Caltech
GPA calculator
Caltech GPA
How California Institute of Technology calculates GPA
California Institute of Technology (California) calculates GPA as a credit-weighted average: multiply each course's grade points by its credits, add them up, and divide by total credits. The detail that matters is the grade scale.
The Caltech grade scale — what makes it specific
A+ rule: Caltech uses a 4.3 scale: A+ = 4.3 (above 4.0), F = 0.0. There is no D-.
Failing grade: California Institute of Technology uses "F" for a failing grade (0.0).
Repeated courses & grade replacement
When a course is repeated the original grade remains; F* (pass/fail fail) is excluded from the GPA. Up to six E (incomplete-style) grades are allowed.
Academic standing
Distinctive: a Caltech student's first two terms are graded Pass/Fail only — no GPA is computed until the third term. Minimum 1.9 GPA per term and overall.
Dean’s List
California Institute of Technology does not maintain a Dean’s List.
Academic probation and dismissal
Academic probation / ineligible to register: term GPA below 1.9 or fewer than 27 units completed in a term.
Dismissal: a second term of ineligibility requires withdrawal from the Institute for at least two terms; a third means the student may not continue to enroll.
Sources
Every figure on this page was read on one of these pages, all published by California Institute of Technology itself. Nothing here comes from a ranking site or an aggregator.
- www.catalog.caltech.edu — Dean’s List.
- www.catalog.caltech.edu — grading scale and GPA calculation.
Good to know
Caltech uses a 4.3 scale (A+ = 4.3) like Cornell and Stanford, with no D-. Its big distinctive feature: first-year students are graded Pass/Fail for their first two terms, so no GPA exists until the third term. The minimum GPA to continue or graduate is just 1.9. 'P' for first-years and 'F*' (pass/fail fails) don't enter the GPA.
Need to plan ahead? Use the target GPA planner to find the grades you need, or the final grade calculator for a single class. International student? See CGPA to US GPA (WES).