How grading works at Cornell
Cornell's official University grading system uses letter grades with pluses and minuses. Passing grades run from A+ down to D−; F is failing. Unlike many universities, Cornell's scale tops out above 4.0: grade point averages are calculated on a 4.3 scale, and an A+ carries a full 4.3 quality points rather than being capped at 4.0. See the Grade Scale Reference above for the exact quality-point value attached to each letter grade.
A few notations carry no quality-point value at all and are not counted toward your GPA: INC (Incomplete), NG (non-graded course), NGR (no grade reported), and R (an in-progress multi-semester course).
Source: Exams and Grading — "Grading System" section — verified Aug 2026
How Cornell calculates your GPA
Your semester GPA is calculated by multiplying the credit hours of each course by its quality-point equivalent, adding the results together, and dividing by the total credit hours for the semester.
Your cumulative GPA uses the same method across every semester at Cornell: the sum of the quality points earned in every course you have taken, divided by the total number of credits taken.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading. S indicates performance that would have been graded C− or higher; U indicates performance below a C−. Neither S nor U is given a grade-point value, and neither is counted when computing your GPA — though S credits still count toward graduation requirements, while U credits do not. Individual schools and colleges set their own limits on how many courses you may take S/U instead of for a letter grade.
Source: Exams and Grading — "Grading System" and "S/U Grades" sections — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
Can I save my semesters and track my CGPA at Cornell University?
How do I convert SGPA to CGPA at Cornell University?
Can I add past semester GPAs without entering every course?
Is my CGPA tracker data sent to your servers?
Is this Cornell University GPA calculator free?
Does Cornell's A+ count for more than 4.0?
Yes. Cornell's official grading system is calculated on a 4.3 scale, and an A+ is worth 4.3 quality points — not capped at 4.0 the way some universities cap their top grade. An A is worth 4.0, so the A+ genuinely sits above it.
Source: Exams and Grading — "Grading System" section — verified Aug 2026
Are S and U grades counted in your Cornell GPA?
No. Cornell states explicitly that grades of S and U "are not given grade point values or taken into account when computing grade point averages." S credit still counts toward your graduation requirements; U credit does not.
Source: Exams and Grading — "S/U Grades" section — verified Aug 2026
Does an Audit grade affect your Cornell GPA?
No. Audited classes are marked "V" or "INC" on your transcript, and neither carries a quality-point value in Cornell's grading table — audits do not factor into your GPA.
Source: Exams and Grading — "Audit Grades" section — verified Aug 2026
What happens to your Cornell GPA if you have an Incomplete?
An Incomplete ("INC") carries no quality-point value, so it does not affect your GPA while it stands. What happens if it is never resolved depends on your college: Cornell's catalog states that "some colleges convert the incomplete to a grade of F; others let the Incomplete stand on the student's transcript" — so an unresolved Incomplete can eventually become an F (0.0 quality points) in some colleges, but not automatically university-wide.
Source: Exams and Grading — "Incompletes" section — verified Aug 2026
Does Cornell Law School use the same GPA scale as the rest of the university?
No. The Law School runs its own grading policy, separate from "the official University grading system" used elsewhere at Cornell. J.D. students are graded on a scale where an A+ is worth 4.33 (not 4.3) and every plus/minus grade carries a slightly different quality-point value than the general Cornell scale. General LL.M. students are graded on a High Honors/Honors/Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory scale with no numeric quality points at all, and J.S.D. candidates are graded on the J.D. scale. This calculator uses Cornell's general university-wide scale, not the Law School's.
Source: Exams and Grading — "Law School Grading Policy" section — verified Aug 2026
Can a Cornell grade be changed after the semester is over?
Only to correct an error. Cornell's policy states a grade "may be changed only if an error in the original grade is confirmed by the instructor," and as "a matter of equity, grades must not be changed after the end of a semester on the basis of a student's subsequent completion of additional work."
Source: Exams and Grading — "Changes in Grades" section — verified Aug 2026
