Grading System in USA: All you need to know
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Want to know in detail about US grading system? In this article, we will inform you of everything about the grading system in the USA. From different grading systems in USA to what type of grading system is used where for the computation of marks. So check it out now!
Students going to study in USA would require how their marks will be calculated. Various US universities allot numerical and letter grades based on a system of credits. So, as an international student, you will often hear terms like GPA, credit hours, or extra credits. As one of the biggest influencers in the global grading system trends, the US has set assessment benchmarks. So, learning the evaluation matrix of the US universities and colleges will help you understand your scores while pursuing higher education.
- What is US Grading System?
- Types of US Grading System
- US College Grading System: 4.0 GPA Scale
- Convert Indian GPA to US GPA
- US Grading System FAQs
What is US Grading System?
The education system in USA for higher education is different, so its grading system is given in GPA. However, there are grading systems which vary with different levels of study in USA grades are used for primary kids, US school grading system sees percentages converted to grades and US university grading system uses GPA.
In the USA, every student has to complete a certain number of credits or semester hours for each course that they select in a given semester. Credit and Credit hours are used to calculate the overall grade. It is known as GPA or the Grade Point Average. This reflects a student's average grade through different academic semesters across courses.
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Types of US Grading System
With one of the best education systems in the world, the US grading system is also considered to be the best globally. The US higher education institutions follow two types of grading systems, the letter grade and the numerical. Letter grades are used for routine tests. Grades A, B, C, and F are used in the letter grades. The numerical grade starts from 0 to 100. Students can create grades into GPA.
Percentage of Letter Grades in US
Based on the percentage of the student, a letter grade is assigned to applicants. Each letter has a significance and a description. Following is a table for percentage to letter grades in US school grading system:
| Percentage |
Grade |
Grade Description |
|---|---|---|
| 90 - 100% |
A |
Excellent |
| 80 - 89% |
B |
Very Good |
| 70 - 79% |
C |
Needs Improvement |
| 60 - 69% |
D |
Below Average |
| 0 - 59% |
F |
Fail |
Letter Grading System in USA
The letter grade system starts from A to F along with the percentage that demonstrates the number of questions correctly answered by the student.
- A – Excellent
- B – Good
- C – Average
- D – Below-average
- F – Fail
US College Grading System: 4.0 GPA Scale
In the USA, GPA (Grade Point Average) is used to evaluate a candidate's academic performance. The 4-point GPA or four-point grading system is the most popularly used by US universities. In the GPA type, the numerical of the student is converted to the letter grade and then the letter grade is converted according to the 4.0 scale. Below we have given the table showcasing how the grade scale works.
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| Letter Grade |
Grade Point Scale |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A |
4.00 |
94.0 - 100 |
| A- |
3.67 |
90.0 - 93.99 |
| B+ |
3.33 |
87.0 - 89.99 |
| B |
3.00 |
83.0 - 86.99 |
| B- |
2.67 |
80.0 - 82.99 |
| C+ |
2.33 |
77.0 - 79.99 |
| C |
2.00 |
73 - 76 |
| C- |
1.67 |
70.0 - 72.99 |
| D+ |
1.33 |
67.0 - 69.99 |
| D |
1.00 |
63.0 - 66.99 |
| D- |
0.67 |
60.0 - 62.99 |
| F |
0.00 |
- |
Also Read: What is ECE and how it converts grades
Types of GPA in US Grading System
GPA or the Grade Point Average is an important aspect of the US grading system. The GPA is used across the higher education institutes in the US to illustrate the students' performance. The three broad categories of GPA are:
- Class GPA (GPA): A class GPA is GPA score for a particular class attended over some time. The scores may be compiled with other classes' scores and a consolidated score may be generated for the students.
- Semester GPA (SGPA): A semester-based GPA which is calculated for a particular semester only. The SGPA may be converted into GPA at the end of the year for a consolidated GPA score. Check: Percentage to SGPA
- Cumulative GPA (CGPA): CGPA can also be assigned to students at the end of the semester in US, if not SGPA. The students can understand the difference between SGPA and CGPA and may also be required to convert SGPA to CGPA in some cases.
Your total GPA in USA is required for admissions, placements and for higher education admissions also. The total GPA in USA is important for thus, education and placements only.
Types of Honors Awarded in US
In US universities, students qualifying for any level of education as per the US grading system are awarded an honor according to their GPA. They vary from one university to another. Usually, three types of honors are awarded in US universities.
- Cum Laude – With Honor
- Magna Cum Laude – With Great Honor
- Summa Cum Laude – With Greatest Honor
In the USA, every student has to complete a certain number of credits or semester hours for each course that they select in a given semester. Credit and Credit hours are used to calculate the overall grade. It is known as GPA or the Grade Point Average. This reflects a student's average grade through different academic semesters across courses.
The final grade Point Average that a graduate’s score is not the average of all his/her scores but it is a weighted average where the weight is the number of semester hours.
Convert Indian GPA to US GPA
You should not convert your grade according to the US system while filling out your application. Submit your score/grade or percentage as it is to the university. The university itself converts your scores as per the 4-point GPA system. If you need to convert your GPA/percentage to US GPA then it seems easy. You just need to take the percentage of your score and compare it with the US GPA. Below is the rough conversion scale table.
| Grade Point |
Percentage |
|---|---|
| 4 |
90 to 100% |
| 3 |
80 to 89% |
| 2 |
70 to 79% |
| 1 |
59 and 69% |
| 0 |
0-59% |
From the above table, you can see that if a student scores less than 60% marks then he/she will be considered to be on a failing grade. However, this is not correct as there is no official conversion scale of Indian GPA to US GPA.
Related Reads:
US Grading System FAQs
Q. What are the different types of grading systems in USA?
A. There are various types grading systems in USA. From letter grades to terms like GPA, all are used in the US education system. The percentages are converted to grades, sometimes there are credits converted into either percentages or grades. The higher education uses GPA as a US college grading system, US school grading system is letter grades.
Q. What is US grade point scale?
A. The grade point scale for students studying in USA is a 4.0 point scale. The GPA is calculated on a 4.0 point scale in USA for college students. The GPA can be weighted or unweighted depending upon the university in question.
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