Can I raise my GPA fast?

Question

First year my GPA is around a 3.5-3.6 on a 4.0 scale right now. I have 30 courses more to take over the next 3 years. Can I raise my GPA to over a 3.8+. How much can I raise my GPA in second year by, to get best two years for law schools. 

Im in Toronto, Canada.

Caligula · Accepted Answer

Let's assume you are taking an equal number of credits each year, and let's call your current GPA 3.55.  Then the maximum GPA you can get by the end of your second year is

((1 * 3.55) + (1 * 4.0))/(1 + 1)

which works out to 

((1 * 3.55) + (1 * 4.0))/(1 + 1)
= (3.55 + 4)/2
= 7.55/2
= 3.775

If your GPA is only recorded to the closest hundredth, that would probably be rounded to 3.78.

Making the same assumptions, the best GPA you can get by the end of your third year is

((1 * 3.55) + (2 * 4.0))/(1 + 2)
= (3.55 + 8)/3
= 11.55/3
= 3.85

And the best GPA you can get by the end of your fourth year is

((1 * 3.55) + (3 * 4.0))/(1 + 3)
= (3.55 + 12)/4
= 15.55/4
= 3.8875

which, again, is likely to be rounded to 3.89.

If your GPA is actually a little lower than 3.55, the maximum GPA you can get at the end of each year will be a little lower than that;  if it's a little higher, you will be able to earn a higher GPA.

If you don't think you can earn a 4.0 this year and you want to see what your GPA is likely to be, instead of multiplying your grades and GPA by years, do it by credits.  So, for example, if you took 30 credits last year and earned a 3.55, and if you are taking 15 credits now, and if you expect to get A's in 12 credits and a B in the last 3, your GPA at the end of this term will be

((30 * 3.55) + (12 * 4.0) + (3 * 3.0))/(30 + 12 + 3)

Can I raise my GPA fast?

1 Answer