How grading works at Tufts
Tufts grades undergraduates on a 4.00 scale: A (4.00), B (3.00), C (2.00), D (1.00), and F (0). Plus and minus grades adjust the base value by 0.333: B+, C+, and D+ count 0.333 more than their base letter, while A-, B-, C-, and D- count 0.333 less. There is no A+ — the plus modifier only ever applies to B, C, and D.
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (Grades; GPA computation) — verified Aug 2026
How your GPA is calculated at Tufts
Each course's grade value is multiplied by its semester hours, those are summed, and divided by the total semester hours. The result is computed to three decimal places, then your semester and cumulative averages are rounded to two.
A failing grade (F) is averaged into your GPA, even though those semester hours don't count toward your graduation credit total.
Grades of P (pass-fail option) and CR (credit) don't affect your GPA at all, and a W (Withdrawn) doesn't either.
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (GPA computation; Grades) — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Tufts University use?
Where does this Tufts University grade scale come from?
Does Tufts award an A+?
No. Tufts' grading rule adds a 0.333 bonus for B+, C+, and D+, but never extends a plus modifier to A — A itself, at 4.00, is the top of the scale.
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (GPA computation) — verified Aug 2026
Does Tufts award a D-?
Yes. D- is explicitly named in Tufts' grading rule ("A-, B-, C-, and D- count 0.333 less") and confirmed again by the Pass grade's own definition, which describes pass-fail eligibility as "D- or better."
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (GPA computation; Grades, P definition) — verified Aug 2026
Does an Incomplete (I) or Withdrawn (W) grade affect my GPA at Tufts?
No. An Incomplete carries no grade-point value while pending — if the work isn't finished by the deadline (typically six weeks after the last day of finals), the instructor's pre-specified default grade is recorded instead. A Withdrawn (W) grade appears on your transcript but "does not affect a student's cumulative grade point average."
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (No-Grade Status: I, W) — verified Aug 2026
How does the Pass/Fail option affect my GPA at Tufts?
Choosing the pass-fail option for an eligible course (available for D- or better) means your transcript shows P instead of a letter grade, and "grade point average is not affected." If you fail the course outright, though, you still receive an F, and "a grade of F is averaged into the grade point average."
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (Grades: P, F) — verified Aug 2026
Does the SMFA use a different grading scale at Tufts?
SMFA (School of the Museum of Fine Arts) studio courses are graded Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) rather than by letter — but this is the same CR/NC option Tufts' general undergraduate policy already defines, not a separate grading scale. CR and NC grades don't affect your GPA.
Source: Bulletin, General Undergraduate Policies and Information (Grades: CR, NC) — verified Aug 2026
