![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by alexandra_k on October 31, 2004, at 10:11:55
I have found a number of 'GPA calculators' but don't understand how I get the numbers to put into the calculator.
What are 'number of units' and 'grade points'?
With respect to units we have EFTS which stands for equivalent full time status. If we do about 7 or 8 papers in a year does 20 'units' for a second year half-paper sound about right?
Is that what determines a higher weighting for more advanced papers?
What are grade points? Do they mean percentage obtained for the paper? I am not sure that we have that information on our record...
Confused...
I have heard of GPA's where 9 is a perfect score, and an A is an 8 etc. But then I hear of 'don't bother applying if ya have one less than 2 or 3 or something - surely they are doing the math a bit different????
Confused... and mathematically incompetent.
Posted by utopizen on October 31, 2004, at 13:25:39
In reply to How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by alexandra_k on October 31, 2004, at 3:53:43
Here's what you do:
1) Take your grades, and with each grade assign a numerical value to it equal to what each letter grade represents numerically.
2) Assess for any mental illness you have endured while you remained in school.
3) Take the numerical value to each grade, sum it to the total numerical value, and divide that total over the number of courses you have taken.
4) Then, take the number of mental illnesses you have been diagnosed with during the time you've spent at school.
5) If the value of total mental illnesses occuring during school exceeds zero, cross out your GPA and start interning for a year out of college somewhere that doesn't require mimimum GPA scores to apply to. (Typically, you can find these at nonprofits desperate to find free labor).
6) By the time you'd done interning, you'll have had a college degree, a year's worth of job experience on your resume, and no one ever asks what your GPA ever was after the first year on the job.
7) Disregard all of this if you're a business major, and consider repeating college-- hopefully in a different major.
That's my plan, 1.3 GPA and all. Depression sucks, but it goes away and before you know it no one remembers to ask your GPA at all.
Posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 4:25:16
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by utopizen on October 31, 2004, at 13:25:39
Oh my god! I laughed until my cracked ribs hurt. (and i haven't laughed in weeks.) thanks utopizen.
But seriously, here is how you figure your GPA:
1) Take each grade from each of your courses and assign the following numbers: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 (or if the grade is a plus or minus add or subtract a bit-- so roughly, an A- is a 3.8)
2) Multiply each of this numbers by how many credit hours the class was, or is if you are trying to project your gpa. For example, a three credit hour class, if you got a B, would be 3x3=9. Multiply each grade by how many credit hours the class is.
3) Add all these numbers up. So if you took three classes that were all three credit hours and got an A, two B's and a C, you would have:
4x3=12
3x3=9
3x3=9
2x3=612+9+9+6=36
4) Divide tha total number you just added up by the total number of credit hours involved. So in the above example, the person was taking 4 three credit hour classes, 12 credit hours total. So divide 36 by 12 and you get 3. your gpa is a 3.0 (a B average) AT least this is how it works in the US. I have no idea about other countries. In the US The highest you can get is a 4.0. Usually it is tough to get admitted to grad school with below a 3.0 or a 2.5 depending on the school. Hope this helps some.
Posted by alexandra_k on November 22, 2004, at 15:02:33
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 4:25:16
Thanks. Eep, that looks complicated to someone with issues in math like me...
I have been trying to figure it out by going to see various people from my uni, but they all say they don't know how to do it. Hopeless... We don't seem to have the 'per hours' credit system that you guys do. Rather we have these funny things called EFTS.
I think I might just have to leave that bit blank and let them figure it out themselves...
Thanks though.
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 6, 2005, at 17:56:04
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 4:25:16
> 1) Take each grade from each of your courses and assign the following numbers: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 (or if the grade is a plus or minus add or subtract a bit-- so roughly, an A- is a 3.8)Using this method my GPA is 4.1. I got a lot of A+ grades. Does that get me into grad school?
