How does a retake affect my GPA under my stated school rule?

How we calculated this

Under full replacement, the original grade's quality points are swapped for the retake's across the same credits, and total credits do not change. Using the example values above (30 credits at 3.2, a 3-credit course moving from 2.0 to 4.0), the new GPA is 3.4. Under "both attempts counted," the retake is added as its own record instead of replacing anything, which changes total credits too. Under a partial blend, only a fraction of the gap between the two grades is applied.

Limitations

Retake policies vary enormously by school, and some have additional rules this tool does not model (a cap on how many times a course can be retaken, a rule that only applies to failed courses, or a requirement that the retake happen within a certain number of terms). Confirm your school's complete policy, not just the replacement mechanism, before relying on this result.

Common mistakes

A common error is applying "full replacement" math when your school actually counts both attempts (common at schools that do not offer grade forgiveness), which overstates the real GPA benefit. Another is entering the wrong course's credits as "original credits," such as the retake's own credit value when the two differ.

Frequently asked

How do I know which rule my school uses?

Check your registrar's academic policy on grade replacement or repeated coursework; terms to look for include "grade forgiveness," "academic renewal," or "repeat for credit."

What if the retake grade is lower than the original?

Full replacement would lower your GPA in that case; if your school only allows replacement when the retake is higher, that is a policy detail you would need to check and this tool does not enforce for you.

Does this change my total credits earned?

Only under "both attempts counted," since that adds the retake as an additional record; full replacement and partial blend keep your existing credits unchanged.

What does the partial blend actually represent?

Some schools average the original and retake scores instead of fully replacing one with the other; the blend percentage lets you model that averaging, with 50% representing a straight average of the two grades.

Next decision

To see the retake's exact quality-point impact by itself, see Retake Grade Replacement or Retake Average-Both GPA Impact.

For a side-by-side comparison of both rules on the same scenario, read Retake Policies: Replacement vs. Both Attempts Counted.