You should have come across the term GPA or CGPA by now if you are fresh in college or university. This is by far one of the most beckoning terms you would hear because it’s essentially what you are in the school for.
Just as you may have wanted to be the top grade student back in high school, in university, GPA is how you are graded. And of-course just like high school, the higher the better.
The assessment and evaluation of performance in the University are crucial aspects. And two commonly used grading systems are GPA (Grade Point Average) and CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average). Although there may be FGPA (Final Grade Point Average) at the point of completing the school.
While both systems provide a measure of a student’s overall performance, there are very important differences between the two. So today we want to shed light on the differences between GPA and CGPA, including their definitions, calculation methods, and application in various educational systems.
GPA and CGPA Differences
What is GPA?
Grade Point Average (GPA) is a numerical representation of a student’s academic performance within a specific period, typically a semester or academic year. It is calculated by assigning each grade received a corresponding numerical value and then calculating the average of those values.
GPA is commonly used in educational systems that follow a semester-based or annual evaluation approach, such as in the United States. It allows for a more detailed assessment of a student’s performance within a specific period, providing a snapshot of their current academic standing.
What is CGPA?
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is the overall assessment of a student’s performance throughout their academic career. It takes into account the GPA of all completed courses or semesters and calculates the average of those values to determine the student’s cumulative performance.
CGPA is often used in educational systems that follow a modular or credit-based structure, where students accumulate credits over multiple semesters or years to complete their degrees. Countries like India, Malaysia, and several others employ the CGPA system to evaluate students’ overall performance throughout their academic journey.
Differences Between GPA and CGPA
The main difference between GPA and CGPA is that CGPA measures the performance throughout the course including all grades with the semesters. But GPA measures the performance of a single unit or semester.
So your GPA indicates your performance for each semester whereas CGPA indicates the performance of all the completed semesters in a year cumulatively.
Hence, in order to score a high CGPA, a student must perform well in all the semesters and work hard to earn a high GPA as well.
Calculation of GPA and CGPA
GPA Calculation
To calculate GPA, each course grade is assigned a numerical value (usually on a scale of 0-4 or 0-5) based on the grading scale of the institution. The numerical values are then multiplied by the credit hours of the respective courses, and the sum of these products is divided by the total credit hours attempted. The result is the GPA.
Understanding how to calculate GPA is important in order to have a better understanding of how to calculate CGPA. Although most people like to use a GPA Calculator. Let’s start by explaining this concept. Typically, grades are represented by letters that correspond to numerical values.
For example, grade A stands for a multiple of 4 and B stands for a multiple of 3. So if you score grade A, it means your GPA is 4. Similarly, if you score a grade of B, it means your GPA is 3. Furthermore, the scale shifts further as per the grading system.
Let’s say a student took 3 courses with 3 credits each and the student scores something like this-
● Course 1 – Grade A i.e, GPA score 4
● Course 2 – Grade B i.e, GPA score 3
● Course 3 – Grade C i.e, GPA score 2
Now, you need to multiply each GPA score with the number of credits mentioned i.e, 3.
● Course 1 – GPA Score 4 x 3 credits = 12
● Course 2 – GPA Score 3 x 3 credits = 9
● Course 3 – GPA Score 2 x 3 credits = 6
The total grade point is now 27. And the total number of credits is 9 which we derive from 3 credits for each subject i.e, 3+3+3 =9.
Now, we arrive at the formula, Total grade points divided by Total Credits is equal to Grade Point Average.
It means in this particular example, the GPA of the student is 3, which we derive from 27/9=3.
Hence, one must observe that the credits play an equally essential role in determining your grade point.
Calculating your CGPA
CGPA is calculated by summing up the GPA of all completed semesters or courses and dividing it by the total number of semesters or courses completed. This is also affected by the credit hours since you are using the GPA.
While both GPA and CGPA are grading systems used to assess a student’s academic performance, they differ in terms of calculation methods, application. GPA provides a snapshot of a student’s performance within a specific period, whereas CGPA offers an overall evaluation of their cumulative progress.
Understanding these differences and knowing your GPA is crucial for educators, and institutions and you as a student to accurately interpret your grades as you progress in school. This could go a long way to help you decide whether you need to sit up or not.