Semester GPA Calculator
Just want this term's number? Add this semester's courses, credit hours and grades below. Add your GPA and credits going in if you also want to see how much it shifts your cumulative GPA.
Your Results
This semester's GPA
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New cumulative GPA
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Credits this semester
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Total credits overall
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Semester GPA vs Cumulative GPA
A semester GPA is a snapshot: only the courses from one term, with no memory of anything before it. It's the number to check right after finals to see how the term actually went, and it's what most professors and advisors mean when they ask "how did this semester go?"
Your cumulative GPA is the long-run average that ends up on your transcript and diploma. Add your GPA and credit hours going into this term above, and the calculator shows both numbers — this semester's result on its own, and what it does to your running cumulative total.
Why a Rough Semester Hurts Less Later On
Cumulative GPA is a weighted average across every credit hour you've ever taken, so the same rough semester moves it by a shrinking amount as your total credits grow.
A 2.0 GPA semester, 15 credits, at two different points in a degree:
- Freshman year — coming in with no prior credits, a 2.0 semester makes your cumulative GPA 2.00. It's the whole record so far.
- Senior year — coming in with a 3.4 GPA over 100 credits, that same 2.0 semester only pulls the cumulative GPA down to roughly 3.24.
That's not a reason to coast — it's why getting a slow start under control early matters more than it feels like it does at the time, and why a late slip is more recoverable than it looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA?
Semester GPA (also called term GPA) only averages the courses from one term. Cumulative GPA averages every term you've completed together. A single rough semester lowers your cumulative GPA by less than it lowers your semester GPA, because it's diluted across all your prior credits.
Why did my semester GPA drop even though my cumulative GPA barely moved?
Because the two numbers answer different questions. Your semester GPA reflects only that term's grades and credit hours, with no memory of past semesters — so a rough term shows up in full there, even while the cumulative number, spread across every credit hour you've ever earned, moves only a little.
Can I use this to predict my GPA before finals?
Yes — enter your expected grade for each course based on your current standing (many instructors post a running grade) and the calculator shows the semester GPA those grades would produce, before it's official.