How Dartmouth calculates GPA

Dartmouth’s undergraduate GPA is course-based. A standard GPA course equals one GPA Hour, so the calculator should normally use 1 course for each regular Dartmouth A–E course rather than credit hours from another institution.

Dartmouth assigns quality points of 12 for A, 11 for A−, 10 for B+, 9 for B, 8 for B−, 7 for C+, 6 for C, 5 for C−, 3 for D, and 0 for E. Dartmouth divides the quality-point average by 3, which is equivalent to the grade values below.

Dartmouth grade	GPA value
A	4.000
A−	3.667 (exactly 3⅔)
B+	3.333 (exactly 3⅓)
B	3.000
B−	2.667 (exactly 2⅔)
C+	2.333 (exactly 2⅓)
C	2.000
C−	1.667 (exactly 1⅔)
D	1.000
E	0.000

Important: Dartmouth calculates GPA internally to high precision and uses standard rounding to two decimal places for the official GPA. This calculator shows three decimals for planning, so compare the rounded two-decimal result with your Dartmouth record.

Worked example

Suppose you earn an A, B+, and B− in three regular Dartmouth courses. Using Dartmouth’s exact values:

(4 + 3⅓ + 2⅔) ÷ 3 = 3.333…

Dartmouth would report that GPA as 3.33 after standard rounding.

Which grades count in your Dartmouth GPA?

Only Dartmouth courses on the regular A–E grading scale enter the standard undergraduate cumulative GPA. An E earns zero grade points but still lowers the GPA because it is included in the average.

Standing	Dartmouth GPA treatment
A through E	Included; E counts at 0
CT	Excluded from cumulative GPA
NC	Excluded from cumulative GPA
NR under the Non-Recording Option	Excluded from the recorded GPA
E earned in an NRO course	Recorded and included normally
W	Excluded
I, ON, AD	Temporary; wait for the final grade
External transfer/exchange grade	Not included in Dartmouth cumulative GPA

Credit/No Credit and the Non-Recording Option

A Dartmouth Credit/No Credit course receives CT or NC. Neither standing carries grade units or enters the cumulative GPA, although CT and NC have different consequences for course credit and degree requirements.

The Non-Recording Option works differently. The instructor still assigns a regular letter grade. If the final outcome becomes NR, that concealed grade is not used in the recorded GPA. If the assigned grade is E, however, Dartmouth records the E and averages it normally.

Calculator tip: Choose the course type that matches the record and enter CT, NC, NR, or E exactly as it will appear for GPA purposes. Degree-credit rules are separate from the GPA calculation.

How repeated courses affect Dartmouth GPA

Dartmouth does not use a simple grade-replacement rule. If you fail a course and take it again, both grades are recorded and both are included in the cumulative average, while only one course credit is earned.

A course that has already been passed normally cannot simply be repeated for another averaged grade. With Registrar permission, a passed-course retake can be grade-only and non-averaged. Because those situations are different, the calculator’s Repeat Impact tool is disabled for Dartmouth.

For a repeated failed course: enter the original attempt and the repeated attempt as two separate completed GPA courses. For a retake of a course you already passed, confirm the record treatment with the Registrar before adding the second attempt to a GPA estimate.

Do transfer and exchange grades count?

Grades transferred from another institution are not recorded on the Dartmouth transcript and are not included in the Dartmouth cumulative GPA. This includes approved external exchange credit. Transfer-credit eligibility is a separate question from GPA treatment.

Dartmouth-sponsored off-campus courses can be different when Dartmouth itself awards the course credit and grade. If the course appears as a regular Dartmouth A–E GPA course, use the Dartmouth grade shown on your record.

Projected and target GPA

For a projected GPA, enter your current Dartmouth cumulative GPA and the number of GPA courses already represented in it, then add future courses with expected grades. Because Dartmouth uses courses as GPA Hours, a typical regular course should be entered as 1.

The target GPA tool works backward from your current record to estimate the average you would need across a chosen number of future Dartmouth GPA courses. If the required average is above 4.0, that target is not mathematically reachable within the number of courses entered.

GPA and academic standing

Dartmouth’s Academic Support Framework changed for the 2026–27 academic year. Academic status is not determined by GPA alone: the framework considers cumulative GPA, E accumulation, D accumulation, credits earned in a term, and previous interventions.

A cumulative GPA of 1.60 or below is one of the criteria that can trigger an Academic Recovery Commitment. More serious actions depend on combinations of current performance and prior interventions, so a GPA calculator cannot determine a student’s official standing by itself.

Dartmouth honors and GPA

General Latin honors use moving cutoffs based on the lowest cumulative averages among the top 5%, 15%, and 35% of graduates over the previous three academic years. For 2025–26, the published thresholds are 3.97 for summa cum laude, 3.92 for magna cum laude, and 3.83 for cum laude. These values can change from year to year.

Departmental honors use separate program rules. Many programs require at least a 3.0 overall GPA plus a higher major GPA, but the exact requirement depends on the department.

Dartmouth admission GPA questions

Dartmouth does not publish a minimum GPA for first-year admission; applications are reviewed holistically. For transfer admission, Dartmouth likewise states there is no minimum college GPA, while noting that most admitted transfer students have had a 3.7 GPA or above. That 3.7 figure describes prior applicants and is not a minimum or a Dartmouth enrolled-student GPA requirement.

Dartmouth GPA FAQ

Is Dartmouth GPA weighted by credit hours?

No. For the standard undergraduate GPA, Dartmouth states that one course equals one GPA Hour. The calculation is course-based, so a normal GPA course should generally be entered as 1 in this calculator.

Does Dartmouth use 3.67 for an A−?

Dartmouth’s underlying value is exactly 3⅔, produced from 11 quality points divided by 3. Using 3.67 for every course can create small cumulative errors, so the calculator uses the exact fraction internally.

Does an E count in Dartmouth GPA?

Yes. E carries zero grade points and is included in the cumulative GPA, even though the course does not earn course credit.

Does an NR hurt my Dartmouth GPA?

An NR itself is not included in the recorded GPA. Under the Non-Recording Option, however, an E is recorded as E and averaged normally rather than becoming NR.

Do Dartmouth transfer grades count in GPA?

No. Grades from courses transferred from another institution are not recorded on the Dartmouth transcript and do not enter the Dartmouth cumulative GPA.

Does retaking a failed class replace the old grade?

No. When a failed course is repeated, both grades remain in the cumulative average. Only one course credit is earned.

What GPA puts a Dartmouth undergraduate on academic recovery status?

A cumulative GPA of 1.60 or below is one current Academic Support Framework criterion, but academic status also considers E grades, D grades, term credits, and previous interventions. Use the official framework rather than GPA alone to determine standing.

Does Dartmouth have a minimum admission GPA?

No published minimum applies to first-year or transfer admission. Dartmouth describes both processes as holistic; the transfer admissions FAQ says most admitted transfer students have a 3.7 GPA or above, but that is not a minimum.

Official Dartmouth Resources

This Dartmouth GPA calculator is an independent planning tool, not an official Dartmouth College record or academic-standing decision. Verify your official GPA, course treatment, repeat status, degree requirements, and academic status with Dartmouth’s Registrar, Undergraduate Deans Office, or the appropriate program.

Dartmouth GPA Calculator

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