For many Indian students, higher education in America is the ultimate dream. Most students hope to secure a seat in an Ivy League college where they gain international exposure and better job opportunities. Students who want to study in the USA should learn about the university grading system before heading abroad. The grades provided in American universities might be different from what we’re used to in India. Here’s a look at the grading systems American higher education institutions use:

Credit hours and credits
When you hear students talking about their courses in America, you may have heard them talk about credits. Each subject has semester or credit hours that you must complete. Your faculty member decides on the credit hours right at the start.. Graduate degrees require up to 24 credit hours in a semester. Your grader will assign a credit when you use the credit hours up to their satisfaction. If you face a shortfall at the end of the semester, you can complete an independent study or take up classes during breaks to meet the requirement. The educator uses your credit hours and letter grade value to calculate your final grade point average.

Letter grades
Educators evaluate your individual assignments with a letter grade. You can earn a grade from A to F, depending on how many questions you answered correctly or whether you have met the outlined requirements. The basic letter grading system offers five grades:

Letter Grade	Description	Percentage Value
A	Excellent	90-100%
B	Very Good	80-89%
C	Improvement Needed	70-79%
D	Almost Failed	60-69%
F	Fail	0-59%

Some educators break down the grades further by using a plus or minus along with the letter. These grades provide a more accurate representation of a student’s performance. The grades used are:

Letter Grade	Percentage Value
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	63-66%
D-	60-62%
F	0-59%

Special grades
When you study in the USA, you may get a special grade on your coursework. These grades fall outside the general A to F system. The special grades you may receive include:

IP – In progress
If you have pending credits, your educator may give you an IP grade. Once you complete the work, the grade gets changed to a regular one.

NC – Not complete
If you miss a particular assignment, exam or tutorial, your educator will mark you NC.

W – Withdrawn
When you start your course, you may have to take on additional lessons. If you drop a class due to rigorous coursework, your professor will grade you W for that subject.

The grade point
The regular letter grades have a corresponding number, the grade point. You can convert your percentage to the corresponding letter grade and then assign yourself a grade point as follows:

Percentage	Letter Grade	Grade Point
90-100%	A	4
80-89%	B	3
70-79%	C	2
60-69%	D	1
0-59%	F	0

The grade point average
American institutions use your letter grade or grade point and credit hours to assess your overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Your GPA is a numerical value that evaluates your performance across all subjects for a course. You can use the following formula to calculate your GPA:
GPA for each subject = Credit Hours * Grade Point
Final GPA = Cumulative GPA /Total Credits

Assume you study English, History, Psychology and Business Management. You have to complete three credits each for English, Psychology and Business Management and two credits for history. You get a B in English, an A in history, and Cs in psychology and business. You can calculate your GPA as follows:

Subject	Letter Grade	Grade Point	Credits	GPA
English	B	3	3	9
History	A	4	2	8
Psychology	C	2	3	6
Business Management	C	2	3	6
Total			11	29

To calculate your final GPA, you need to divide your cumulative GPA, 29, by the total credits, 11, which is 2.63.

Studying in America
Indian students may refrain from travelling abroad for their education due to the high cost. You can use an online calculator to calculate EMI for education loan and understand your future liability. Opting for an education loan helps you with more than your tuition fee. You can utilise the funds from the loan to pay for your living expenses and purchase study materials and learning devices.

Understanding the grading system in America helps you make a clear decision about your future education. If you want to spread your wings and head to America, you can choose a loan for abroad study. The loan amount will enable you to achieve your dreams without worrying about the finances required to pay your fees.