Is a 3.5 GPA Good?
A 3.5 GPA on the unweighted 4.0 scale is roughly an A- average — about 91% — and it is comfortably above the typical US college average (around 3.1) and competitive for most graduate programs and internships.
- Letter averageA-
- Percent equivalent≈91%
- US college average≈3.1
Context that matters more than the number
GPA is read alongside course rigor and trajectory. A 3.5 earned in a demanding major with an upward trend reads better than the same number from an easy schedule that's sliding. Mathematically, raising a 3.5 takes time: one straight-A semester of 15 credits moves a 60-credit GPA by only 0.1 points — which is why starting the climb early beats a senior-year sprint.
Raise it — calculate your exact GPA
Unweighted 4.0 scale (A+ = 4.0, steps of 0.3). Your registrar's number is official.
Common questions
What GPA do I need for the Dean's List?
Most schools set Dean's List between 3.5 and 3.7 for the semester, with a minimum credit load (often 12+ graded credits). It's a semester GPA, not cumulative — one strong term can make the list even in a rebuilding year. Your school's exact cutoff will be published by the registrar.
Why does my school's GPA differ from this one?
Schools differ on three things: whether A+ counts as 4.3 or 4.0, whether plus/minus grades are used at all, and whether honors/AP courses are weighted above 4.0. This calculator uses the most common unweighted convention (A+ = 4.0, minus/plus in 0.3 steps). Your registrar's number is the official one.