How to read a transcript and decode its grading key
A transcript is a complete record of your courses, grades, credits and CGPA — but it is only interpretable with its grading key, the legend that defines what each grade is worth.
The anatomy of a transcript
For each course you will find a code and title, the credits, the grade, and often the grade points earned. Each semester usually shows an SGPA, and the document ends with your cumulative CGPA. Special notations (W, I, AU, F, RA) flag withdrawals, incompletes, audits and fails.
The grading key is essential
Because the same letter means different things at different institutions, the grading key — usually printed on the transcript or in the handbook — is what makes the grades meaningful. It maps each letter to grade points and often to a mark range. Never interpret a transcript without it.
Reading an unfamiliar legend
When you receive a transcript from another system, find the legend first and note: the maximum grade, the pass grade, the direction of the scale (is higher better?), and how special grades are treated. Only then do the numbers make sense — an inverted scale, for instance, flips the entire interpretation.
Verifying the CGPA
To check the cumulative figure, credit-weight the grade points using the key and compare with the printed CGPA on the CGPA calculator. Differences usually trace to excluded courses (audit, pass/fail), backlog handling, or rounding.
Four questions for any unfamiliar legend
When a transcript comes from a system you don't know, the grading key answers four things before any number means anything: what's the maximum grade, what's the pass grade, which direction does the scale run (is higher better?), and how are special grades (W, I, AU, F) treated? An inverted scale alone flips the entire reading — which is why the legend, not the grades, is the first thing to find.
Key takeaways
- A transcript needs its grading key (legend) to be interpretable.
- Per course: code, credits, grade, often grade points; per semester an SGPA; then cumulative CGPA.
- For an unfamiliar legend, establish max, pass, direction, and special-grade handling first.
- Verify the CGPA by credit-weighting on the calculator.