Algorithm for Converting Between GPA Scales (e.g. 4.33 to 4.00)

[gadzooks]

Is it possible to do this without having to manually convert every single letter grade using the other scale?

(I realize that this is a duplicate post, but I gave the other one several days to no avail. I originally posted this in the Math forum, but maybe it's more suitable here).

[matt23]

not really. especially because a lot of schools do it differently. weighted vs unweighted you'd absolutely have to know the grades.

[adrieann]

You just have to convert the honors/ap classes right? I don't think all of them.

[gadzooks]

What about like... with an excel spreadsheet where I just put in the number of each letter grade I have on my transcript, and then it multiplies a certain value associated with the letter grade by the number of credits, and then at the end I get a grand total.

I apologize if that makes no sense whatsoever. I'm a bit intoxicated.

If I happen to be onto something, that would be fantastic.

[crazzyass]

It depends. If it's altogether a different scale, for instance out of 5 points instead of 4, then you can do a really easy conversion. If some of the individual classes are weighted differently, then you'll have to account for them one by one, sorry.

I'll write you a badass Excel program for it for $10.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by adrieann

You just have to convert the honors/ap classes right? I don't think all of them.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that this is for university.

I don't think we do honours or AP stuff in uni.

At least not at my school.

It's basically:

A+ = 4.33
A = 4.00
A- = 3.66
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.00

(multiplied by 3 credits generally, except for a few science+lab classes worth 4 credits)

(and so on... I've never gotten lower than a B so for my own purposes I'm not all that concerned with what comes after that. However, a general algorithm might be nice for others to use, etc).

[gadzooks]

Damnit they make this shit so complicated.

We need more standardized measuring systems.

Metric system for science.

4.00 GPA system for academics.

etc

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

Damnit they make this shit so complicated.

We need more standardized measuring systems.

Metric system for science.

4.00 GPA system for academics.

etc

My offer stands. ^

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

It depends. If it's altogether a different scale, for instance out of 5 points instead of 4, then you can do a really easy conversion. If some of the individual classes are weighted differently, then you'll have to account for them one by one, sorry.

I'll write you a badass Excel program for it for $10.

I'm tempted...

Are you saying it's a sure thing that you could come up with an excel file if you had the two scales to work with? Would you need any other info?

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

I'm tempted...

Are you saying it's a sure thing that you could come up with an excel file if you had the two scales to work with? Would you need any other info?

Give me the scale the grade is currently in, the scale that you want it in, and $10 and it's a done deal.

I've a shitload of math on converting bases of number systems (like going from a system that uses ten digits, like ours, to one that uses a different number. 2 for binary, etc) so I'm pretty sure a GPA scale conversion won't be too bad.

[adrieann]

Don't pay that dude $10 for something that will take him 5 minutes!
If I was at a computer right now I'd do it for free.

Alas, I am not in reach of a computer at the moment.

[gadzooks]

I have to say, crazzyass, I totally understand why you're posing a price for it. I find that completely understandable. It's a job that would take some time. And from what I've seen on these forums, you're a fellow student probably also struggling financially.

But adrieann seems to be making an offer of his own.

We'll see how this thread develops, and maybe I'll come back to you if necessary (and if you're still willing to do it).

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by adrieann

Don't pay that dude $10 for something that will take him 5 minutes!
If I was at a computer right now I'd do it for free.

Alas, I am not in reach of a computer at the moment.

I don't trust the quality of something when it's given to me for free. But I guess I tend to be skeptical.

And gad, it would take me about five-ten minutes. It's not about it being difficult, it's just whether you want to deal with it or not. That's why I offered.

Edit: I also don't blame you for waiting. I'll probably go ahead and make one just to see if I can. I've recently finished up exams and it's odd having an idle mind. And yeah, I'm a brokeass college student. D: It's pleasantly surprising how much freelance work you can find if you look though. So I always offer.

[crazzyass]

Also: what are the two scales?

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

Also: what are the two scales?

One of them is:

A+ 4.33 90-100 Exceptional achievement
A 4.00 85-89 Outstanding achievement
A- 3.67 80-84 Excellent achievement
B+ 3.33 76-79 Very good achievement
B 3.00 72-75 Good achievement
B- 2.67 68-71 Good achievement
C+ 2.33 64-67 Satisfactory achievement
C 2.00 60-63 Satisfactory achievement
C- 1.67 56-59 Minimal achievement. This grade does not permit student to pursue another course for which the graded course was a prerequisite.
D 1.00 50-55 Minimal achievement. This grade does not permit student to pursue another course for which the graded course was a prerequisite.
F 0.00

The other one, I don't even have a specific scale in mind. I just want to see how I would compare on a 4.00 scale, since that's what most American schools use. My honours supervisor is advising me to apply at some American schools in addition to the local Canadian schools, just in case.

So really, almost any generic 4.00 scale would probably work.

Also, a big part of it is curiosity.

I've been told that my GPA on the 4.33 scale would actually be higher on a 4.00 scale, but I'm too mathematically illiterate to figure out how that works or if it's even legit.

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

One of them is:



The other one, I don't even have a specific scale in mind. I just want to see how I would compare on a 4.00 scale, since that's what most American schools use. My honours supervisor is advising me to apply at some American schools in addition to the local Canadian schools, just in case.

So really, almost any generic 4.00 scale would probably work.

Also, a big part of it is curiosity.

I've been told that my GPA on the 4.33 scale would actually be higher on a 4.00 scale, but I'm too mathematically illiterate to figure out how that works or if it's even legit.