Lar
Posted by alexandra_k on January 7, 2005, at 1:36:42
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » smokeymadison, posted by Larry Hoover on January 6, 2005, at 17:56:04
You are a bit late Larry! Still, that wasn't your fault and it is great to see you here :-)
> 1) Take each grade from each of your courses and assign the following numbers: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 (or if the grade is a plus or minus add or subtract a bit-- so roughly, an A- is a 3.8)
Hmm. I am a bit worried about the idea of 'a bit'. Is there a sort of standardised amount for that 'bit'? It is ok. Turns out there is provision for international students with strange grading systems.
> Using this method my GPA is 4.1. I got a lot of A+ grades. Does that get me into grad school?Didn't you get into grad school already? What is up with you and that Larry? Are you going to go back or have you been lured into the real world of work etc?
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 7, 2005, at 10:51:55
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » Larry Hoover, posted by alexandra_k on January 7, 2005, at 1:36:42
> You are a bit late Larry! Still, that wasn't your fault and it is great to see you here :-)
>
> > 1) Take each grade from each of your courses and assign the following numbers: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 (or if the grade is a plus or minus add or subtract a bit-- so roughly, an A- is a 3.8)
>
> Hmm. I am a bit worried about the idea of 'a bit'. Is there a sort of standardised amount for that 'bit'? It is ok. Turns out there is provision for international students with strange grading systems.
>
> > Using this method my GPA is 4.1. I got a lot of A+ grades. Does that get me into grad school?
>
> Didn't you get into grad school already? What is up with you and that Larry? Are you going to go back or have you been lured into the real world of work etc?My story is really really complicated. It's never too late to return to academia, but it's not yet something I can manage, on a number of different planes.
Lar
Posted by alexandra_k on January 7, 2005, at 16:08:44
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » alexandra_k, posted by Larry Hoover on January 7, 2005, at 10:51:55
> My story is really really complicated. It's never too late to return to academia, but it's not yet something I can manage, on a number of different planes.
Hmm. Well anytime you feel like sharing I really would love to hear it :-)
Be well.
Posted by smokeymadison on January 8, 2005, at 22:38:40
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » smokeymadison, posted by Larry Hoover on January 6, 2005, at 17:56:04
A+'s are 4's, actually. you can't go above a 4.0 usually. but you can add a bit for B+, C+, D+. see? but if you are near a 4.0 then ya, you should be able to get into grad school. lucky you!!!
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 9, 2005, at 11:44:19
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by smokeymadison on January 8, 2005, at 22:38:40
> A+'s are 4's, actually. you can't go above a 4.0 usually. but you can add a bit for B+, C+, D+. see? but if you are near a 4.0 then ya, you should be able to get into grad school. lucky you!!!
Luck, and some other ingredients, too.
I have no idea where this concept of GPA came from, in the first place. Why is it out of 4? It justs seems weird.
I have an A+ average grade (over 91%). That's 4.0, right?
Lar
Posted by alexandra_k on January 9, 2005, at 15:27:24
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » smokeymadison, posted by Larry Hoover on January 9, 2005, at 11:44:19
There are online GPA calculators. I couldn't use them because I wasn't sure how our courses compared to yours (in terms of hours per week) etc.
There is another system as well. It is used in the US sometimes. A+ = 9, A = 8, A- = 7 and so forth. You would have to get pretty close to ALL A+'s to get a 9.0 average. The A's would bring you down, see? - and scores are calculated to 2 decimal places.
According to the Philosophical Gormet Report (which does rankings of analytic philosophy institutions and is available online), on this system 'an 8.3 from Princeton is equivalent to an 8.8 from somewhere unknown'. So that should give you some indication of EXCEPTIONALLY high grades. I swear they say this just to put the sh*ts up people.
Posted by alexandra_k on January 9, 2005, at 16:01:55
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA? » Larry Hoover, posted by alexandra_k on January 9, 2005, at 15:27:24
Actually they have changed it this year...
'a GPA of 3.5 from Princeton is more impressive than a GPA of 3.9 from an undistinguished college'.
Maybe the other one is an old system.
Posted by alexandra_k on January 9, 2005, at 16:58:17
In reply to Re: How do ya calculate GPA?, posted by alexandra_k on January 9, 2005, at 16:01:55
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Students | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.