What if the retake grade equals the original?

The additional quality points are zero, and your GPA does not change, since nothing was actually replaced with a different value.

What if the retake grade is lower?

The additional quality points are negative, and your GPA goes down; a full replacement rule applies regardless of direction unless your school specifically protects against a worse retake.

Does this change my total credits?

No; a full replacement swaps the grade on the same credits, it does not add new ones.

How is this different from GPA After Retake?

The math is identical to the "full replacement" option there; this page is a streamlined version for when you already know that is your school's rule.

How does a full grade replacement retake policy change my GPA?

Enter your current GPA and credits, the original course's credits and grade, and the retake's grade. This assumes your school's rule is a full swap: the retake entirely replaces the original, nothing averaged.

Need your next decision? GPA After Retake

How we calculated this

The original grade's quality points are entirely swapped for the retake's, across the same credits; total credits never change under a pure replacement rule. Using the example values above (30 credits at 3.2, a 3-credit course moving from 2.0 to 4.0), the additional quality points are 6, and the new GPA is 3.4.

Limitations

This assumes your school's policy is a pure, unconditional replacement; if your school instead averages both attempts or counts both permanently, use Retake Average-Both GPA Impact or the blend option on GPA After Retake instead.

Common mistakes

A common error is applying this full-replacement math to a school that actually counts both attempts toward GPA, which overstates the real benefit of retaking. Confirm your school's exact policy language before trusting this specific result. Another is entering the retake's own credit value in the "original course's credits" field when the two happen to differ (a course renumbered with a different credit load); use the original course's actual credits, since that is what determines how much weight the replacement carries.

A less obvious mistake is assuming replacement always helps: if you are retaking a course you already passed with a mediocre grade purely to try for a better one, a worse outcome on the retake would still fully replace the original under this rule, which is a real risk worth weighing before enrolling in the retake at all.

Frequently asked

What if the retake grade equals the original?: The additional quality points are zero, and your GPA does not change, since nothing was actually replaced with a different value.
What if the retake grade is lower?: The additional quality points are negative, and your GPA goes down; a full replacement rule applies regardless of direction unless your school specifically protects against a worse retake.
Does this change my total credits?: No; a full replacement swaps the grade on the same credits, it does not add new ones.
How is this different from GPA After Retake?: The math is identical to the "full replacement" option there; this page is a streamlined version for when you already know that is your school's rule.

Next decision

If your school counts both attempts instead, see Retake Average-Both GPA Impact. For a side-by-side comparison of both rules on the same scenario, read Retake Policies: Replacement vs. Both Counted.