These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences. Confused about CGPA and GPA? You’re not alone! CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average, while GPA stands for Grade Point Average.
Understanding these differences is crucial, especially when applying for further studies, internships, or jobs.
If you’re an Indian aspirant looking to study abroad, you’ve probably encountered the challenge of converting your 10-point CGPA to a 4-point GPA recognized by the US educational system. While universities or their representatives typically handle the conversion, it’s always beneficial to understand the process yourself. This understanding can provide you with insight into your academic performance, particularly on the USA’s 4-point grading scale.
In this blog, we won’t just explore the process of converting CGPA to GPA, but we’ll also highlight the importance of understanding the differences between them. As a student, it’s essential to provide your GPA for academic or professional purposes, and we’ll explain why. So, let’s break it down and simplify the significance of CGPA and GPA in your academic journey!
What is CGPA?
CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. It’s a grading system used in many educational institutions around the world to evaluate a student’s overall academic performance.
Here’s an example of how CGPA is calculated:
Let’s say a student takes five courses in a semester:
- Mathematics – Grade: A, Grade Point: 4
- English – Grade: B, Grade Point: 3
- Science – Grade: A-, Grade Point: 3.7
- History – Grade: C, Grade Point: 2
- Geography – Grade: B+, Grade Point: 3.3
To calculate the CGPA for this semester, you first multiply each grade point by the number of credit hours for the course. Let’s assume all courses are of equal weight (say, 3 credit hours each):
- Mathematics: 4 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credit Hours) = 12
- English: 3 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credit Hours) = 9
- Science: 3.7 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credit Hours) = 11.1
- History: 2 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credit Hours) = 6
- Geography: 3.3 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credit Hours) = 9.9
Now, add up all the total grade points:
Total Grade Points = 12 + 9 + 11.1 + 6 + 9.9 = 48
Now, divide the total grade points by the total credit hours:
Total Credit Hours = 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15
CGPA = Total Grade Points / Total Credit Hours CGPA = 48 / 15 CGPA = 3.2
So, the CGPA for this semester is 3.2. This represents the overall academic performance of the student for that particular semester.
Read More: How to Calculate CGPA into Marks? – A Complete Guide
What is GPA?
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. It’s a numerical representation of a student’s academic performance in a particular semester or academic year. GPA is commonly used in educational institutions to assess a student’s progress and to determine honors, awards, and eligibility for certain programs or scholarships.
Here’s how GPA is calculated:
- Assign Grade Points: Each letter grade is assigned a corresponding grade point. The scale can vary, but a typical scale is:
- A: 4.0
- B: 3.0
- C: 2.0
- D: 1.0
- F: 0.0 (Fail)
- Multiply Grade Points by Credits: For each course, multiply the grade points earned by the number of credit hours for that course.
- Calculate Total Grade Points: Add up the total grade points earned for all courses.
- Calculate Total Credits: Add up the total credit hours for all courses.
- Divide Total Grade Points by Total Credits: Divide the total grade points by the total credit hours to get the GPA.
Here’s an example:
Let’s say a student takes four courses in a semester:
- Mathematics – Grade: A, Grade Point: 4, Credits: 3
- English – Grade: B, Grade Point: 3, Credits: 4
- Science – Grade: B+, Grade Point: 3.3, Credits: 3
- History – Grade: C, Grade Point: 2, Credits: 3
To calculate the GPA for this semester:
- Mathematics: 4 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credits) = 12
- English: 3 (Grade Point) * 4 (Credits) = 12
- Science: 3.3 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credits) = 9.9
- History: 2 (Grade Point) * 3 (Credits) = 6
Total Grade Points = 12 + 12 + 9.9 + 6 = 39.9
Total Credits = 3 + 4 + 3 + 3 = 13
GPA = Total Grade Points / Total Credits GPA = 39.9 / 13 GPA ≈ 3.07
So, the GPA for this semester is approximately 3.07.
