EDUCATION

What is GPA and why is it so important?

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is the academic achievement of any student. It is the most important number for all students, especially international students, because this determines a student’s future in a way that their admission to the university or college is dependent on it. Whether or not a student can apply for a scholarship, or what kind of a college the student gets, is all decided by GPA. So, of course, you need to maintain a high GPA in college and high school so that you can enroll in the school of your choice. 

What is GPA?

GPA is an abbreviation for Grade Point Average and is one of the most important numbers to pay attention to when studying at university or graduate school. GPA is an index that shows the average grade of the subject you are taking and there are many different kinds of scales but the most used is set in the range of between 1.0 to 4.33.

GPA is usually printed on the transcript. Transcripts are updated every semester to reflect the courses you have taken. Transcripts contain grades and their associated GPA values, which are added and divided by the total number of credits taken to determine the average or cumulative GPA.

Cumulative GPA (Cumulative GPA)

Cumulative GPA is the GPA score for that semester based on all the courses you have taken in an academic term. The cumulative GPA is the GPA value of the courses taken in one semester, but it will change if new courses are added and taken in the next semester.

For example, if one semester’s grades are very good, but the next semester’s grades are poor, that will be reflected in the cumulative GPA for this semester.

Overall GPA

A comprehensive GPA is an index that includes not only the courses taken at the current university but also the credits and courses transferred. In other words, if you apply to a university using your high school grades or subjects from another university, it will be calculated as a comprehensive GPA. This GPA index is less important than the cumulative GPA index while in college, but it is important when applying to college.

Why is GPA important?

Overall GPA is important as some colleges have 2.5 or 2.0 as a requirement to graduate. The reason why GPA is important depends on what type of GPA you may want to consider.

The cumulative GPA accumulated after entering university is very important when enrolling in a highly competitive major. For example, many majors in finance, accounting, engineering, etc. are highly competitive and must maintain a certain GPA to remain in the program.

On the other hand, a comprehensive GPA is important when enrolling in a new university. Whether or not you can enroll in your desired university or program is determined by this GPA. A high GPA will be essential for highly competitive universities and programs.

GPA is one of the most important numbers in college life. It can also determine the gateway to a bachelor’s degree from high school, the path from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree, and the availability of scholarships. Students must maintain this number always. 

However, it is important to keep in mind that recruiters and scholarship recipients also value qualities other than academic ability.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error:

Copyright & Disclaimer

The information on this site is for information purposes only. Canada International Student Magazine (CISM) assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, event or organization has been provided by such individual, event organizers or organization, or third parties without verification by us.

Any form of reproduction of any content on this website without the written permission of the publisher, is strictly prohibited. CISM is operated by Canada International Student Magazine Inc. a trademarked company; all rights reserved.

Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get notified about new articles