Penn State University GPA Calculator
Penn State's scale has no C-, D+, D- or A+, so its grades don't line up with a generic calculator. Enter your courses below for your semester and cumulative GPA, then see how grade forgiveness, the Dean's List and recovery points work at Penn State.
Your Academic Results
Term / Semester GPA
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Cumulative GPA
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Credits This Term
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Total Graded Credits
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Penn State's Grade Scale Has No C-, D+ or D-
Penn State uses plus and minus grades only at the top of the scale. Below a C there is a single D, and there is no A+:
| Grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| A / A- | 4.00 / 3.67 |
| B+ / B / B- | 3.33 / 3.00 / 2.67 |
| C+ / C | 2.33 / 2.00 |
| D | 1.00 |
| F | 0.00 |
The missing C- matters. A performance that would be a C- elsewhere becomes either a C (2.00) or a D (1.00) at Penn State, a full grade point apart. The calculator above uses only the grades Penn State actually awards.
Calculating a Penn State GPA
Multiply each course's grade points by its credits, add them up, and divide by the credits that count toward GPA. SA/UN (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) and audit courses are left out.
Example 15-credit semester: a 4-credit science course at B+ (13.32), a 3-credit math course at A- (11.01), a 3-credit general education course at A (12.00), a 3-credit writing course at C+ (6.99) and a 2-credit course at B (6.00). That totals 49.32 ÷ 15 = 3.29.
Grades Outside the GPA
- SA / UN: the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option. You can use it for up to 12 credits toward a bachelor's degree (6 for an associate degree), no more than two courses per semester, and not for General Education courses.
- W (withdrawal), LD (late drop), MD (military drop) and audit marks.
- DF (deferred) and NG (no grade) until a final grade is recorded.
- An XF, a failure assigned through the academic integrity process, is recorded separately from an ordinary F.
Retakes and Grade Forgiveness
Since Summer 2020, Penn State has offered grade forgiveness, which also covers courses completed earlier. The rules:
- You can repeat a course in which you earned below a C, with two attempts per course unless a third is approved.
- After the repeat, you can request in LionPATH that the earlier grade be removed from your semester and cumulative GPA. It stays on the transcript.
- Only D or F grades can be forgiven, up to 13 credits in total (7 in an associate degree, plus 6 more if you continue to a bachelor's).
- Forgiveness is not available after you graduate, for grades from an academic integrity sanction, or through transfer courses.
With only 13 credits available, forgiving an F in a 4-credit course is worth far more than forgiving a D in a 1-credit course. Enter both versions in the calculator to compare.
Dean's List, Including Part-Time Students
- Full-time: a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher on 12 or more credits toward GPA.
- Part-time: a 3.50 or higher on 6 to 11.9 credits toward GPA.
SA/UN and audit courses don't count toward either the GPA or the credit load, and an academic integrity violation makes you ineligible that semester.
Academic Warning, Suspension and Recovery Points
If your cumulative GPA falls below 2.00, you receive an academic warning and a registration hold until you meet an adviser. You can keep enrolling as long as each semester GPA is at least 2.00. A semester below 2.00 while on warning leads to academic suspension for two consecutive semesters, with summer counting as a semester.
Penn State measures how far you are from good standing in recovery points, the grade points you are short of a 2.00 cumulative GPA. Students with 15 or fewer recovery points can petition the Faculty Senate to reduce or stay a suspension. After suspension, a semester below 2.00 leads to academic dismissal, which students with 18 or fewer recovery points may petition.
To estimate your recovery points, multiply your GPA credits by 2.00 and subtract your total grade points. For example, 45 credits with 81.0 grade points (a 1.80 GPA) is 90 − 81 = 9 recovery points. Penn State reads that as needing at least 9 credits of B or better to get back to 2.00, because each credit of B earns one point above a C.
Academic Renewal
Former students who have not taken any Penn State credit course for at least four calendar years and left with a cumulative GPA below 2.00 can apply for academic renewal. If it is granted, the cumulative GPA restarts at 0.00 in good standing. Earlier courses and grades stay on the record, with an academic renewal notation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Penn State have a C- grade?
No. The scale goes A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F, so there is no C-, D+, D- or A+.
Does Penn State have grade forgiveness?
Yes. After repeating a course, you can request that an earlier D or F be removed from your GPA, for up to 13 credits in total.
What GPA do you need for the Dean's List at Penn State?
A semester GPA of 3.50 or higher, on 12 or more GPA credits for full-time students or 6 to 11.9 credits for part-time students.
What are recovery points at Penn State?
The grade points you are short of a 2.00 cumulative GPA. They decide whether you can petition a suspension (15 or fewer) or a dismissal (18 or fewer).
Do SA/UN courses count in my Penn State GPA?
No. Satisfactory/unsatisfactory courses are left out of the GPA and the Dean's List credit load. You can take up to 12 such credits toward a bachelor's degree.
Sources: Penn State University Faculty Senate, 47-00 to 49-00 Grades and 54-00 Academic Progress; Penn State Academic Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual, H-2 Grade Forgiveness, C-7 Course Repeats and G-8 Dean's List and H-3 Recovery Points. Policies change, so check the current rules. This site is independent and not affiliated with Penn State.