Do Negative Grades Affect Your Final GPA? (Answered 2024)

by William Christie · October 31, 2023

There are many students who get confused with the GPA and its letter grade system. When you get a letter grade it usually has a GPA assigned against it. However, what makes them more confused is the positive and negative grades. There are positive and negative grades for each of the letter grades that you get. Here we will help you to know if negative grades affect your final GPA or not.

Quick Takeaways

When you get a negative grade, it usually means that you are getting a lower GPA.

A- in one of the subjects that will drop your final GPA from 4 to 3.5.

Getting a B- will definitely lower your final GPA.

If you are getting an A+ grade, it may not increase your GPA with an A grade.

To make a negative grade a positive one you will need to work really hard for it. Try to make a timetable and keep proper breaks.

However, you must not read till the end so that you get a better understanding of whether the negative grades affect your final GPA.

Table of Contents

Do negative grades affect your final GPA?

Usually, there are three types of grades you get that is positive, negative and neutral. Suppose you get an A grade in a subject there are high chances that you may get an A+, A A- or any other grade. When you get a negative grade, it usually means that you are getting a lower GPA. It means that getting a negative grade will definitely impact your GPA making it lower.

Does A- affect your GPA?

As discussed above getting a negative grade has a great impact on your final GPA. Suppose you have scored A grades in all of the subjects and get an A- in one of the subjects, it will drop your final GPA from 4 to 3.5.

Is an A- a 4.0 GPA?

A- is a grade lower than the A and A+. Thus we can simply say that it is not a 4.0 GPA and is a lower than that. Usually, A and A+ are the grades which are equal to the 4.0 GPA. When you get an A- grade it is a 3.5 GPA.

What is a B- GPA and does it affect your GPA?

B- is a 2.7 GPA which is obviously too low and is 70-72%. As we are discussing from starting the negative grades do affect your final GPA, getting a B- will definitely lower your final GPA.

Will a plus grade affect your GPA?

It will depend upon which grade you will be getting in the class. Usually, the plus and minus grades have little impact on your final GPA. However, if you are getting an A+ grade, it may not increase your GPA with an A grade. It is because both of the grades make a GPA of 4.0. On the other hand, if you have a B grade that is 3.0, then getting a B+ will help you to increase it.

How to make a negative grade into a positive grade?

To make a negative grade a positive one you will need to work really hard for it. You will need to have a proper plan and should make a proper timetable and follow it. Keep more time for the subjects which are difficult for you. It is because it will help you to maintain your GPA properly as you can give more time to those subjects. As a student, it is important to refresh your mind.

Thus you must try to keep the breaks in between the time duration of your studies. Further, try to stay focused in your classes and stay away from distractions. You can also hire a private tutor to help you in the subject you find difficult.

Can dropping a class convert your negative GPA into a positive one?

Well, it depends upon the situation you are in. There are many students who believe that dropping out of a class boosts your GPA. But actually, it will depend upon your abilities. Suppose you get a subject which you think is hard in nature. In such a scenario dropping out of the class will help you to get a positive grade. However, if there is a subject you find is easy for you but still you drop out there may be chances that your GPA stays at a negative grade.

What grades affect your GPA?

The grading system of the US is similar and you receive a point value for the letter grade you receive. Usually, A will have a point value of 4, B will have 3, and C and D will represent 2 and 1 respectively. So when you get a lower grade definitely it will affect your GPA. Therefore you must try to get an A grade as high as you can.

How much can a negative grade impact your GPA?

A negative grade will always have a negative impact on your final GPA. However, the rate of impact will depend upon which negative grade you have received. Now suppose you have received a GPA of 4.0 which is an A+ grade. Unfortunately, you may get a B- or a C- your final GPA will definitely go down at an extreme level. Thus the drop of your GPA will depend upon the negative grade you are getting.

Conclusion

When you get a negative grade it definitely has a negative impact on your final GPA. Suppose you have a GPA of 4.0, an A- can bring your GPA down to 3.5. The case is similar for B- grades and other negative grades. They will bring the grade down. Further, you must know that dropping a class may affect your final GPA. If your subject is hard then it can help you to get save from a negative grade. It will help you to increase your final GPA.

However, you must try to get save yourself from negative grades, by working more hard. You can start with creating a timetable which will help you to manage your time efficiently. You can also hire private tutors if you have doubts about the subjects. Do not forget to take proper rest and break between your study time.