools. Do NOT do any conversion using wrong formulas listed above.
Hello,
I am from Nepal and I want to know about GPA formula . we are ongoing using letter grading system in our country. i think we are using wrong GPA formula.
please help me with example in our context. here our course design details:
course Full marks Credit Point
National language 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
Int’language 100 ,, ,, 4 ,, ,,
Mathematics 100( not Practical) 4 ,, ,,
science 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
SOS 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
HPE 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
Opt. I 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
OPt II 100(theory 75+practical 25) 4(32 hrs per 1 credit point)
if some one student score the marks below. how can we calculate his/her letter grade in subject and total Grade Point average? with example in Excel sheets.
marks obtains
National language 100(theory 75+practical 25) 51+25
Int’language 100 ,, ,, 54+25
Mathematics 100( not Practical) 62
science 100(theory 75+practical 25) 45+25
SOS 100(theory 75+practical 25) 51+25
HPE 100(theory 75+practical 25) 53+25
Opt. I 100(not Practical) 70
OPt II 100(theory 75+practical 25) 62+25
could you please help me out?
Narayan,
You cannot just convert it like that. I suggest you email the school the scale you are using and then sen them the actual marks.
Hello,
I am French and I used all the wrong fomula you mentioned in your article. It seems I just lack the right, could you please help me out?
Thank you!