Understanding how different grading systems map to each other is essential for students, educators, and employers. Whether you're converting a percentage score to a letter grade, translating a GPA between a 4.0 and a 5.0 scale, or preparing academic transcripts for international applications, consistent and transparent conversions matter. This tool simplifies those conversions using widely accepted mappings while remaining flexible to accommodate institutional variations.
Why Grading Systems Differ
Grading methods vary globally by culture, institutional policy, and historical convention. Percentage-based grading measures the fraction of points earned on assignments and exams. Letter grades simplify percentages into buckets (A, B, C, etc.), which can communicate performance at a glance. GPA scales convert those letters or percentages into numeric averages used for transcripts, scholarship eligibility, and admissions.
Standard Mappings and Their Uses
Many universities use a 4.0 scale where a 4.0 is the highest performance (A or A+), while some institutions use a 5.0 scale for greater granularity or to represent honors/advanced coursework. Converting from percentages to letter grades typically relies on fixed ranges (for example, 90–100% equals an A). The exact cutoffs differ - some institutions mark 85 as an A-, others require 90.
How Conversions Work in Practice
A conversion tool follows deterministic rules: it checks where a percentage falls within a range and returns the corresponding letter and GPA value. For reverse conversions (e.g., GPA to percentage), the typical approach is to return the midpoint of the percentage range tied to that GPA value. This method offers a transparent, reproducible result that institutions and students can discuss.
