GPA conversion - How does it work and is it fair? Forum

[Negativezero]

Hello everyone,

I have an undergraduate GPA of 3.62 from an institution in Canada that uses a 4.3 grading scale. Actually, the more appropriate term would be that this institution allows a 4.3 grading scale; most of the professors I had refrained from issuing A+ grades (which means their grades were out of 4.0, not 4.3

My question is this: when CAS standardizes GPAs from 4.3 scaled institutions, do they convert every single grade as though it were potentially out of an A+/4.3? Or do they only convert your A+ grades (I have a couple of those) into As, and leave all other marks untouched?

I'm asking because my GPA has been reduced to 3.57, and if most of my marks have unfairly been deflated, I would like to address this somehow in my applications.

Thanks.

[whymeohgodno]

No one cares

[St.Remy]

Hello everyone,

My question is this: when CAS standardizes GPAs from 4.3 scaled institutions, do they convert every single grade as though it were potentially out of an A+/4.3? Or do they only convert your A+ grades (I have a couple of those) into As, and leave all other marks untouched?

They do not penalize you for having the ability to get an A+, in fact you benefit it greatly. An A+ is converted to a 4.3 for LSAC GPA purposes and all other grades are treated the same. Other people go through the same conversion process even though it was never possible for them to attain an A+.

Thus the reason for your GPA drop is a mystery to me. Use the LSAC GPA calculator located here (http://www.lawpad.com/gpa_calculator/) and plug in your grades. If the total you come up with is substantially higher than the one LSAC listed then you may want to call them.

As a side note, LSAC doesn't allow you to replace classes that you did poorly in with better grades, so if you got some Cs and then retook the class both grades will be counted by LSAC. This, if applicable, could explain your GPA drop.

[im_blue]

A+ = 4.33, A = 4.00, A- = 3.67, etc whether or not the UG gives A+. The GPA drop is due to other factors, like retaken grades or fail grades on a pass/fail grading basis.

[SupraVln180]

Deal with it. Every class that I have had an A in throughout college, my average was over a 100. If my school counted A+'s my LSAC GPA would be a 3.8-3.9 instead of a 3.5. If you address it, you will look like a whiny child, b/c basically you are in the same pool as everyone else instead of having an inflated GPA, which is what your 3.6+ essentially is. Live with the 3.5+.

[s0ph1e2007]

search for _____GPA Conversion____ [go]

[WestOfTheRest]

What school did you go to? be happy you didn't go to UofT and get over it.

[whymeohgodno]

What school did you go to? be happy you didn't go to UofT and get over it.

What's wrong with UofT?

[WestOfTheRest]

What school did you go to? be happy you didn't go to UofT and get over it.

What's wrong with UofT?

just a reputation of massive grade deflation. They grade on a % scale and what an A is in their eyes does not correlate to what a % A is in LSACs eyes.

[Negativezero]

I have not had a single pass/fail class, I have not retaken a single class due to low marks, and I have received high marks across the board.

About the LSAC GPA calculator: what constitutes a credit? In my university, the average course was worth 3 credits, 6 credits for year-long courses. Is that what I should go by?

[WestOfTheRest]

I have not had a single pass/fail class, I have not retaken a single class due to low marks, and I have received high marks across the board.

About the LSAC GPA calculator: what constitutes a credit? In my university, the average course was worth 3 credits, 6 credits for year-long courses. Is that what I should go by?

A course is worth three credits. Just put in your marks. If its a full year, put them in twice. If its a quarter class, put it in a quarter class spot.

[WestOfTheRest]

I have not had a single pass/fail class, I have not retaken a single class due to low marks, and I have received high marks across the board.

About the LSAC GPA calculator: what constitutes a credit? In my university, the average course was worth 3 credits, 6 credits for year-long courses. Is that what I should go by?

Seriously, what school did you go to. PM me if you dont want to post it publicly.

[Bildungsroman]

Have you ever taken college classes that your UGrad didn't count towards your GPA, such as classes at community college or dual enrollment in high school?

Also, LSAC counts A+ as 4.33, A as 4.0, A- as 3.67, B+ as 3.33, etc. If your undergrad uses a slightly different scale (A+ as 4.3, A as 4.0, A- as 3.7, for example) then that could explain the difference.

[Negativezero]

Hey everyone, just used the LSAC GPA calculator and it seems my suspicions of grade deflation were wrong. I toyed with the results and found that, ad I converted my A+ grades (few though they were) to As, my LSAC GPA went down. It seems like whether or not your school issues A+ grades in the first place does not figure into the calculus of determining your LSAC GPA.

Now that leads me to another question: what is the LSAC GPA standard based upon, if it doesn't even account for whether your grades are inflated by A+s to begin with? I now realize my school's grading system puts me at an advantage compared to other applicants. I would think that LSAC would try to offset that unfair advantage.

[yzero1]

Hey everyone, just used the LSAC GPA calculator and it seems my suspicions of grade deflation were wrong. I toyed with the results and found that, ad I converted my A+ grades (few though they were) to As, my LSAC GPA went down. It seems like whether or not your school issues A+ grades in the first place does not figure into the calculus of determining your LSAC GPA.

Now that leads me to another question: what is the LSAC GPA standard based upon, if it doesn't even account for whether your grades are inflated by A+s to begin with? I now realize my school's grading system puts me at an advantage compared to other applicants. I would think that LSAC would try to offset that unfair advantage.

Wait, so are you saying that LSAC did not convert your A+s to 4.33s? Also, how does your school report grades (letters only, %s, etc)?

[Negativezero]

It reports grades only.