Read More: Want To Study In Australia: Follow These Simple Steps
Difference Between CGPA and GPA
The main difference between (Cumulative Grade Point Average) CGPA and GPA (Grade Point Average) lies in the scope of their calculation:
| Aspect | GPA (Grade Point Average) | CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) |
|---|---|---|
| Calculation Scope | Calculated for a specific semester or academic term. | Calculated over the entire duration of the academic program. |
| Represents | Average performance in a single term. | Average performance throughout the entire academic journey. |
| Includes | Grades earned in courses within a single semester or academic year. | Grades earned in all semesters or terms up to the current point. |
| Calculation Method | Calculated by averaging grade points earned in a specific term. | Calculated by averaging grade points earned in all terms. |
| Used for | Assessing performance in a particular term, eligibility for honors, awards, or scholarships. | Determining overall academic progress and eligibility for graduation. |
How to Convert CGPA to GPA?
Converting CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) to GPA (Grade Point Average) involves finding the equivalent GPA for the entire academic program. Here’s how you can do it:
Understand the Grading Scale: First, you need to know the grading scale used in your CGPA and GPA systems. The scale typically assigns grade points to letter grades (e.g., A, B, C).
Calculate Total Grade Points: Add up all the grade points you’ve earned throughout your academic program. This includes all the courses taken and their corresponding grade points.
Calculate Total Credits: Add up all the credit hours or course weights for the courses taken.
Divide Total Grade Points by Total Credits: Divide the total grade points by the total credits to get your CGPA.
Convert CGPA to GPA:
- If both systems use the same grading scale, then your CGPA is already your GPA.
- If the systems use different grading scales, you’ll need to convert your CGPA to GPA using an appropriate conversion formula or table. For example, if your CGPA is on a 4.0 scale and you want to convert it to a 5.0 scale, you can use the formula: GPA = (CGPA / 4.0) * 5.0.
Here’s a step-by-step example:
Let’s say your CGPA is 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and you want to convert it to a 5.0 scale:
- Calculate Total Grade Points: Let’s assume you’ve earned 240 grade points in total.
- Calculate Total Credits: Let’s assume you’ve completed 60 credit hours.
- Calculate CGPA:CGPA = Total Grade Points / Total Credits = 240 / 60 = 4.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Convert CGPA to GPA:GPA = (CGPA / 4.0) * 5.0 = (4.0 / 4.0) * 5.0 = 5.0
So, your GPA on a 5.0 scale is 5.0, which corresponds to your CGPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Read More: The Need for Best Guide to Study Abroad
How to Convert GPA to CGPA?
Converting GPA (Grade Point Average) to CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) involves considering the GPA for a specific term and then adjusting it based on the cumulative performance of previous terms. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Understand the Grading Scale: Ensure you know the grading scale used for both GPA and CGPA. They may use different scales, such as 4.0, 5.0, or 10.0.
- Calculate Total Grade Points for the Current Term: Multiply the GPA of the current term by the total credit hours for that term. This gives you the total grade points earned in the current term.
- Calculate Total Credit Hours for All Terms: Add up the total credit hours for all terms completed so far.
- Calculate Total Grade Points for All Terms: Add up the total grade points earned in all terms completed so far.
- Calculate CGPA:CGPA=Total Grade PointsTotal Credit Hours
Here’s an example to illustrate:
Let’s say your GPA for the current term, which consists of 4 courses, is 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The credit hours for these courses are 3, 4, 3, and 3, respectively.
- Calculate Total Grade Points for the Current Term:Total Grade Points for Current Term=𝐺𝑃𝐴current×Total Credit Hourscurrent =3.5×(3+4+3+3) =3.5×13 =45.5
- Calculate Total Credit Hours for All Terms:Let’s say you’ve completed 4 terms, and the total credit hours for each term are: 14, 15, 16, and 13, respectively.
Total Credit Hours=14+15+16+13 =58
- Calculate Total Grade Points for All Terms:Let’s assume your total grade points earned in previous terms are 180.
- Calculate CGPA:CGPA=180+45.558 =225.558 ≈3.88
So, your CGPA would be approximately 3.88. This value reflects your overall performance across all terms completed so far, with the GPA of the current term factored in.