Ahhh I thought you wanted it tailored to another scale, where you just enter grade values and get instant feedback. This is much easier, and definitely not worth $10. Grab a calculator and follow what I do:

First, convert your GPA from 4.33 scale to 1.00 scale, for simplicity's sake. To do this, divide your GPA by the maximum you can achieve. So let's say you have a 4.1:

4.1/4.33 = .9468822...

This puts your score between 0 and 1. You can also look at it as a percentage. 4.1 is 94.68822% of 4.33. And so to put it on a new scale, just multiply the decimal by the new top value to get your score. So:

.9468822 * 4.00 = 3.788 (rounded) on a 4.00 scale. More concisely:

(Your_GPA/max_scale_A)(max_scale_B)

Just like any ol' unit conversion.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

Ahhh I thought you wanted it tailored to another scale, where you just enter grade values and get instant feedback. This is much easier, and definitely not worth $10. Grab a calculator and follow what I do:

First, convert your GPA from 4.33 scale to 1.00 scale, for simplicity's sake. To do this, divide your GPA by the maximum you can achieve. So let's say you have a 4.1:

4.1/4.33 = .9468822...

This puts your score between 0 and 1. You can also look at it as a percentage. 4.1 is 94.68822% of 4.33. And so to put it on a new scale, just multiply the decimal by the new top value to get your score. So:

.9468822 * 4.00 = 3.788 (rounded) on a 4.00 scale. More concisely:

(Your_GPA/max_scale_A)(max_scale_B)

Just like any ol' unit conversion.

Wow, thanks man!

It turns out my GPA is actually worth slightly less on a 4.00 scale...

But only by a couple 10ths, so it ain't that bad.

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

Wow, thanks man!

It turns out my GPA is actually worth slightly less on a 4.00 scale...

But only by a couple 10ths, so it ain't that bad.

Yeah, it always will be worth a little less on its face value because you're moving from a scale with higher potential numbers to a scale with lower potential numbers. If you were going from 4.33 to 5 you'd have it a bit higher. But it's actually the exact same on both scales as far as what it means. I think it's more meaningful on a 1.00 scale, because you can see what your percentage is as relevant to a traditional grading scale. Like with my example above, you'd have a lifetime average of 94% in your classes. Since most assignments are scored that on a 100% scale, that value means way more to me than 3.7 or 4.1 or whatever.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

Yeah, it always will be worth a little less on its face value because you're moving from a scale with higher potential numbers to a scale with lower potential numbers. If you were going from 4.33 to 5 you'd have it a bit higher. But it's actually the exact same on both scales as far as what it means. I think it's more meaningful on a 1.00 scale, because you can see what your percentage is as relevant to a traditional grading scale. Like with my example above, you'd have a lifetime average of 94% in your classes. Since most assignments are scored that on a 100% scale, that value means way more to me than 3.7 or 4.1 or whatever.

Yeah, they should totally just use a percentage scale (i.e. 0-100%).

I don't know.. I guess it's all soaked in tradition and each institution is going to do it their own way.

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

Yeah, they should totally just use a percentage scale (i.e. 0-100%).

I don't know.. I guess it's all soaked in tradition and each institution is going to do it their own way.

Yeah, agreed. The A+ thing is kinda weird, I haven't heard of that before. I've heard of A's being like a 5 or something, but the scale is always an integer. The 4.33 scaling seems arbitrary.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

Yeah, agreed. The A+ thing is kinda weird, I haven't heard of that before. I've heard of A's being like a 5 or something, but the scale is always an integer. The 4.33 scaling seems arbitrary.

I think it might be a completely Canadian thing.

Why? I couldn't tell you. I have no idea.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

(Your_GPA/max_scale_A)(max_scale_B)

Just like any ol' unit conversion.

I tried a different method for comparison:

I tallied up the total number of each grade that I have.

(ex: 4 A's, 3 B+'s, etc)

And then multiplied each number by 3 (for 3 credits each -- plus adding additional single credits for the few 4 credit courses I took).

Then I inputted it all into this GPA calculator based on UC Berkeley's GPA scale (which uses a 4.0 system).

My GPA ended up identical, rounded to 2 decimal places...

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

I tried a different method for comparison:

I tallied up the total number of each grade that I have.

(ex: 4 A's, 3 B+'s, etc)

And then multiplied each number by 3 (for 3 credits each -- plus adding additional single credits for the few 4 credit courses I took).

Then I inputted it all into this GPA calculator based on UC Berkeley's GPA scale (which uses a 4.0 system).

My GPA ended up identical, rounded to 2 decimal places...

How many total grades do you have, and how many of those are A+'s?

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

How many total grades do you have, and how many of those are A+'s?

I feel weird talking about this on Zoklet for some reason...

I'm PMing you right now though...

[gadzooks]

Actually whatever, I don't mind divulging the number of A+'s I got... It's not particularly low or anything.

I have 10 A+'s out of 30 total grades so far.

[crazzyass]

Originally Posted by gadzooks

I feel weird talking about this on Zoklet for some reason...

I'm PMing you right now though...

Fair enough, I don't blame you. I was wondering because if the number was low enough, then it may not affect your GPA very much, because the rest of the two scales are identical, there's just the A+ category on yours.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by crazzyass

Fair enough, I don't blame you. I was wondering because if the number was low enough, then it may not affect your GPA very much, because the rest of the two scales are identical, there's just the A+ category on yours.

So then my A+'s are really just A's on a traditional scale, I would presume.

It doesn't really put me at any kind of disadvantage or anything, so that doesn't bother me.

But like I said, 1/3 of my grades are A+'s. So maybe that's enough to throw things off...