Understanding the GPA System at Wake Forest University
At Wake Forest University (often just called Wake Forest), your GPA is more than just a number—it reflects your academic performance across all courses you’ve taken. Whether you’re applying to grad school, maintaining a scholarship, or trying to meet major requirements, your GPA plays a big role.
Wake Forest uses a 4.0 grading scale, like most U.S. institutions. Each letter grade corresponds to a numerical value used to compute your GPA. Wake Forest does not use plus/minus grades across all programs, which makes the system a bit more streamlined than some schools.
Wake Forest GPA / Grade Scale
Here’s how Wake Forest University assigns GPA points to letter grades:
| Letter Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| B | 3.0 |
| C | 2.0 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
Note: While this is the general scale, some programs (especially graduate programs) may incorporate a plus/minus grading system. But for undergraduate coursework, Wake Forest primarily sticks to whole-letter grades without modifiers.
How GPA is Calculated
To compute your GPA at Wake Forest:
- Multiply the credit hours for each course by the grade points for the grade you earned.
- Add up all those “quality points.”
- Divide the total quality points by the total number of attempted credit hours.
Example:
- You got an A in a 3-credit English class → 3 credits × 4.0 = 12 quality points
- You got a B in a 4-credit Math class → 4 credits × 3.0 = 12 quality points
- You got a C in a 3-credit History class → 3 credits × 2.0 = 6 quality points
- Total = 30 quality points / 10 credit hours = 3.0 GPA
Departmental Grading Policies
Most Wake Forest undergraduate departments use the standard grading policy listed above. However, certain professional or graduate programs, like the School of Business or School of Law, may use distinct grading curves or assign more granular letter grades like B+ or C-.
If you’re enrolled in or planning to transfer into a professional school within Wake Forest, check their academic bulletin for specific details.
Academic Standing and GPA Minimums
To stay in good academic standing:
- Undergraduates generally must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher.
- Dean’s List eligibility typically requires a GPA of 3.4 or higher and at least 12 graded hours in a semester.
Falling below a 2.0 could lead to academic probation or other interventions designed to support student success.
References
To explore official grading and GPA policies at Wake Forest, check out these pages: