The U.S. Grading System Explained: Letters, GPAs, and Credits

In this guide, we will answer the following questions:

You’ve been accepted to a U.S. university, congratulations. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: decoding a grading system that looks straightforward on paper but turns out to have exceptions at every turn.

More than one million international students enroll at U.S. colleges and universities each year, and many arrive expecting a unified national standard. There isn’t one. Every institution sets its own rules on grading scales, passing thresholds, and credit requirements. What earns a B at one school might be a C at another.

This guide covers the fundamentals that hold true at most U.S. schools, and flags exactly where you need to check the fine print with your specific institution.

Does the U.S. System Use Numbers or Letters?

Most U.S. schools use both a letter grade and a numeric grade that map to a range on a 100-point numeric scale. The letter tells you where you stand at a glance; the number tells you exactly where within that range.

What shows up on your transcript depends on the school. Some report only the letter, some only the number, and some include both. If your home institution or a future employer needs to evaluate your record, it’s worth knowing which format your transcript uses.

How the A–F Letter System Works

The system runs from A (highest) to F (failing). You’ll notice the alphabet skips E, which was dropped to avoid confusion with old European grading conventions where E stood for “Excellent.” The F, meanwhile, is unambiguous: it means the student did not pass the course.

Each letter grade also carries a GPA point value on the standard 4.0 scale, which matters as much as the letter itself for scholarships, academic standing, and graduate school applications. Here’s how that calculation works.

Pluses and Minuses: The Extended Scale

Many schools refine this five-letter system with plus (+) and minus (−) modifiers, giving each letter grade up to three variations. An A+ represents the very top of the scale; an A− sits just above the B+ threshold. The modifiers apply to grades A through D, schools don’t award an F+ or F−. A failing grade is a failing grade.

One important nuance: the exact cutoffs vary. Some schools set A+ at 96.5 and above, others at 98 and above. Always confirm the specific scale with your institution, especially if the difference between two grades affects scholarships, academic standing, or transfer credit.

What Counts as a “Passing Grade”?

This is where things get genuinely complicated, and where the most consequential misunderstandings happen.

At the high school level, a passing grade is traditionally anything above an F and a D−. A growing number of high schools have raised that floor to 70 (a C−), but this varies by district and state.

At the college and university level, a D− through D+ (60–69) is a gray zone. Depending on the institution and program, a grade in that range might:

• Count as a passing grade for the course, but not toward your major
• Be labeled “unsatisfactory passing”, technically not failing, but not useful either
• Disqualify you from transferring the credit to another institution
• Trigger academic probation if it brings your GPA below the minimum threshold
• Be outright unacceptable in demanding programs like Pre-Med or Engineering

For undergraduate work, a C− or above is the threshold most schools treat as a solid passing grade. Anything in the D range should be treated with caution — and verified directly with your academic advisor.

For international students studying abroad or planning to return to a home institution: a 65 (D) earned at a U.S. university may not transfer at all, leaving you with credit hours that cost money and time but contribute nothing to your degree. Verify transfer credit policies before registering for courses.

Course Credits and Units Explained

“Credits” and “units” mean the same thing at U.S. institutions. One credit hour corresponds to one hour of in-class instruction per week, per semester.

A four-credit History course means four hours in class each week. A two-credit Biology lab means two hours per week. That much is straightforward.

What catches students off guard is the implied workload. Credit hours only count classroom time. The widely used rule of thumb is that each in-class hour requires approximately two hours of outside preparation, readings, assignments, and studying. That four-credit History course isn’t four hours of weekly work; it’s closer to twelve (4 in class + 8 outside).

Full-time workload: Most students carry 15 credits per semester, which works out to roughly 45 hours of academic work per week when study time is factored in. That’s a full-time job.

Graduation requirements: Most four-year U.S. universities require 120 total credits to graduate. At 15 credits per semester over eight semesters (four years), that’s exactly 120, which is why “four-year degree” is the standard framing. Changing majors, retaking courses, or carrying fewer credits per semester can all extend that timeline.

One Final Reminder

The system described here reflects common practice across U.S. colleges and universities, but common practice isn’t universal practice. Grading scales, passing thresholds, credit requirements, and academic policies all vary by institution, and sometimes by department or program within the same institution. Before making any academic decision — course selection, credit transfers, graduation planning — confirm the details directly with your school’s registrar or academic advisor.

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Author: Alyssa Morse-Salvati | LinkedIn