Your GPA is typically available through your school’s online student portal, and you can usually find it within minutes. The exact steps depend on whether you’re a current high school student, a college student, or someone looking up records from a school you’ve already left. Here’s how to locate it in each situation.
Check Your School’s Student Portal
Almost every high school and college gives students access to an online portal where grades and GPA are displayed. The name of this portal varies by school. Colleges commonly use systems like Canvas, Blackboard, PowerSchool, PeopleSoft, or a proprietary student information system. High schools often use Infinite Campus, PowerSchool, or similar platforms. Your school’s website will have a login link, usually labeled something like “Student Portal,” “MyRecords,” or “Student Information System.”
Once you’re logged in, look for a section called “Grades,” “Academics,” or “Academic Record.” In Canvas, for example, you can click the “View Grades” button in the Dashboard sidebar to see your current overall grade for each course. If your school uses grading periods, you can toggle between them using a drop-down menu. Your cumulative GPA (covering all terms) is often on a separate “Academic Record” or “Transcript” page within the same portal.
If you’ve never logged in before, check your email for setup instructions from your school, or contact the registrar’s office (at a college) or the guidance office (at a high school) to get your credentials.
Request an Unofficial Transcript
If your portal doesn’t display a cumulative GPA directly, or if you want a more complete picture, pull up your unofficial transcript. This is a full record of every course you’ve taken, the grade you earned, and your GPA. Currently enrolled students can typically view, print, or download an unofficial transcript through the same student portal at no cost. There’s usually a “Transcript” or “Academic Record” link inside your account.
Unofficial transcripts contain the same GPA and course information as official ones. The difference is that an official transcript comes with a school seal or digital verification, which employers and other colleges require for formal purposes. For simply checking your own GPA, the unofficial version is all you need, and it’s free.
Finding Your GPA After You’ve Left a School
If you graduated or left a school and no longer have portal access, you have a couple of options. First, try logging back into the student portal. Many colleges keep accounts active for alumni, and your old credentials (or a password reset) may still work.
If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to order a transcript. Many colleges and universities process transcript requests through the National Student Clearinghouse or a similar service like Parchment. You go to the clearinghouse website, search for your school, and place an order. Electronic transcripts are often cheaper and faster than paper copies. Expect to pay somewhere in the range of $5 to $25 per transcript depending on the school and delivery method, though fees vary. Some schools handle transcript orders directly through their own registrar’s office instead of a third-party service, so check your former school’s website first.
For high school records, contact your former school’s guidance or records office. If the school has closed, your state’s department of education can usually direct you to wherever the records were transferred.
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
When you look at your GPA, you might see two different numbers, especially if you’re in high school. An unweighted GPA uses a standard 4.0 scale where an A equals 4.0 regardless of the class. A weighted GPA adds extra points for harder classes like honors, AP, or IB courses. On a weighted scale, an A in an AP class might be worth 4.3 or even 5.0, depending on the school’s specific scale. This means a weighted GPA can go above 4.0.
If you’re checking your GPA for college applications, know that many colleges recalculate your GPA on an unweighted scale and then separately assess the rigor of your course load. So a 3.7 unweighted GPA with several AP classes can carry more weight in admissions than a 4.2 weighted GPA from a school that inflates its scale. Your transcript will show both numbers if your school uses weighting, so you’ll have both available.
Calculating Your GPA Yourself
If you just want a quick number and can’t access your portal right now, you can calculate it by hand. Assign each letter grade a point value: A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, and so on. Multiply each grade’s point value by the number of credit hours for that course. Add up all those totals, then divide by the total number of credit hours you’ve attempted.
For example, if you took a 3-credit course and earned an A (4.0) and a 4-credit course and earned a B (3.0), the math looks like this: (4.0 × 3) + (3.0 × 4) = 12 + 12 = 24. Divide 24 by 7 total credits, and your GPA is about 3.43. This gives you an unweighted GPA. Keep in mind that your school may use a slightly different scale (some don’t use plus/minus grades, for instance), so the official number on your transcript is always the definitive one.
Where Else Your GPA Might Appear
Beyond your school’s portal and transcripts, your GPA sometimes shows up in other places. If you’ve applied for financial aid or scholarships, the award letter or application dashboard may reference your GPA. Some schools also send GPA information in end-of-term grade reports emailed to students. If you received a merit scholarship with a GPA requirement, your financial aid office tracks that number and can confirm it for you.
For college students using degree audit tools (often called “Degree Works” or “Degree Navigator”), your cumulative GPA and your major GPA are usually displayed at the top of the audit. Your major GPA only counts courses in your declared major, so it may be higher or lower than your overall cumulative number. Both matter: your cumulative GPA is what appears on your transcript, while your major GPA is sometimes requested by graduate schools or employers in your field.