Before applying for study abroad in the U.S., you must know how to calculate GPA! Understand GPA conversion and what constitutes a high GPA | UP-STUDY Educational Center

Students who are thinking about starting their study abroad journey often face the first challenge when applying to schools, which is "grades." When it comes to the grading system in U.S. universities, it is usually the "GPA" that Taiwanese students are not very familiar with. So, what exactly is GPA? Can the GPA used in Taiwanese universities be directly applied in the U.S.? How high does your GPA need to be to be considered good? This article will help you understand it all at once.

What is GPA?

GPA stands for Grade Point Average, which is the average of your academic grades. Unlike the 0-100 grading system that Taiwanese students are familiar with, GPA divides grades into levels from A to E, with each grade corresponding to a specific GPA score. This is called GPA.

The corresponding grades for GPA are usually as follows:

In the United States,GPA is typically out of4.0, though some schools have their own system, such asMassachusetts Institute of Technology with a5.0 scale,Stanford University with a4.3 scale, andColumbia University with a4.33 scale. GPA percentages may also vary, with some schools settingC as the passing grade at60E for failure. Additionally, each grade can be further subdivided into three categories:A+,A,A-, which help teachers assess student performance more precisely.

After calculating each subject'sGPA, the total GPA is calculated, and the "GPA" referred to when applying for study abroad is usually the total GPA. The total GPA is not calculated by directly adding all the points and averaging them, but by weighting the credit hours. The formula is as follows:

Overall gradeGPA is equal to:(4*3.0+4*2.0+3*3.0+1*4.0) / (4+4+3+1) = 33 / 12 = 2.74

GPA is commonly used in the U.S. for graduate schools, universities, and high schools. Therefore, whether in high school aiming to become an exchange student or in university planning to apply for graduate school, it is definitely a good idea to understand whatGPA is.

GPA conversion:4.0 & 4.3

Although the GPA maximum score varies by school, it is typically either4.0 or4.34.0, while Taiwanese universities use4.3, and there is no inherent advantage to either system. If needed for studying abroad, one can apply for a conversion through an impartial third-party organization, such asWES, to have their transcript converted to the version suitable for U.S. universities, which is4.0.

Taiwan GPA:4.3

The reason Taiwan’s GPA maximum is4.3 is that the highest grade,A+, is set as4.3National Taiwan University:

United StatesGPA:4.0

In the United States, a GPA of 4.0 is converted as follows (using the standard published by the College Board, which is responsible for organizing the SAT exam for U.S. high school students):

The GPA scale of4.0 is commonly used by most universities in the United States, such asUniversity of Chicago, which uses the grading system mentioned above. However, each school can set its own grading standards and correspondingGPA. For example,Princeton University does not haveD+, andD is directly calculated as1.0.

As for how to convert grades between4.04.3, it is recommended not to use direct conversion, such as replacing4.3 with4.0A toE as per the school's standard and then calculate the GPA from4.0 to0 and multiply by the credits for calculation.

How high should your GPA be to apply to US schools?

After understanding the calculation method, the most important question comes: How high does your GPA need to be to enter your ideal school? Honestly, "the higher, the better."

Whether4.0 or4.3C and achieving2.0 is basic, andB is considered an average score, which is typically the average for American high school students. If you want to apply to US universities and graduate schools, you need at least3.03.54.0 or higher would generally meet the score requirement.

Some schools set minimumGPA requirements based on the program.

In general, US schools focus on the applicant'sGPA score, and higherGPA scores mean higher acceptance chances. Nevertheless, the applicant’s major, extracurricular activities, test scores, and other academic performance also matter.

However, the minimumGPA required by universities is sometimes specific to local high school students in the United States. For international students, it is not always required to provideGPA,SAT and other commonly used American test scores. It is recommended to check the official website of the school.

In addition, since most high schools in the United States also useGPA for calculation, if you have a good level of English and wish to apply to universities or graduate schools, you can refer to unofficial resources commonly used by local high school students in the U.S., such as the "GPA Calculator," similar to Taiwan's academic placement analysis. The website lists the averageGPA for students admitted to various U.S. schools (calculated on a 5.0 scale, and the website also provides aGPA converter for reference),SAT scores, and admission rates.

Top 10 U.S. Universities GPA

Now, let's take a look at whatU.S. News & World Report ranks as the top 10 schools in the United States,GPA you need to apply to them?

Note: The above data is based on the undergraduate applications to the respective schools.

After understandingGPA, quickly pull out your transcript and calculate it. If your totalGPA is lower than expected, don't lose heart too early. The school will still consider other aspects of the applicant's performance. Even if the totalGPA is less than ideal, if the GPA in the major subject applied for is particularly high, or if there is significant improvement in the GPA during junior and senior years, or if the applicant presents very rich extracurricular achievements outside of theGPA, it is still possible to leave a good impression on the school.

For more information aboutGPA and study abroad, feel free to visit the UP-STUDY Educational Center for the latest study abroad information!