Table of Contents
How Caltech calculates GPA
Caltech GPA is total grade credits divided by total GPA-bearing units. The important detail is that Caltech publishes integer grade credits by course units. For example, a 9-unit A+ earns 39 credits, while a 9-unit A- earns 33 credits.
Quick answer: Do not calculate a Caltech A+ as simply 4.33 × units and carry the decimal forward. Caltech’s published table awards whole grade credits for each course, and this calculator follows that course-level rounding rule.
| Grade | Underlying rate used by the published table | 9-unit course credits |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4⅓ | 39 |
| A | 4 | 36 |
| A- | 3⅔ | 33 |
| B+ | 3⅓ | 30 |
| B | 3 | 27 |
| B- | 2⅔ | 24 |
| C+ | 2⅓ | 21 |
| C | 2 | 18 |
| C- | 1⅔ | 15 |
| D+ | 1⅓ | 12 |
| D | 1 | 9 |
| F | 0 | 0 |
Worked Caltech GPA example
Suppose you take two 9-unit letter-graded courses and earn an A+ and an A-. Caltech awards 39 credits for the A+ and 33 for the A-, so your GPA for those courses is 72 ÷ 18 = 4.000.
What counts in your Caltech GPA?
A normal letter-grade F is important because it earns zero grade credits but its units still stay in the GPA denominator. That can lower GPA more sharply than a grade that is completely excluded.
| Grade or situation | GPA treatment |
|---|---|
| A+ through D | Counts using Caltech’s grade-credit table |
| Letter-grade F | Counts: zero credits, units remain |
| P on a pass/fail course | Excluded |
| F on a pass/fail course | Excluded |
| E | Excluded while unresolved; may later convert to F |
| I | Excluded while unresolved; normally converts to W after the time limit if unresolved |
| W | Excluded |
Important: The meaning of F depends on the grading basis. A letter-grade F counts as zero credits with units included, while an F in a course graded pass/fail is excluded from the GPA calculation.
First-year Caltech grading
First-quarter and second-quarter first-year students receive pass/fail grades in Core and specified introductory courses. Those P/F grades do not enter the cumulative GPA. Caltech begins computing cumulative GPA after the third term, although eligible non-Core, non-introductory courses taken for letter grades during the first two terms can enter the cumulative calculation.
This calculator is most straightforward once you have letter-graded Caltech coursework. For first-year P/F courses, select the pass/fail course type rather than treating the grade as a normal letter-grade result.
How repeated courses affect Caltech GPA
Caltech does not use ordinary grade replacement for a failed course. If you receive an F and later repeat the subject, the original F and its units remain on the record and in the GPA, while the new attempt is counted like another course.
Calculator limitation: The Repeat Impact button is not offered for Caltech because the shared repeat tool models replacement. To estimate a Caltech repeat correctly, enter both letter-graded attempts as separate completed courses.
For example, a 9-unit F contributes 0 credits over 9 units. If the repeated 9-unit course earns an A, that second attempt contributes 36 credits over another 9 GPA-bearing units.
Transfer credit and outside coursework
Caltech evaluates outside coursework for transfer credit through its own approval process. Credit acceptance is not the same thing as importing an outside institution’s grade into the Caltech GPA. For this calculator, approved external transfer credit should be kept out of the Caltech GPA estimate unless Caltech has actually recorded a Caltech GPA-bearing grade for the work.
Why there is no target GPA tool here
The calculator can project GPA from planned courses because each planned course has a known unit value and selected grade. A generic target tool, however, would ask only for a total number of future units and a desired GPA.
That is not exact enough for Caltech’s course-level credit rounding. Two future schedules with the same total units and similar letter-grade averages can produce slightly different grade-credit totals depending on how those units are divided among courses. For that reason, use the Planned courses section to model specific future schedules instead.
Caltech GPA requirements students often ask about
A 1.9 GPA appears in several Caltech undergraduate policies, but the purpose matters. After the first two terms, undergraduate enrollment eligibility generally requires at least 27 completed units in the prior term with a GPA of at least 1.9. Graduation also requires an overall GPA of at least 1.9 along with the other degree requirements.
Financial-aid satisfactory academic progress uses a cumulative GPA of at least 1.9 plus separate pace and maximum-timeframe rules. Some options also use a 1.9 average in designated subjects for continuation or change-of-option decisions. These are different policy tests even when the number is the same.
Caltech GPA FAQs
Is Caltech GPA on a 4.0 scale?
Not exactly. A+ can earn more than 4 credits per unit under Caltech’s official credit table, so a Caltech GPA can exceed 4.0. The Institute publishes course grade credits rather than telling students to use a generic 4.33 calculator.
How much is an A+ worth at Caltech?
The published table corresponds to 4⅓ credits per unit before course-level rounding. For a common 9-unit course, an A+ earns 39 grade credits.
Does an A- lower your GPA at Caltech?
Yes. A- earns fewer grade credits than A. For a 9-unit course, A- earns 33 credits while A earns 36.
Does a Caltech F count in GPA?
A letter-grade F does: it contributes zero grade credits while the course units remain in the GPA denominator. An F earned under pass/fail grading is excluded from GPA instead.
Does retaking a failed Caltech course replace the F?
No. The original F and units remain, and the repeated attempt is counted like another course. Enter both attempts separately in the calculator.
Do Caltech pass/fail courses affect GPA?
No. Grades of P or F obtained in courses graded on a pass/fail basis are excluded from the GPA calculation.
What GPA do you need to graduate from Caltech?
The Institute-wide undergraduate graduation requirement includes a GPA of at least 1.9, plus passing required coursework and satisfying the other degree requirements.
Is there a minimum GPA to get into Caltech?
Caltech does not publish a general first-year GPA cutoff. Admissions evaluates academic preparation in context, and Caltech’s own preparation guidance says a GPA cutoff does not exist.
Official Caltech Resources
- Grades and Grading — grade-credit table, GPA formula, pass/fail, temporary grades, withdrawals, and repeats.
- Scholastic Requirements — enrollment eligibility, option rules, graduation context, and transfer-credit procedures.
- Graduation Requirements, All Options — Institute-wide B.S. requirements.
- Undergraduate Financial Aid SAP — cumulative GPA, pace, and maximum-timeframe standards.
- General Requirements for Graduate Degrees — graduate degree requirements and separate graduate context.
- Preparing for Caltech — first-year admissions preparation and GPA-cutoff context.
This Caltech GPA calculator is an independent planning tool, not an official California Institute of Technology record or academic decision. Use your Caltech transcript and Registrar guidance for official GPA, standing, degree, aid, repeat, and transfer-credit determinations.