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Grade Replacement GPA Calculator
Many colleges let you retake a course and replace the old grade in your GPA. Some call this grade forgiveness. Others keep both attempts in the GPA, which some call grade averaging. Enter your current cumulative GPA, the credit hours in it, and each course you are retaking with its old and new grade. The calculator shows your new GPA under both policies.
With replacement, the old grade’s quality points come out and the new grade’s go in. The GPA hours stay the same because you took the course once for GPA purposes. When both attempts count, the new grade and its hours are added, and the old grade stays. That is why replacing an F helps much more than averaging it. Grades use the standard 4.0 values (A 4.0, A− 3.7, B+ 3.3 … D− 0.7, F 0). Schools set their own limits, such as how many courses you can replace, whether a D can be replaced, and whether the old grade stays on the transcript. Check your registrar’s policy.
Default example: a 2.65 GPA over 45 hours is 119.25 quality points. Replacing an F with a B in a 4-credit course (+12) and a D with a B+ in a 3-credit course (+6.9) gives 138.15 ÷ 45 = 3.07. If both attempts counted, the GPA would be 2.71.
Result and step-by-step working
Up 0.42 from 2.65 · If both attempts count: 2.71
| Course | Credits | Old grade | New grade | Quality points change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus I | 4 | F (0.0) | B (3.0) | +12 |
| Chemistry I | 3 | D (1.0) | B+ (3.3) | +6.9 |
| Policy | Quality points | GPA hours | New GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement (old grade drops out) | 138.15 | 45 | 3.07 |
| Both attempts count (averaging) | 141.15 | 52 | 2.71 |
- Quality points now2.65 × 45 = 119.25.
- ReplacementTake out the old grades (3 points) and add the new ones (21.9). The hours stay at 45, so the GPA is 138.15 ÷ 45 = 3.07.
- Both attempts countKeep the old grades and add the new ones and their 7 hours: 141.15 ÷ 52 = 2.71.
Frequently asked questions
- Does retaking a class raise your GPA?
- Under a replacement policy, the new grade replaces the old one, so your GPA rises by (new points − old points) × credits ÷ GPA hours. If both attempts count, the gain is smaller because the old grade stays in the average.
- Is grade forgiveness the same as grade replacement?
- They usually mean the same thing: the later grade is used in the GPA and the earlier one is excluded, although it may still appear on the transcript. Some schools use the term for limited one-time forgiveness, so check the exact rules.
- Do graduate and professional schools use the replaced grade?
- Often not. Many application services and graduate schools recalculate the GPA with every attempt. That is closer to the ‘both attempts count’ figure.
- Where do I find my GPA hours?
- On your transcript or degree audit, often labelled ‘GPA hours’ or ‘quality hours’. They exclude pass/fail and transfer courses that do not carry grades.
Last reviewed: October 9, 2026. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.