Is an A Really An A? Does a Plus or Minus Count? - HaveUHeard.com (2024)

Is an A Really An A? Does a Plus or Minus Count? - HaveUHeard.com (1)

A Plus or Minus Does Count

College grading systems can be especially confusing when coming straight from high school. The biggest difference between the public school and college grading scale is the plus/minus addition to the traditional As and Bs.

At FAU, the plus/minus grading scale adds weight to the letter grade. For example, the difference between an A- and an A is 0.33 points (see FAU grading scale). In order to get an A and not an A-, you need to achieve a grade of 93 or higher. An A- is within the range of a 90 to a 92.5. Most teachers will be nice enough to round your 92.5 or above to a 93, which would give you the complete A. Many students complain about this system and the way it works considering an A- is a 3.7 to your GPA, while an A is a full 4.0.

Many students, including myself, feel that the A- is not an achievement, but rather a punishment, as we came so close to getting an A and now our GPA’s are not going to go up as much as they could have with a 4.0. One of the main problems is that a 3.7 added to your GPA versus a 4.0 creates a big difference in the averages. Many feel that since we were above a 90, that in itself deserves a solid A. I believe the A- is discouraging to students because there is not a big incentive, versus the way a 4.0 incentivize students to keep working hard.

Though the popular saying is “C’s get degrees”, the type of C received will determine if a student receives the degree of their choice. To see your specific degree program requirements, see the FAU website. When it comes to graduating with honors, getting an A or A- may mean the difference between graduating Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude. FAU recognizes superior academic performance by granting baccalaureate degrees of distinction to undergraduates who have earned at least 45 credits at FAU as follows:

  • Cum Laude for an FAU average of 3.50
  • Magna Cum Laude for an FAU average of 3.70
  • Summa Cum Laude for an FAU average of 3.90

The +/- system can have a lot of negative impacts on your GPA, especially if you are looking to go to grad school. To calculate your GPA, check out FAU’s GPA Calculator.

Sabrina Kaplan, FAU Intern, HaveUHeard

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Is an A Really An A? Does a Plus or Minus Count? - HaveUHeard.com (2024)

FAQs

Is an A Really An A? Does a Plus or Minus Count? - HaveUHeard.com? ›

A+ or A- Those Pluses and Minuses Count in your grade!

Does having an A count as straight A's? ›

If I get one A-, am I still considered a straight-A student? Yes. Whether it's an A, A+, or A-, it is still in the A range of grades.

Does 90% count as an A? ›

Thus, an A is a 95, halfway between 90 and 100. An A- is a 91.25, halfway between 90 and 92.5. Etc. Grades between these are averages.

Do plus or minuses affect GPA? ›

The use of the plus/minus system does not change any departmental, college, or university GPA requirement, nor the method by which GPAs are computed, nor the interpretations of other grades awarded such as F, I, P, S, U, and W.

Is A+ an actual grade? ›

Common examples of grade conversion are: A+ (97–100), A (93–96), A- (90–92), B+ (87–89), B (83–86), B- (80–82), C+ (77–79), C (73–76), C- (70–72), D+ (67–69), D (65–66), D- (below 65).

Is an 89.5 an A or AB? ›

Seven point scale
PercentageGrade/mark
89.5–92.49B+
86.5–89.49B
84.5–86.49B–
82.5–84.49C+
10 more rows

Is a 92.5 an A or a minus? ›

Why I don't round grades
Number → Letter Conversion
Numerical GradeLetter GradeEquivalent on 4.0 scale
≥ 97.5A+4.0
≥ 92.5A> 3.7
≥ 90.0A-> 3.3
10 more rows

Is a 93% an A or a minus? ›

Grading scale in my courses
Letter GradeNumeric Grade
A93 - 100
A-90 - 92.99
B+87 - 89.99
B83 - 86.99
6 more rows

Is a D+ a passing grade? ›

The meaning of each grade is as follows: A, A–, excellent; B+, B, and B–, good; C+ and C, competent; C–, continuation competency (the student has achieved the level of proficiency needed for the course to satisfy prerequisite requirements); D+, D, and D–, passing, but performance is not adequate to take any subsequent ...

What grade is a 3.7 GPA? ›

A 3.7 GPA is equivalent to 92% or an A- letter grade. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 3.7 is well above average.

Is a GPA of 5.0 good? ›

Colleges value your grade point average (GPA) because it demonstrates how serious you are about your studies. Admission to the most prestigious schools is typically limited to students who rank in the top 5% of their class and have high GPAs. Therefore, this article is about one of the highest scores, a 5.0 GPA.

Is a GPA of 2.8 good? ›

Is a 2.8 GPA Good? Because a 2.8 is two-tenths of a point from a B average, a 2.8 GPA indicates several above-average grades and that your performance on homework and exams was up to par. With a 2.8 GPA, several colleges will consider your application, so you have a decent number of options to choose from.

Is a GPA of 3.7 good? ›

A 3.7 GPA is a Grade Point Average of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A- average in your courses. A 3.7 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.

What is a 98 GPA? ›

GPAPercent
4.0100-99
3.998-97
3.896-95
3.794-93
30 more rows

Is a 93 a good grade? ›

A - is the highest grade you can receive on an assignment, and it's between 90% and 100% B - is still a pretty good grade! This is an above-average score, between 80% and 89% C - this is a grade that rests right in the middle.

What grade is a 69? ›

Grade Scale
PercentageLetter Grade
98-100A+
70-72C-
67-69D+
63-66D
9 more rows

Is 100% an A or A+? ›

Grade Scale
A+= / >100%
A= / >95%
A-= / >90%
B+= / >85%
B= / >80%
10 more rows

Is an A minus an A? ›

A+, A, A- indicates excellent performance. B+, B, B- indicates good performance. C+, C, C- indicates satisfactory performance. D+, D, D- indicates less than satisfactory performance.

Are all A's and one C bad? ›

In summary, one C among mostly A's may not drastically affect your chances of admission, particularly if you can provide context or show improvement over time.

Is an 89.6 an A? ›

For example, an 89.6 (rounds to 90) is an A in high school, but is a B in college. Why does 89% count as a B in American high schools? That's an excellent grade and it would be a very solid A in almost every other country.

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